Deadline to comment on proposed regulation changes for Water Quality Anti-degradation Policy

Deadline for comments on the proposed REGULATION CHANGES ESTABLISHING IMPLEMENTATION METHODS for WATER QUALITY ANTIDEGRADATION POLICY. The federal Clean Water Act requires states to have an antidegradation policy to ensure protection of “waters of the United States,” which are surface waters such as lakes, rivers, and marine waters. The antidegradation policy assures protection of existing uses of water, ensures that water quality does not drop below state water quality standards, allows the lowering of water quality in high quality waters only when necessary for important social or economic reasons, and provides a mechanism for designating water of exceptional ecological or recreational significance for additional protection. The federal Clean Water Act also requires states to have formal implementation methods for their antidegradation policy. To meet this requirement, the Dept. of Environmental Conservation proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 18, Chapter 70 of the Alaska Administrative Code, establishing implementation methods for the State antidegradation policy as required by federal law. The proposed changes are available athttp://dec.alaska.gov/water/wqsar/Antidegradation/index.html. For more information or to submit comments, Earl Crapps, Program Manager II, at (907) 269-7681 or email earl.Crapps@alaska.gov.