80 FR 75097 - Request for Scientific Views on the Draft Recommended Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Cadmium-2015
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 230 (December 1, 2015)
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 230 (December 1, 2015)
| Page Range | 75097-75099 | |
| FR Document | 2015-30493 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 230 (Tuesday, December 1, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 75097-75099] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-30493] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0753; FRL-9939-57-OW] Request for Scientific Views on the Draft Recommended Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Cadmium--2015 AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing its draft recommended aquatic life water quality criteria for cadmium for public comment. EPA is updating its national recommended ambient water quality criteria for cadmium in order to reflect the latest scientific information, and current EPA policies and methods. Following closure of this public comment period, EPA will consider scientific views from the public on this draft document as well as any new data or information received. EPA will then publish a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of the final cadmium criteria. Once finalized, EPA's water quality criteria for cadmium will provide recommendations to states and tribes authorized to establish water quality standards under the Clean Water Act. In adopting water quality standards, states set exposure protections for aquatic life; chronic exposure to cadmium negatively impacts growth, development, behavior, reproduction, and immune and endocrine systems in aquatic life. DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 1, 2016. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW- 2015-0753, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or withdrawn. EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. EPA will generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of the primary submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Elias, Health and Ecological Criteria Division, Office of Water (Mail Code 4304T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 566-0120; email address: [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General Information A. How can I get copies of this document and other related information? 1. Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0753 Docket, EPA/DC, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The 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 EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0753 Docket is (202) 566-2426. For additional information about EPA's public docket, visit EPA Docket Center [[Page 75098]] homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. II. What are EPA's recommended water quality criteria? EPA's recommended water quality criteria are scientifically derived numeric values that protect aquatic life or human health from the deleterious effects of pollutants in ambient water. Section 304(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) directs EPA to develop and publish and, from time to time, revise criteria for protection of aquatic life and human health that accurately reflect the latest scientific knowledge. Water quality criteria developed under section 304(a) are based solely on data and the latest scientific knowledge 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 to states and authorized tribes in adopting water quality standards (WQS) that ultimately provide a basis for assessing water body health and controlling discharges or releases of pollutants. Under the CWA and its implementing regulations, states and authorized tribes are to adopt water quality criteria to protect designated uses (e.g., public water supply, aquatic life, recreational use, or industrial use). EPA's recommended water quality criteria do not substitute for the CWA or regulations, nor are they regulations themselves. 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. III. What is cadmium and why is EPA concerned about it? Cadmium is a relatively rare, naturally occurring metal found in mineral deposits and distributed ubiquitously at low concentrations in the environment. Cadmium's primary industrial uses are for the manufacturing of batteries, pigments, plastic stabilizers, metal coatings, alloys and electronics. Recently, cadmium has been used in manufacturing nanoparticles (quantum dots) for use in solar cells and color displays. Cadmium is a non-essential metal with no biological function in aquatic life. Chronic exposure leads to adverse effects on growth, reproduction, immune and endocrine systems, development and behavior in aquatic organisms. IV. Information on the Draft Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Cadmium EPA prepared an update of the chronic aquatic life criteria document for cadmium based on the latest scientific information and current EPA policies and methods, including EPA's Guidelines for Deriving Numerical National Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Aquatic Organisms and Their Uses (1985) (EPA/R-85-100) and Guidelines for Ecological Risk Assessment (1998) (EPA/630/R-95/002F). The draft 2015 updated criteria include new data for 70 species and 49 genera not previously represented. The draft freshwater acute criterion was derived to be protective of endangered species and further lowered to protect the commercially and recreationally important rainbow trout, consistent with procedures described in EPA's current aquatic life criteria guidelines; the freshwater acute value is approximately the same as the 2001 acute criterion for dissolved cadmium. The draft freshwater chronic criterion is slightly higher (i.e., less stringent) compared to the 2001 criterion for dissolved cadmium; this increase is primarily due to the inclusion of new data. The draft estuarine/marine acute criterion for dissolved cadmium is slightly more stringent than the 2001 recommended criterion, which is primarily due to the addition of data. Draft changes in suggested values between 2001 and 2015 can be found in Table 1 below. Table 1--Summary of 2001 and 2015 Draft Aquatic Life AWQC for Cadmium ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2015 AWQC Update 2001 AWQC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acute (1-hour, Chronic (4-day, Acute (1-day, Chronic (4-day, dissolved Cd)\c\ dissolved Cd) dissolved Cd) dissolved Cd) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Freshwater (Total Hardness = 100 2.1 [micro]g/L \b\ 0.73 [micro]g/L... 2.0 [micro]g/L \b\ 0.25 [micro]g/L. mg/L as CaCO3) \a\. Estuarine/marine................ 35 [micro]g/L..... 8.3 [micro]g/L.... 40 [micro]g/L..... 8.8 [micro]g/L. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \a\ Freshwater acute and chronic criteria are hardness-dependent and were normalized to a hardness of 100 mg/L as CaCO3 to allow the presentation of representative criteria values. \b\ Lowered to protect the commercially and recreationally important species (rainbow trout), as per the 1985 Guidelines, Stephen et al. (1985). \c\ The duration of the 2015 acute criteria was changed to 1-hour to reflect the 1985 Guidelines-based recommended acute duration. EPA will consider the public comments, revise the document as necessary, and issue a final updated cadmium criteria document. This draft criteria document does not represent and should not be construed to represent any final EPA policy, viewpoint, or determination. V. What is the relationship between the draft chronic water quality criterion and your state or tribal water quality standards? As part of the WQS triennial review process defined in section 303(c)(1) of the CWA, the states and authorized tribes are responsible for maintaining and revising WQS. Standards consist of designated uses, water quality criteria to protect those uses, a policy for antidegradation, and may include general policies for application and implementation. Section 303(c)(1) requires states and authorized tribes to review and modify, if appropriate, their WQS at least once every three years. States and authorized tribes must adopt water quality criteria that protect designated uses. Protective criteria are based on a sound scientific rationale and contain sufficient parameters or constituents to protect the designated uses. Criteria may be expressed in either narrative or numeric form. States and authorized tribes have four options when adopting water quality criteria for [[Page 75099]] which EPA has published section 304(a) criteria. They can: (1) Establish numerical values based on recommended section 304(a) criteria; (2) Adopt section 304(a) criteria modified to reflect site-specific conditions; (3) Adopt criteria derived using other scientifically defensible methods; or (4) Establish narrative criteria where numeric criteria cannot be established or to supplement numerical criteria (40 CFR 131.11(b)). EPA's regulation at 40 CFR 131.20(a) states that if a state does not adopt new or revised criteria parameters for which EPA has published new or updated recommendations, then the state shall provide an explanation when it submits the results of its triennial review to the Regional Administrator consistent with CWA section 303(c)(1). The recommendations in the draft cadmium criteria document may change based on scientific views shared in response to this notice. Upon finalization, the updated cadmium criteria would supersede EPA's previous 304(a) criteria for cadmium. Consistent with 40 CFR 131.21, new or revised water quality criteria adopted into law or regulation by states and authorized tribes on or after May 30, 2 000 are applicable water quality standards for CWA purposes only after EPA approval. VI. Solicitation of Scientific Views EPA is soliciting additional scientific views, data, and information regarding the science and technical approach used by the Agency in the derivation of this draft criteria for cadmium. The Agency is also interested in obtaining information regarding new toxicity tests on Hyalella azteca (amphipod); latent acute effects of cadmium following short exposures; and new estuarine marine chronic toxicity tests. VII. Additional Information EPA conducted a contractor-led and independent external peer review of the draft Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Cadmium document in October 2015. EPA will make the external peer review comments and Agency responses to these comments available in the docket with the revised draft cadmium criteria document at http://www.regulations.gov. Dated: November 24, 2015. Joel Beauvais, Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Water. [FR Doc. 2015-30493 Filed 11-30-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 230 / Tuesday, December 1, 2015 / Notices 75097
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Docket No. EL15–67, Linden VFT, LLC OW–2015–0753, to the Federal
v. PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. eRulemaking Portal: http://
Federal Energy Regulatory Docket No. EL05–121, PJM www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
Commission Interconnection, L.L.C. instructions for submitting comments.
For more information, contact the Once submitted, comments cannot be
Notice of Commission Staff edited or withdrawn. EPA may publish
following:
Attendance any comment received to its public
Jonathan Fernandez, Office of Energy
The Federal Energy Regulatory Market Regulation, Federal Energy docket. Do not submit electronically any
Commission hereby gives notice that Regulatory Commission, (202) 502– information you consider to be
members of the Commission’s staff may Confidential Business Information (CBI)
6604, Jonathan.Fernandez@ferc.gov.
attend the following meetings related to or other information whose disclosure is
Alina Halay, Office of Energy Market
the transmission planning activities of restricted by statute. Multimedia
Regulation, Federal Energy Regulatory
the PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM): submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be
Commission, (202) 502–6474,
accompanied by a written comment.
PJM Planning Committee Alina.Halay@ferc.gov.
The written comment is considered the
Dated: November 24, 2015. official comment and should include
December 3, 2015, 9:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
(EST) Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., discussion of all points you wish to
Deputy Secretary. make. EPA will generally not consider
PJM Transmission Expansion Advisory [FR Doc. 2015–30400 Filed 11–30–15; 8:45 am] comments or comment contents located
Committee outside of the primary submission (i.e.,
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
December 3, 2015, 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. on the web, cloud, or other file sharing
(EST) system). For additional submission
The above-referenced meetings will ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION methods, the full EPA public comment
be held at: PJM Conference and Training AGENCY policy, information about CBI or
Center, PJM Interconnection, 2750 multimedia submissions, and general
[EPA–HQ–OW–2015–0753; FRL–9939–57– guidance on making effective
Monroe Boulevard, Audubon, PA OW]
19403. comments, please visit http://www2.
The above-referenced meetings are epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-
Request for Scientific Views on the dockets.
open to stakeholders. Draft Recommended Aquatic Life
Further information may be found at Ambient Water Quality Criteria for FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
www.pjm.com. Cadmium—2015 Mike Elias, Health and Ecological
The discussions at the meetings Criteria Division, Office of Water (Mail
described above may address matters at AGENCY: Environmental Protection Code 4304T), Environmental Protection
issue in the following proceedings: Agency (EPA). Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue
Docket No. ER14–972, PJM ACTION: Notice of availability. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone
Interconnection, L.L.C. number: (202) 566–0120; email address:
Docket No. ER14–1485, PJM SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection elias.mike@epa.gov.
Interconnection, L.L.C. Agency (EPA) is announcing its draft SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Docket Nos. ER13–1957, et al., ISO New recommended aquatic life water quality
England, Inc., et. al. criteria for cadmium for public I. General Information
Docket Nos. ER13–1944, et al., PJM comment. EPA is updating its national A. How can I get copies of this
Interconnection, L.L.C., et al. recommended ambient water quality document and other related
Docket No. ER15–1344, PJM criteria for cadmium in order to reflect information?
Interconnection, L.L.C. the latest scientific information, and
Docket No. ER15–1387, PJM current EPA policies and methods. 1. Docket: All documents in the
Interconnection, L.L.C. and Potomac docket are listed in the
Following closure of this public
Electric Power Company www.regulations.gov index. Although
comment period, EPA will consider
Docket No. ER15–2648, PJM listed in the index, some information is
scientific views from the public on this
Interconnection, L.L.C. not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
draft document as well as any new data
Docket No. ER15–2562, PJM information whose disclosure is
or information received. EPA will then
Interconnection, L.L.C. restricted by statute. Certain other
publish a Federal Register notice
Docket No. ER15–2563, PJM material, such as copyrighted material,
announcing the availability of the final
Interconnection, L.L.C. will be publicly available only in hard
cadmium criteria. Once finalized, EPA’s
Docket No. EL15–18, Consolidated copy. Publicly available docket
water quality criteria for cadmium will
Edison Company of New York, Inc. v. materials are available either
provide recommendations to states and electronically in www.regulations.gov or
PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. tribes authorized to establish water
Docket No. EL15–41, Essential Power in hard copy at the EPA–HQ–OW–
quality standards under the Clean Water 2015–0753 Docket, EPA/DC, EPA West,
Rock Springs, LLC, et. al. v. PJM Act. In adopting water quality
Interconnection, L.L.C. Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave.
standards, states set exposure NW., Washington, DC. The Public
Docket No. ER13–1927, et al., PJM protections for aquatic life; chronic
Interconnection, L.L.C., et al. Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to
exposure to cadmium negatively 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
Docket No. ER15–2114, PJM
impacts growth, development, behavior,
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Interconnection, L.L.C. and excluding legal holidays. The telephone
reproduction, and immune and number for the Public Reading Room is
Transource West Virginia, LLC
Docket No. EL15–79, TransSource, LLC endocrine systems in aquatic life. (202) 566–1744, and the telephone
v. PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. DATES: Comments must be received on number for the EPA–HQ–OW–2015–
Docket No. EL15–95, Delaware Public or before February 1, 2016. 0753 Docket is (202) 566–2426. For
Service Commission, et. al., v. PJM ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, additional information about EPA’s
Interconnection, L.L.C., et. al. identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– public docket, visit EPA Docket Center
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![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 230 / Tuesday, December 1, 2015 / Notices 75099
which EPA has published section 304(a) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Wetlands, and opened a 30-day public
criteria. They can: AGENCY review and comment period to seek
(1) Establish numerical values based comment on the information contained
[EPA–HQ–OW–2015–0667; FRL–9939–56–
on recommended section 304(a) criteria; OW]
in the draft report, the reasonableness of
the conclusions, and the clarity with
(2) Adopt section 304(a) criteria
Extension of Public Comment Period which the information is presented.
modified to reflect site-specific The original deadline to submit
conditions; for the National Wetland Condition
Assessment 2011 Draft Report comments on the draft report was
(3) Adopt criteria derived using other December 7, 2015. This action extends
scientifically defensible methods; or AGENCY: Environmental Protection the comment period for 30 days. Written
(4) Establish narrative criteria where Agency (EPA). comments must now be received by
numeric criteria cannot be established ACTION: Notice; extension of comment January 6, 2016. The draft report and
or to supplement numerical criteria (40 period. other supporting materials may also be
CFR 131.11(b)). viewed and downloaded from EPA’s
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Web site at http://www2.epa.gov/
EPA’s regulation at 40 CFR 131.20(a) Agency (EPA) is extending the comment
states that if a state does not adopt new national-aquatic-resource-surveys/
period for the draft report on the national-wetland-condition-assessment.
or revised criteria parameters for which National Wetland Condition Assessment
EPA has published new or updated (NWCA 2011). In response to Dated: November 24, 2015.
recommendations, then the state shall stakeholder requests, the comment Benita Best-Wong,
provide an explanation when it submits period will be extended for an Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and
the results of its triennial review to the additional 30 days, from December 7, Watersheds.
Regional Administrator consistent with 2015 until January 6, 2016. [FR Doc. 2015–30505 Filed 11–30–15; 8:45 am]
CWA section 303(c)(1). The DATES: Comments must be received on BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
recommendations in the draft cadmium or before January 6, 2016.
criteria document may change based on
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
scientific views shared in response to ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
this notice. Upon finalization, the AGENCY
OW–2015–0667, to the Federal
updated cadmium criteria would
eRulemaking Portal: http:// [FRL–9939–40–OAR]
supersede EPA’s previous 304(a) criteria
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
for cadmium. Consistent with 40 CFR Stratospheric Protection Division;
instructions for submitting comments.
131.21, new or revised water quality Teleconference on the Clean Air Act
Once submitted, comments cannot be
criteria adopted into law or regulation Section 608 Technician Certification
edited or withdrawn. EPA may publish
by states and authorized tribes on or Program Test Bank
any comment received to its public
after May 30, 2 000 are applicable water
docket. Do not submit electronically any AGENCY: Environmental Protection
quality standards for CWA purposes
information you consider to be Agency (EPA).
only after EPA approval.
Confidential Business Information (CBI) ACTION: Notice of Section 608
VI. Solicitation of Scientific Views or other information whose disclosure is Technician Certification Program Test
restricted by statute. Multimedia Bank teleconference.
EPA is soliciting additional scientific submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be
views, data, and information regarding accompanied by a written comment. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
the science and technical approach used The written comment is considered the the Stratospheric Protection Division
by the Agency in the derivation of this official comment and should include will hold a public teleconference on
draft criteria for cadmium. The Agency discussion of all points you wish to December 9, 2015 on the Section 608
is also interested in obtaining make. EPA will generally not consider Technician Certification Test Bank. The
information regarding new toxicity tests comments or comment contents located teleconference will be an opportunity
on Hyalella azteca (amphipod); latent outside of the primary submission (i.e., for stakeholders and members of the
acute effects of cadmium following on the web, cloud, or other file sharing public to provide feedback on updating
short exposures; and new estuarine system). For additional submission Test Bank questions. For further
marine chronic toxicity tests. methods, the full EPA public comment information regarding the
VII. Additional Information policy, information about CBI or teleconference, please contact Robert
multimedia submissions, and general Burchard at the number and email
EPA conducted a contractor-led and guidance on making effective below.
independent external peer review of the comments, please visit http://www2. DATES: The Stratospheric Protection
draft Aquatic Life Ambient Water epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-
Quality Criteria for Cadmium document Division will hold a public
dockets. teleconference on December 9, 2015
in October 2015. EPA will make the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Standard
external peer review comments and
Gregg Serenbetz, Wetlands Division, Time.
Agency responses to these comments
Office of Water (4502T), Environmental SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
available in the docket with the revised
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Background: Under the authority of
draft cadmium criteria document at
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; Section 608 of the Clean Air Act (CAA)
http://www.regulations.gov.
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
telephone number: 202–566–1253; of 1990, as amended, the Environmental
Dated: November 24, 2015. email address: serenbetz.gregg@epa.gov. Protection Agency (EPA) established a
Joel Beauvais, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On technician certification program for
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office November 5, 2015, EPA announced the persons (‘‘technicians’’) who perform
of Water. availability of the draft report, National maintenance, service, repair, or disposal
[FR Doc. 2015–30493 Filed 11–30–15; 8:45 am] Wetland Condition Assessment 2011: A activities on appliances (with some
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P Collaborative Survey of the Nation’s enumerated exceptions) that could be
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Document Created: 2018-03-02 09:09:47
Document Modified: 2018-03-02 09:09:47
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of availability. | |
| Dates | Comments must be received on or before February 1, 2016. | |
| Contact | Mike Elias, Health and Ecological Criteria Division, Office of Water (Mail Code 4304T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 75097 |
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