81 FR 93681 - Final EPA-USGS Technical Report: Protecting Aquatic Life from Effects of Hydrologic Alteration

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 245 (December 21, 2016)

Page Range		93681-93682
FR Document		2016-30760

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Geological Survey are releasing a technical report: Final EPA- USGS Technical Report: Protecting Aquatic Life from Effects of Hydrologic Alteration. Healthy aquatic ecosystems provide an array of services to individuals and society, including clean drinking water, irrigation supplies, and recreational opportunities. Sound and sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems is an integral part of managing water resources to meet the needs of society. Hydrologic alteration can be a contributor to the impairment of water bodies that are designated to support aquatic life. Stresses on aquatic life associated with hydrologic alteration may be further exacerbated by climate change. This report provides States, Tribes and territories with scientific and technical information on the natural flow regime and potential effects of flow alteration on aquatic life, and a flexible, nonprescriptive framework that state water managers might consider if they are interested in developing narrative or numeric targets for flow regime components that are protective of aquatic life. The report also provides information about States and Tribes that have adopted narrative water quality standards to protect their waterbodies' flow regimes and on the potential impact of climate change on flow regimes.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 245 (Wednesday, December 21, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 93681-93682]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30760]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0335; FRL-9956-93-OW]


Final EPA-USGS Technical Report: Protecting Aquatic Life from 
Effects of Hydrologic Alteration

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and United States 
Geological Survey (USGS).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United 
States Geological Survey are releasing a technical report: Final EPA-
USGS Technical Report: Protecting Aquatic Life from Effects of 
Hydrologic Alteration. Healthy aquatic ecosystems provide an array of 
services to individuals and society, including clean drinking water, 
irrigation supplies, and recreational opportunities. Sound and 
sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems is an integral part of 
managing water resources to meet the needs of society. Hydrologic 
alteration can be a contributor to the impairment of water bodies that 
are designated to support aquatic life. Stresses on aquatic life 
associated with hydrologic alteration may be further exacerbated by 
climate change.
    This report provides States, Tribes and territories with scientific 
and technical information on the natural flow regime and potential 
effects of flow alteration on aquatic life, and a flexible, 
nonprescriptive framework that state water managers might consider if 
they are interested in developing narrative or numeric targets for flow 
regime components that are protective of aquatic life. The report also 
provides information about States and Tribes that have adopted 
narrative water quality standards to protect their waterbodies' flow 
regimes and on the potential impact of climate change on flow regimes.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diana Eignor, Health and Ecological 
Criteria Division, Office of Water (Mail Code 4304T), Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (202) 566-1143; 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

[[Page 93682]]

information about EPA's public docket, visit EPA Docket Center homepage 
at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

II. What is this document?

    This document serves as a technical and informational resource for 
States, Tribes, territories, and other stakeholders that want to 
protect aquatic life from the adverse effects of flow alteration. To 
that end, this report provides technical information about the effect 
of altered flow regimes on aquatic life and a nonprescriptive framework 
that may be used to help quantify targets for flow regime components 
that are protective of aquatic life and their habitats. The report also 
provides examples of state and tribal water quality standards designed 
to protect such flow regimes and discusses the potential impact of 
climate change on flow regimes. This technical report is not a rule and 
it, therefore, does not impose any mandatory requirements. State and 
Tribal decision makers retain the discretion to adopt approaches or 
information presented in this report on a case-by-case basis that 
differ from the approaches described in this report.

III. Additional Information:

    EPA and USGS each conducted internal peer reviews of the report, 
and EPA managed a contractor-led independent external peer review of 
the Draft EPA-USGS Technical Report: Protecting Aquatic Life from 
Effects of Hydrologic Alteration. EPA will make the external peer 
review comments and Agency responses to these comments available in the 
docket at http://www.regulations.gov.

    Dated: December 14, 2016.
Joel Beauvais,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2016-30760 Filed 12-20-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 245 / Wednesday, December 21, 2016 / Notices 93681

Applicants: Guardian Pipeline, L.L.C. § 385.214) on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Alteration. Healthy aquatic ecosystems
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: time on the specified comment date. provide an array of services to
Negotiated Rate PAL Agreement with Protests may be considered, but individuals and society, including clean
MIECO INC. to be effective 12/10/2016. intervention is necessary to become a drinking water, irrigation supplies, and
Filed Date: 12/9/16. party to the proceeding. recreational opportunities. Sound and
Accession Number: 20161209–5191. sustainable management of aquatic
Filings in Existing Proceedings ecosystems is an integral part of
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 12/21/16.
Docket Numbers: RP17–255–000. Docket Numbers: RP17–200–001. managing water resources to meet the
Applicants: Sea Robin Pipeline Applicants: Guardian Pipeline, L.L.C. needs of society. Hydrologic alteration
Company, LLC. Description: Tariff Amendment: can be a contributor to the impairment
Description: Compliance filing Amendment to Docket No. RP17–200– of water bodies that are designated to
Annual Flowthrough Crediting 000 to be effective 12/31/2016. support aquatic life. Stresses on aquatic
Mechanism Filing on 12/12/16. Filed Date: 12/12/16. life associated with hydrologic
Filed Date: 12/12/16. Accession Number: 20161212–5208. alteration may be further exacerbated by
Accession Number: 20161212–5058. Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 12/27/16. climate change.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 12/27/16. Docket Numbers: RP17–71–001. This report provides States, Tribes
Applicants: Algonquin Gas and territories with scientific and
Docket Numbers: RP17–256–000.
Transmission, LLC. technical information on the natural
Applicants: Texas Eastern
Description: Compliance filing AGT flow regime and potential effects of flow
Transmission, LP.
FRQ 2016 Compliance Filing. alteration on aquatic life, and a flexible,
Description: Compliance filing Gas
Filed Date: 12/12/16. nonprescriptive framework that state
Quality Settlement.
Accession Number: 20161212–5084. water managers might consider if they
Filed Date: 12/13/16.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 12/27/16. are interested in developing narrative or
Accession Number: 20161213–5000.
Any person desiring to protest in any numeric targets for flow regime
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 12/27/16.
of the above proceedings must file in components that are protective of
Docket Numbers: RP17–257–000. aquatic life. The report also provides
accordance with Rule 211 of the
Applicants: Rockies Express Pipeline information about States and Tribes that
Commission’s Regulations (18 CFR
LLC. have adopted narrative water quality
385.211) on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: Neg standards to protect their waterbodies’
time on the specified comment date.
Rate 2016–12–2 Capacity Enhancement The filings are accessible in the flow regimes and on the potential
Amend Many Ks to be effective 12/13/ Commission’s eLibrary system by impact of climate change on flow
2016. clicking on the links or querying the regimes.
Filed Date: 12/13/16.
docket number. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Accession Number: 20161213–5110. eFiling is encouraged. More detailed Diana Eignor, Health and Ecological
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 12/27/16. information relating to filing Criteria Division, Office of Water (Mail
Docket Numbers: RP17–258–000. requirements, interventions, protests, Code 4304T), Environmental Protection
Applicants: Gulf Shore Energy service, and qualifying facilities filings Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue
Partners, LP. can be found at: http://www.ferc.gov/ NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone
Description: Compliance filing Gulf docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For number: (202) 566–1143; email address:
Shore Energy Partners—Cost and other information, call (866) 208–3676 eignor.diana@epa.gov.
Revenue Study. (toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Filed Date: 12/13/16.
Dated: December 14, 2016. I. General Information
Accession Number: 20161213–5113.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 12/27/16. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary. A. How can I get copies of this
Docket Numbers: RP17–259–000. document and other related
[FR Doc. 2016–30677 Filed 12–20–16; 8:45 am]
Applicants: Natural Gas Pipeline information?
Company of America. BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
1. Docket: All documents in the
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: docket are listed in the
Negotiated Rate—Occidental Energy to www.regulations.gov index. Although
be effective 1/1/2017. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY listed in the index, some information is
Filed Date: 12/13/16. not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
Accession Number: 20161213–5148. [EPA–HQ–OW–2015–0335; FRL–9956–93– information whose disclosure is
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 12/27/16. OW] restricted by statute. Certain other
Docket Numbers: RP17–260–000. material, such as copyrighted material,
Applicants: Texas Eastern Final EPA–USGS Technical Report: will be publicly available only in hard
Transmission, LP. Protecting Aquatic Life from Effects of copy. Publicly available docket
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: Hydrologic Alteration materials are available either
Negotiated Rate—Piedmont Release to AGENCY: Environmental Protection electronically in www.regulations.gov or
Atmos—8944225 to be effective 12/9/ Agency (EPA) and United States in hard copy at the Water Docket, EPA/
2016. DC, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Geological Survey (USGS).
Filed Date: 12/13/16. Constitution Ave. NW., Washington,
ACTION: Notice of availability.
Accession Number: 20161213–5237. DC. The Public Reading Room is open
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 12/27/16. SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
Any person desiring to intervene or Agency (EPA) and the United States through Friday, excluding legal
protest in any of the above proceedings Geological Survey are releasing a holidays. The telephone number for the
must file in accordance with Rules 211 technical report: Final EPA–USGS Public Reading Room is (202) 566–1744,
and 214 of the Commission’s Technical Report: Protecting Aquatic and the telephone number for the Water
Regulations (18 CFR 385.211 and Life from Effects of Hydrologic Docket is (202) 566–2426. For additional

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93682 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 245 / Wednesday, December 21, 2016 / Notices

information about EPA’s public docket, Source Performance Standards (NSPS) sections 60.8(b)(3), 61.13(h)(1)(ii), and
visit EPA Docket Center homepage at and the National Emission Standards for 63.7(e)(2)(ii). A similar authority is
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/ Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) granted in 40 CFR part 65 under section
dockets.htm. between January 1, 2016, and December 65.158(a)(2). In the past, we have
12, 2016. performed thorough technical reviews
II. What is this document?
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: An of numerous source-specific requests for
This document serves as a technical electronic copy of each alternative test alternatives and modifications to test
and informational resource for States, method approval document is available methods and procedures. Based on
Tribes, territories, and other at https://www.epa.gov/emc/broadly- these reviews, we have often found that
stakeholders that want to protect aquatic applicable-approved-alternative-test- these changes or alternatives would be
life from the adverse effects of flow methods. For questions about this equally valid and appropriate to apply
alteration. To that end, this report notice, contact Mrs. Lula H. Melton, Air to other sources within a particular
provides technical information about Quality Assessment Division, Office of class, category, or subcategory.
the effect of altered flow regimes on Air Quality Planning and Standards Consequently, we have concluded that,
aquatic life and a nonprescriptive (E143–02), Environmental Protection where a method modification or an
framework that may be used to help Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC alternative method is clearly broadly
quantify targets for flow regime applicable to a class, category, or
27711; telephone number: (919) 541–
components that are protective of subcategory of sources, it is both more
2910; fax number: (919) 541–0516;
aquatic life and their habitats. The equitable and efficient to approve its use
email address: melton.lula@epa.gov. For
report also provides examples of state for all appropriate sources and
technical questions about individual
and tribal water quality standards situations at the same time.
alternative test method decisions, refer
designed to protect such flow regimes It is important to clarify that
to the contact person identified in the
and discusses the potential impact of alternative methods are not mandatory
individual approval document(s).
climate change on flow regimes. This but permissive. Sources are not required
technical report is not a rule and it, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
to employ such a method but may
therefore, does not impose any I. General Information choose to do so in appropriate
mandatory requirements. State and circumstances. Source owners or
Tribal decision makers retain the A. Does this notice apply to me? operators should review the specific
discretion to adopt approaches or This notice will be of interest to broadly applicable alternative method
information presented in this report on entities regulated under 40 Code of approval decision at https://
a case-by-case basis that differ from the Federal Regulations (CFR) parts 60, 61, www.epa.gov/emc/broadly-applicable-
approaches described in this report. and 63, state, local, and tribal agencies, approved-alternative-test-methods
and the EPA Regional offices before electing to employ the alternative
III. Additional Information:
responsible for implementation and method. As per section 63.7(f)(5), a
EPA and USGS each conducted enforcement of regulations under 40 source owner or operator electing to use
internal peer reviews of the report, and CFR parts 60, 61, and 63. an alternative method for 40 CFR part
EPA managed a contractor-led 63 standards must continue to use the
independent external peer review of the B. How can I get copies of this
alternative method until otherwise
Draft EPA–USGS Technical Report: information?
authorized.
Protecting Aquatic Life from Effects of You may access copies of the broadly The criteria for approval and
Hydrologic Alteration. EPA will make applicable alternative test method procedures for submission and review
the external peer review comments and approval documents at https:// of broadly applicable alternative test
Agency responses to these comments www.epa.gov/emc/broadly-applicable- methods are outlined at 72 FR 4257
available in the docket at http:// approved-alternative-test-methods. (January 30, 2007). We will continue to
www.regulations.gov. announce approvals for broadly
II. Background
Dated: December 14, 2016. applicable alternative test methods at
Broadly applicable alternative test https://www.epa.gov/emc/broadly-
Joel Beauvais,
method approval decisions made by the applicable-approved-alternative-test-
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of
EPA in 2016 under the NSPS, 40 CFR methods and publish a notice annually
Water.
part 60 and the NESHAP, 40 CFR parts that summarizes approvals for broadly
[FR Doc. 2016–30760 Filed 12–20–16; 8:45 am]
61 and 63 are identified in this notice applicable alternative test methods
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
(see Table 1). Source owners and during the preceding year.
operators may voluntarily use these This notice comprises a summary of
broadly applicable alternative test seven such approval documents posted
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
methods in lieu of otherwise specified to our Technology Transfer Network
AGENCY
reference test methods. Use of these between January 1, 2016, and December
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2007–1196; FRL–9956–89] broadly applicable alternative test 12, 2016. The alternative method
methods does not change the applicable decision letter/memo number, the
Recent Postings of Broadly Applicable emission standards. reference method affected, sources
Alternative Test Methods As explained in a previous Federal allowed to use this alternative, and the
Register notice published at 72 FR 4257 modification or alternative method
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

AGENCY: Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). (January 30, 2007) and located at allowed are summarized in Table 1 of
ACTION: Notice of availability. https://www.epa.gov/emc/broadly- this notice. For more detailed
applicable-approved-alternative-test- information, please refer to the complete
SUMMARY: This notice announces the methods, the EPA Administrator has the copies of these approval documents
broadly applicable alternative test authority to approve the use of available at https://www.epa.gov/emc/
method approval decisions the alternative test methods to comply with broadly-applicable-approved-
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements under 40 CFR parts 60, 61, alternative-test-methods, as Table 1
has made under and in support of New and 63. This authority is found in serves only as a brief summary of the

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Document Created: 2018-02-14 09:11:57
Document Modified: 2018-02-14 09:11:57

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.
Contact		Diana Eignor, Health and Ecological Criteria Division, Office of Water (Mail Code 4304T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460;
FR Citation		81 FR 93681