Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 issued a series of decisions approving most of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ (MoDNR) 2009 Water Quality Standards, acting on a court-ordered deadline. Overall, EPA is approving MoDNR’s proposed designated use changes for 244 Missouri water bodies, and disapproving 23 others. The agencies will continue to work out difference on the remaining water bodies.
EPA’s issuance of a formal decision letter comes in response to water quality standards revisions that were proposed by MoDNR in November 2009. The letter also resolves claims from a federal lawsuit filed in August 2010 by the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, which sought EPA’s action on the standards.
EPA is also approving numeric nutrient criteria for 25 Missouri lakes. The agency is disapproving the remaining portions of MoDNR’s numeric nutrient criteria, finding that the state was unable to demonstrate that the criteria values and the process for establishing the criteria is adequately protective of aquatic life uses, as required by the Clean Water Act.
EPA’s decision letter provides a more detailed description of its review and the basis for this action. The decision letter, including a complete list of approved and disapproved designated use changes for Missouri waters, is available at www.epa.gov/region7/newsevents/legal.
You can read the original EPA news release here.
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