[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 124 (Monday, June 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36986-36989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15912]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2014-0135; FRL-9929-85-OW]


Final Updated Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection 
of Human Health

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces the final 
updated recommended ambient water quality criteria for the protection 
of human health for ninety-four chemical pollutants to reflect the 
latest scientific information and implementation of existing EPA 
policies found in Methodology for Deriving Ambient Water Quality 
Criteria for the Protection of Human Health (2000). The EPA issued the 
draft updated human health criteria on May 13, 2014 and accepted 
written views from the public until August 13, 2014. The EPA prepared 
responses to those public comments. The EPA's recommended ambient water 
quality criteria for the protection of human health provide technical 
information for states and authorized tribes to establish water quality 
standards (i.e., criteria) to protect human health under the Clean 
Water Act. These final 2015 updated section 304(a) human health 
criteria recommendations supersede EPA's previous recommendations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Strong, Office of Water, Health

[[Page 36987]]

and Ecological Criteria Division (4304T), Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (202) 566-0056; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. General Information

A. How can I get copies of this document and other related information?

    1. Docket. EPA has established a docket for this action under 
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2014-0135; FRL-9929-85-OW. Publicly available 
docket materials are available either electronically through 
www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the EPA Water Docket in the EPA 
Docket Center, (EPA/DC) EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. 
NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 
566-1744, and the telephone number for the Water Docket is (202) 566-
2426.
    2. Electronic Access. You may access this Federal Register document 
electronically from the Government Publishing Office under the 
``Federal Register'' listings at FDSys (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=FR). EPA's final criteria 
documents for the ninety-four chemical pollutants, the response to 
views from the public on the draft criteria, and supporting information 
are also available on EPA's Web site http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/criteria/health/.

II. What are EPA's recommended water quality criteria?

    EPA's recommended water quality criteria are scientifically derived 
numeric values that EPA determines will generally protect aquatic life 
or human health from the adverse effects of pollutants in ambient 
water.
    Section 304(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires EPA to 
develop and publish and, from time to time, revise criteria for 
protection of water quality and human health that accurately reflect 
the latest scientific knowledge. Water quality criteria developed under 
section 304(a) are based solely on data and scientific judgments on the 
relationship between pollutant concentrations and environmental and 
human health effects. Section 304(a) criteria do not reflect 
consideration of economic impacts or the technological feasibility of 
meeting pollutant concentrations in ambient water.
    EPA's recommended Section 304(a) criteria provide technical 
information for states and authorized tribes to consider and use in 
adopting water quality standards that ultimately provide the basis for 
assessing water body health and controlling discharges of pollutants 
into waters of the United States. Under the CWA and its implementing 
regulations, states and authorized tribes are required to adopt water 
quality criteria to protect designated uses (e.g., public water supply, 
aquatic life, recreational use, or industrial use) and that are based 
on sound scientific rationale. EPA's recommended criteria do not 
substitute for the CWA or regulations, nor are they regulations 
themselves. Thus, EPA's recommended criteria do not impose legally 
binding requirements. States and authorized tribes have the discretion 
to adopt, where appropriate, other scientifically defensible water 
quality criteria that differ from these recommendations. Ultimately, 
however, such criteria must protect the designated use and be based on 
sound scientific rationale.

III. Information on EPA's 2015 final updated human health criteria

    EPA announces the availability of final updated national 
recommended water quality criteria for the protection of human health 
for ninety-four chemical pollutants. These revisions are based on EPA's 
existing methodology for deriving human health criteria in Methodology 
for Deriving Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human 
Health (2000) (EPA-822-B-00-004, October 2000). The methodology 
describes EPA's approach for deriving national recommended water 
quality criteria for the protection of human health. Table 1 presents 
the updated human health criteria for ninety-four chemical pollutants.

                              Table 1--Revised Human Health Water Quality Criteria
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Human health water quality
                                                                                   criteria for the consumption
                                                                                                of
                            Pollutant                                 CAS No.    -------------------------------
                                                                                      Water +
                                                                                     organism      Organism only
                                                                                     ([mu]g/L)       ([mu]g/L)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1,1,1-Trichloroethane...........................................         71-55-6          10,000         200,000
1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane.......................................         79-34-5             0.2               3
1,1,2-Trichloroethane...........................................         79-00-5            0.55             8.9
1,1-Dichloroethylene............................................         75-35-4             300          20,000
1,2,4,5-Tetrachlorobenzene......................................         95-94-3            0.03            0.03
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene..........................................        120-82-1           0.071           0.076
1,2-Dichlorobenzene.............................................         95-50-1           1,000           3,000
1,2-Dichloroethane..............................................        107-06-2             9.9             650
1,2-Dichloropropane.............................................         78-87-5            0.90              31
1,2-Diphenylhydrazine...........................................        122-66-7            0.03             0.2
1,3-Dichlorobenzene.............................................        541-73-1               7              10
1,3-Dichloropropene.............................................        542-75-6            0.27              12
1,4-Dichlorobenzene.............................................        106-46-7             300             900
2,4,5-Trichlorophenol...........................................         95-95-4             300             600
2,4,6-Trichlorophenol...........................................         88-06-2             1.5             2.8
2,4-Dichlorophenol..............................................        120-83-2              10              60
2,4-Dimethylphenol..............................................        105-67-9             100           3,000
2,4-Dinitrophenol...............................................         51-28-5              10             300
2,4-Dinitrotoluene..............................................        121-14-2           0.049             1.7
2-Chloronaphthalene.............................................         91-58-7             800           1,000
2-Chlorophenol..................................................         95-57-8              30             800
2-Methyl-4,6-Dinitrophenol......................................        534-52-1               2              30

[[Page 36988]]

 
3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine..........................................         91-94-1           0.049            0.15
3-Methyl-4-Chlorophenol.........................................         59-50-7             500           2,000
Acenaphthene....................................................         83-32-9              70              90
Acrolein........................................................        107-02-8               3             400
Acrylonitrile...................................................        107-13-1           0.061             7.0
Aldrin..........................................................        309-00-2      0.00000077      0.00000077
alpha-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)...............................        319-84-6         0.00036         0.00039
alpha-Endosulfan................................................        959-98-8              20              30
Anthracene......................................................        120-12-7             300             400
Benzene.........................................................         71-43-2        0.58-2.1           16-58
Benzidine.......................................................         92-87-5         0.00014           0.011
Benzo(a)anthracene..............................................         56-55-3          0.0012          0.0013
Benzo(a)pyrene..................................................         50-32-8         0.00012         0.00013
Benzo(b)fluoranthene............................................        205-99-2          0.0012          0.0013
Benzo(k)fluoranthene............................................        207-08-9           0.012           0.013
beta-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)................................        319-85-7          0.0080           0.014
beta-Endosulfan.................................................      33213-65-9              20              40
Bis(2-Chloro-1-Methylethyl) Ether...............................        108-60-1             200           4,000
Bis(2-Chloroethyl) Ether........................................        111-44-4           0.030             2.2
Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate.....................................        117-81-7            0.32            0.37
Bis(Chloromethyl) Ether.........................................        542-88-1         0.00015           0.017
Bromoform.......................................................         75-25-2             7.0             120
Butylbenzyl Phthalate...........................................         85-68-7            0.10            0.10
Carbon Tetrachloride............................................         56-23-5             0.4               5
Chlordane.......................................................         57-74-9         0.00031         0.00032
Chlorobenzene...................................................        108-90-7             100             800
Chlorodibromomethane............................................        124-48-1            0.80              21
Chloroform......................................................         67-66-3              60           2,000
Chlorophenoxy Herbicide (2,4-D).................................         94-75-7           1,300          12,000
Chlorophenoxy Herbicide (2,4,5-TP) [Silvex].....................         93-72-1             100             400
Chrysene........................................................        218-01-9            0.12            0.13
Cyanide.........................................................         57-12-5               4             400
Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene..........................................         53-70-3         0.00012         0.00013
Dichlorobromomethane............................................         75-27-4            0.95              27
Dieldrin........................................................         60-57-1       0.0000012       0.0000012
Diethyl Phthalate...............................................         84-66-2             600             600
Dimethyl Phthalate..............................................        131-11-3           2,000           2,000
Di-n-Butyl Phthalate............................................         84-74-2              20              30
Dinitrophenols..................................................      25550-58-7              10           1,000
Endosulfan Sulfate..............................................       1031-07-8              20              40
Endrin..........................................................         72-20-8            0.03            0.03
Endrin Aldehyde.................................................       7421-93-4               1               1
Ethylbenzene....................................................        100-41-4              68             130
Fluoranthene....................................................        206-44-0              20              20
Fluorene........................................................         86-73-7              50              70
gamma-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)...............................         58-89-9             4.2             4.4
Heptachlor......................................................         76-44-8       0.0000059       0.0000059
Heptachlor Epoxide..............................................       1024-57-3        0.000032        0.000032
Hexachlorobenzene...............................................        118-74-1        0.000079        0.000079
Hexachlorobutadiene.............................................         87-68-3            0.01            0.01
Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)-Technical...........................        608-73-1          0.0066           0.010
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene.......................................         77-47-4               4               4
Hexachloroethane................................................         67-72-1             0.1             0.1
Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene..........................................        193-39-5          0.0012          0.0013
Isophorone......................................................         78-59-1              34           1,800
Methoxychlor....................................................         72-43-5            0.02            0.02
Methyl Bromide..................................................         74-83-9             100          10,000
Methylene Chloride..............................................         75-09-2              20           1,000
Nitrobenzene....................................................         98-95-3              10             600
Pentachlorobenzene..............................................        608-93-5             0.1             0.1
Pentachlorophenol...............................................         87-86-5            0.03            0.04
Phenol..........................................................        108-95-2           4,000         300,000
p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD).......................         72-54-8         0.00012         0.00012
p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE).....................         72-55-9        0.000018        0.000018
p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)......................         50-29-3        0.000030        0.000030
Pyrene..........................................................        129-00-0              20              30
Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene).........................        127-18-4              10              29
Toluene.........................................................        108-88-3              57             520

[[Page 36989]]

 
Toxaphene.......................................................       8001-35-2         0.00070         0.00071
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene (DCE)................................        156-60-5             100           4,000
Trichloroethylene (TCE).........................................         79-01-6             0.6               7
Vinyl Chloride..................................................         75-01-4           0.022             1.6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The revision of these criteria is a systematic update of EPA's 
national recommended human health criteria. EPA previously described 
its process for publishing revised criteria [see National Recommended 
Water Quality Criteria--Correction (64 FR 19781; or EPA-822-Z-99-001) 
or the Federal Register Notice for EPA's 2000 Methodology (65 FR 
66444)]. EPA updated the human health criteria using externally peer-
reviewed information sources.
    On May 13, 2014, EPA announced the availability of the draft 
updated human health criteria in the Federal Register notice ``Updated 
National Recommended Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human 
Health'' (79 FR 27303) and announced that written views would be 
accepted from the public until July 14, 2014. In response to 
stakeholder requests, on June 23, 2014, EPA announced in the Federal 
Register (79 FR 35545) an extension of the public comment period for an 
additional 30 days, until August 13, 2014. EPA reviewed and considered 
all public comments received and prepared responses to those comments.
    EPA developed chemical-specific science documents for each of the 
ninety-four chemical pollutants. These documents detail the latest 
scientific information supporting the final human health criteria, 
particularly the updated toxicity and exposure input values. A fact 
sheet and a summary of updated input parameters (e.g., health toxicity 
values, bioaccumulation factors) used to derive the final updated 
criteria are provided. All these documents, including EPA's responses 
to views received during the comment period, are available on EPA's Web 
site at http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/criteria/health/.

IV. What is the relationship between EPA's 2015 final updated human 
health criteria and state or tribal water quality standards?

    Section 303(a)-(c) of the CWA requires states and authorized tribes 
to adopt water quality standards for their waters. As part of the water 
quality standards triennial review process set forth in section 303(c) 
of the CWA, states and authorized tribes are required to review and 
revise, if appropriate, their water quality standards at least once 
every three years.
    States and authorized tribes must adopt water quality criteria that 
protect designated uses. 40 CFR 131.11(a)(1). Criteria must be based on 
a sound scientific rationale and contain sufficient parameters or 
constituents to protect the designated uses. Id. Criteria may be 
expressed in either narrative or numeric form. EPA's regulations 
provide that states and authorized tribes should adopt numeric water 
quality criteria based on:
    (1) EPA's recommended section 304(a) criteria; or
    (2) EPA's recommended section 304(a) criteria modified to reflect 
site-specific conditions; or
    (3) Other scientifically defensible methods. (40 CFR 131.11(b)).
    It is important for states and authorized tribes to consider any 
new or updated section 304(a) recommended criteria as part of their 
triennial review process to ensure that state or tribal water quality 
criteria reflect sound science and protect applicable designated uses. 
EPA recently proposed revisions to its water quality standards 
regulations that would, if finalized without substantive change, 
require states during their triennial reviews to consider new or 
updated section 304(a) recommended criteria and, if they do not adopt 
new or revised criteria for such pollutants, provide an explanation to 
EPA and the public as to why the state did not do so. These final 
updated section 304(a) human health criteria recommendations supersede 
EPA's previous recommendations.

    Dated: June 22, 2015.
Kenneth J. Kopocis,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2015-15912 Filed 6-26-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P