81 FR 7784 - Draft Technical Support Document: Recommended Estimates for Missing Water Quality Parameters for Application in EPA's Biotic Ligand Model
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 30 (February 16, 2016)
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 30 (February 16, 2016)
| Page Range | 7784-7786 | |
| FR Document | 2016-03119 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 16, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 7784-7786] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-03119] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0469; FRL-9942-26-OW] Draft Technical Support Document: Recommended Estimates for Missing Water Quality Parameters for Application in EPA's Biotic Ligand Model AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing availability of the draft technical support document: Recommended Estimates for Missing Water Quality Parameters for Application in EPA's Biotic Ligand Model for public comment. In 2007, EPA published updated criteria for freshwater copper using the Biotic Ligand Model (BLM), a bioavailability model that relies on ten water quality input parameters to estimate copper criteria protective of aquatic life in freshwater. This draft technical support document summarizes data analysis approaches EPA used to develop recommendations for default values for water quality parameters used in the Freshwater Copper BLM when data are lacking. These default values may also be used to fill in missing water quality input parameters in the application of other metal BLM models as well, when data are lacking. Following closure of this 30 day public comment period, EPA will consider the comments, revise the document, as appropriate, and then publish a final technical support document that will serve as a source of information for states, tribes, territories, and other stakeholders. DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 17, 2016. [[Page 7785]] ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW- 2015-0469, 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 Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or withdrawn.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: Kathryn Gallagher, Health and Ecological Criteria Division, Office of Water (Mail Code 4304T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone: (202) 564-1398; 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 Water 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 Water Docket is (202) 566-2426. For additional information about EPA's public docket, visit EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. II. What is the relationship between state or tribal water quality standards and the draft technical support document? Recommended estimates for missing water quality parameters for application in EPA's biotic ligand model? As part of the water quality standards triennial review process defined in section 303(c)(1) of the CWA, the states and authorized tribes are responsible for maintaining and revising water quality standards. Water quality 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. 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. States and authorized tribes have four options when adopting water quality criteria for 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)). The current 304(a) criteria recommendation for freshwater copper relies on implementation of the BLM model. The model requires 10 inputs to determine the criteria. This technical support document provides default values for 8 of the 10 parameters, where site-specific data are not available, and thereby facilitates the use of the BLM model. The document describes the methods used to estimate missing parameters. III. Information on the Draft Technical Support Document Recommended Estimates for Missing Water Quality Parameters for Application in EPA's Biotic Ligand Model The Biotic Ligand Model (BLM) is used to derive Aquatic Life Ambient water quality criteria for copper in freshwater. The BLM requires 10 input parameters: Temperature, pH, dissolved organic carbon, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate, and chloride to derive water quality criteria. In 2007, EPA published updated criteria for freshwater copper using the biotic ligand model. An ongoing implementation challenge for state water quality standards is completing a parameter database for BLM use when a site has missing model input parameters. EPA developed approaches to estimate missing water quality parameters including geochemical ions (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate, chloride, and alkalinity) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). For geochemical ions (GI) parameter estimates, specific conductivity was combined with geostatistical techniques (Kriging) to generate protective estimates for use in the BLM when data are not available. DOC estimates were derived using several water quality databases including the National Organic Carbon Database, Storage and Retrieval Data System, National Waters Information System, Wadeable Stream Assessment, and National River and Stream Assessment (NRSA) database. This draft support document provides default recommended values that could be used to fill in missing water quality input parameters when data are lacking for 8 of 10 BLM parameters. Default recommended values for GI parameters are 10th percentile ecoregional, stream-order specific values. Default recommended values for DOC are 10th percentile ecoregional values. These default values could also be used to fill in missing water quality input parameters in the application of other metal BLM models as well, when data are lacking. In addition, the document also recommends that the other two parameters, temperature and pH, be measured directly in the field. Site-specific data are always preferable for use in the BLM and should be used to develop copper criteria via the BLM when possible. Users of the BLM are encouraged to sample their water body of interest, and to analyze the samples for the constituent (parameter) concentrations as a basis for determining BLM inputs, when possible. This document underwent an internal EPA review and an independent contractor-led external peer review. IV. Solicitation of Scientific Views EPA is soliciting additional scientific views, data, and information regarding the science and technical approach used in the derivation of this draft technical document. [[Page 7786]] Dated: February 4, 2016. Elizabeth Southerland, Director, Office of Science and Technology. [FR Doc. 2016-03119 Filed 2-12-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
![7784 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 30 / Tuesday, February 16, 2016 / Notices
Agreement. For purposes of Dated: February 9, 2016. EPA’s Administrator on ways to
commenting on the Programmatic Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., improve its partnership with Local
Agreement, we propose to restrict the Deputy Secretary. Governments and provide more efficient
service list for Project No. 2322–060 as [FR Doc. 2016–03021 Filed 2–12–16; 8:45 am] and effective environmental protection.
follows: BILLING CODE 6717–01–P Inquiries may be directed to Frances
Dr. John Eddins, Advisory Council on Eargle, Designated Federal Officer,
Historic Preservation, 401 F Street LGAC, U.S. EPA, (Mail Code 1301A),
NW., Suite 308, Washington, DC DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.,
20001–2637 Washington, DC 20460, or
Federal Energy Regulatory eargle.frances@epa.gov.
Kirk F. Mohney, SHPO, Maine Historic Commission
Preservation Commission, 55 Capitol Dated: February 4, 2016.
Street, 65 State House Station, [Docket No. AD16–16–000] Nichole Distefano,
Augusta, ME 04333–0065 Associate Administrator, Office of
Implementation Issues Under the Congressional and Intergovernmental
Robin K. Reed or Representative, Maine Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act Relations.
Historic Preservation Commission, 55 of 1978; Notice of Technical [FR Doc. 2016–03101 Filed 2–12–16; 8:45 am]
Capitol Street, 65 State House Station, Conference BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
Augusta, ME 04333–0065
Frank Dunlap and Representative, Take notice that the Federal Energy
Brookfield Renewable Energy Group, Regulatory Commission plans to hold a
technical conference in the above- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
26 Katherine Drive, Hallowell, ME AGENCY
04347 captioned docket on implementation
issues under the Public Utility
Jennifer Pictou, THPO, or Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, 16 [EPA–HQ–OW–2015–0469; FRL–9942–26–
Representative, Aroostook Band of U.S.C. 796(17)–(18), 824a–3 (2012) OW]
Micmac, 7 Northern Road, Presque (PURPA). The technical conference will
Isle, ME 04769 take place on June 29, 2016. The Draft Technical Support Document:
Chris Sockalexis, THPO, or conference will be held at the Federal Recommended Estimates for Missing
Representative, Penobscot Indian Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 Water Quality Parameters for
Nation, 12 Wabanaki Way, Indian First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. Application in EPA’s Biotic Ligand
Island, ME 04468 The technical conference will be Model
Donald Soctomah, THPO, webcast and transcribed. AGENCY: Environmental Protection
Passamaquoddy Tribe—Pleasant Further information concerning topics Agency (EPA).
Point, or Representative, P.O. Box and speakers, as well as matters relevant
ACTION: Notice of availability.
159, Princeton, ME 04668 to the organization of the technical
Chief William Nicolas, Sr. or conference, will be provided at a later SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection
Representative, Passamaquoddy date in supplemental notices. Agency (EPA) is announcing availability
Tribe—Indian Township, P.O. Box Dated: February 9, 2016. of the draft technical support document:
301, Princeton, ME 04668 Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Recommended Estimates for Missing
Chief Brenda Commander or Deputy Secretary. Water Quality Parameters for
Representative, Houlton Band of [FR Doc. 2016–03016 Filed 2–12–16; 8:45 am]
Application in EPA’s Biotic Ligand
Maliseet, 88 Bell Road, Littleton, ME Model for public comment. In 2007,
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
04730 EPA published updated criteria for
freshwater copper using the Biotic
David Saunders, Bureau of Indian Ligand Model (BLM), a bioavailability
Affairs, Eastern Region, 545 Marriott ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
model that relies on ten water quality
Drive, Suite 700, Nashville, TN 37214 AGENCY
input parameters to estimate copper
Harold Peterson, Bureau of Indian [FRL 9942–42–OA] criteria protective of aquatic life in
Affairs, Eastern Region, 545 Marriott freshwater. This draft technical support
Drive, Suite 700, Nashville, TN 37214 Local Government Advisory document summarizes data analysis
Committee (LGAC); Notice of Charter approaches EPA used to develop
Any person on the official service list
Renewal recommendations for default values for
for the above-captioned proceedings
may request inclusion on the restricted AGENCY: Environmental Protection water quality parameters used in the
service list, or may request that a Agency (EPA). Freshwater Copper BLM when data are
restricted service list not be established, lacking. These default values may also
ACTION: Notice.
by filing a motion to that effect within be used to fill in missing water quality
15 days of this notice date. A copy of Notice is hereby given that the input parameters in the application of
any such motion must be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) other metal BLM models as well, when
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory has determined that, in accordance with data are lacking. Following closure of
Commission, 888 First Street NE., the provisions of the Federal Advisory this 30 day public comment period, EPA
will consider the comments, revise the
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Washington, DC 20426 and must be Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. App. 2,
served on each person whose name the Local Government Advisory document, as appropriate, and then
appears on the official service list. If no Committee (LGAC) is a necessary publish a final technical support
such motions are filed, the restricted committee which is in the public document that will serve as a source of
service list will be effective at the end interest. Accordingly, LGAC will be information for states, tribes, territories,
of the 15 day period. Otherwise, a renewed for an additional two-year and other stakeholders.
further notice will be issued ruling on period. The purpose of LGAC is to DATES: Comments must be received on
the motion. provide advice and recommendations to or before March 17, 2016.
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Document Created: 2016-02-13 03:13:35
Document Modified: 2016-02-13 03:13:35
| 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 March 17, 2016. | |
| Contact | Kathryn Gallagher, Health and Ecological Criteria Division, Office of Water (Mail Code 4304T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 7784 |
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