[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 48517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-20023]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6847-8]


Notice of Approval of the State of Minnesota's Submission 
Pursuant to Section 118 of the Clean Water Act and the Water Quality 
Guidance for the Great Lakes System

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of approval of the State of Minnesota's 
submission of criteria, methodologies, policies and procedures for the 
Great Lakes System pursuant to Section 118(c) of the Clean Water Act.

DATES: EPA's approval is effective on August 8, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mery Jackson-Willis, U.S. EPA, Region 
5, 77 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604, or telephone her at (312) 
353-3717.
    Copies of a letter from EPA to the State of Minnesota describing 
EPA's decision are available upon request by contacting Ms. Jackson-
Willis. This letter and other related materials submitted by the State 
in support of its submission and considered by EPA in its decision, as 
well as documents generated by EPA explaining the basis for its 
decision, are available for review by appointment at U.S. EPA Region 5, 
77 West Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604. Appointments may be made by 
calling Ms. Jackson-Willis.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 23, 1995, EPA published the Final 
Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System (Guidance) pursuant 
to section 118(c)(2) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1268(c)(2). 
(March 23, 1995, 60 FR 15366). The Guidance, which was codified at 40 
CFR Part 132, requires the Great Lakes States to adopt and submit to 
EPA for approval water quality criteria, methodologies, policies and 
procedures that are consistent with the Guidance. 40 CFR 132.4 and 
132.5. EPA is required to approve of the State's submission within 90 
days or notify the State that EPA has determined that all or part of 
the submission is inconsistent with the Clean Water Act or the Guidance 
and identify any necessary changes to obtain EPA approval. If the State 
fails to make the necessary changes within 90 days, EPA must publish a 
notice in the Federal Register identifying the approved and disapproved 
elements of the submission and a final rule identifying the provisions 
of Part 132 that shall apply for discharges within the State.
    On April 28, 1998, EPA published in the Federal Register notice of 
its receipt of Minnesota's Great Lakes Guidance submission and a 
solicitation of public comment on the National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System (NPDES) portion of that submission. 63 FR 23285. On 
September 28, 1999, EPA issued a letter notifying the Minnesota 
Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) that, based upon commitments by MPCA, 
including a commitment to enter into an Addendum to its Memorandum of 
Agreement with EPA regarding the State's approved NPDES program, EPA 
believed that the State of Minnesota had generally adopted requirements 
consistent with the Guidance. On October 20, 1999, EPA published in the 
Federal Register a notice of and solicitation of public comment on its 
September 28, 1999, letter. 64 FR 56505. On May 1, 2000, Minnesota 
fulfilled the commitments described in the letter, including entering 
into an Addendum to its Memorandum of Agreement with EPA regarding the 
State's approved NPDES program in which MPCA commits to always exercise 
its discretion under those provisions in a manner consistent with the 
Guidance.
    EPA has determined that the entirety of Minnesota's submission is 
consistent with 40 CFR Part 132. The elements of Minnesota's submission 
that EPA is approving consist of standards, methodologies, policies and 
procedures adopted in accordance with the following provisions of the 
Guidance: the definitions in 40 CFR 132.2; the water quality criteria 
for the protection of aquatic life, human health and wildlife in tables 
1-4 of Part 132; the methodologies for development of aquatic life 
criteria and values, bioaccumulation factors, human health criteria and 
values and wildlife criteria in Appendices B-D of Part 132; the 
antidegradation policy in Appendix E of Part 132; and the 
implementation procedures in Appendix F of Part 132. EPA approves these 
elements in Minnesota's submission pursuant to 40 CFR 132.5. Today's 
final action only addresses the Minnesota provisions adopted to comply 
with section 118(c)(2) of the Clean Water Act and 40 CFR Part 132. EPA 
is taking no action at this time with respect to other revisions 
Minnesota may have made to its NPDES program or water quality standards 
in areas not addressed by the Guidance or applicable outside of the 
Great Lakes System.

Francis X. Lyons,
Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 00-20023 Filed 8-7-00; 8:45 am]
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