81 FR 94370 - Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 247 (December 23, 2016)

Page Range		94370-94371
FR Document		2016-31049

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity for public comment. Elevated ionic concentration measured as specific conductivity has been shown to negatively impact aquatic life in a range of freshwater resources. Once finalized, states and authorized tribes located in any region of the country may use the methods to develop field-based conductivity criteria for flowing waters. This document does not impose binding water quality criteria on any state, but instead provides methods to assist states and tribes that seek to develop such criteria for adoption into their water quality standards. The draft document provides a scientific assessment of ecological effects and is not a regulation. Following closure of this 60-day public comment period, EPA will consider the comments, revise the document, as appropriate, and then publish a final document that will provide methods for states and authorized tribes that they may use to develop water quality standards.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 247 (Friday, December 23, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 247 (Friday, December 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 94370-94371]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31049]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353; FRL 9957-26-OW]


Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria 
for Specific Conductivity

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the 
availability of Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life 
Criteria for Specific Conductivity for public comment. Elevated ionic 
concentration measured as specific conductivity has been shown to 
negatively impact aquatic life in a range of freshwater resources. Once 
finalized, states and authorized tribes located in any region of the 
country may use the methods to develop field-based conductivity 
criteria for flowing waters. This document does not impose binding 
water quality criteria on any state, but instead provides methods to 
assist states and tribes that seek to develop such criteria for 
adoption into their water quality standards. The draft document 
provides a scientific assessment of ecological effects and is not a 
regulation. Following closure of this 60-day public comment period, EPA 
will consider the comments, revise the document, as appropriate, and 
then publish a final document that will provide methods for states and 
authorized tribes that they may use to develop water quality standards.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 21, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2016-0353, 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: Colleen Flaherty, Health and 
Ecological Criteria Division (Mail Code 4304T), Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington,

[[Page 94371]]

DC 20460; telephone: (202) 564-5939; or email: 
[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. Information on the Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic 
Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity

    EPA has developed a set of draft methods that states and authorized 
tribes may use to derive field-based ecoregional ambient aquatic life 
criteria for ionic mixtures measured as specific conductivity, a 
measurement of ionic concentration, in flowing waters. Elevated ionic 
concentration measured as specific conductivity has been shown to 
impact aquatic life in a range of freshwater resources. Different 
mixtures of ions that increase specific conductivity are associated 
with natural and anthropogenic sources.
    EPA's draft methods provide flexible approaches for developing 
science-based conductivity criteria for flowing waters that reflect 
ecoregional- or state-specific factors. Once final, states and 
authorized tribes located in any region of the country may use the 
methods to develop field-based conductivity criteria for flowing 
waters. The document does not impose binding water quality criteria on 
any state, but instead provides methods to assist states and tribes 
that seek to develop such criteria for adoption into their water 
quality standards. The draft document provides a scientific assessment 
of ecological effects and is not a regulation.
    EPA's draft methods are based on effects observed in streams with 
different levels of specific conductivity and take into account natural 
variation in background specific conductivity and the aquatic species 
adapted to it. The draft document describes how to derive protective 
field-based aquatic life criteria for specific conductivity, including 
how to estimate a criterion continuous concentration for chronic 
exposures, how to estimate a maximum exposure concentration protective 
of acute toxicity, how to assess geographic applicability and potential 
confounding factors, and how to determine duration and frequency 
parameters.
    EPA is also providing four case studies to illustrate how states 
and tribes may use the draft field-based methods to develop criteria in 
ecoregions with different background ionic concentrations measured as 
specific conductivity and demonstrate how to assess the applicability 
of criteria developed for one ecoregion to a different ecoregion. The 
case studies use field data to demonstrate how to apply the methods to 
derive example criteria for specific conductivity for flowing waters 
dominated by sulfate and bicarbonate salts but not for flowing waters 
dominated by chloride salts.
    EPA typically relies on laboratory toxicity test data for surrogate 
species as defined in the Agency's Guidelines for Deriving Numerical 
National Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Aquatic Organisms 
and Their Uses (1985) for aquatic life criteria development. The draft 
field-based methods for specific conductivity were adapted to be 
consistent with the Agency's traditional approach to derive aquatic 
life criteria. The draft field-based methods rely on geographically 
referenced, paired observations of specific conductivity and the 
presence and absence or abundance of freshwater benthic 
macroinvertebrate genera from wadeable perennial streams. An analysis 
of data for fish from a composite of case study ecoregions demonstrates 
that the example criteria based on macroinvertebrates are also 
protective of fish.
    This document underwent an internal EPA review and two independent 
contractor-led external peer reviews.

III. Solicitation of Scientific Views

    EPA is soliciting additional scientific views, data, and 
information regarding the science and technical approach used in the 
derivation of the draft field-based methods. EPA is also soliciting 
suggestions from the public for additional ecoregional case studies for 
future consideration.

    Dated: December 16, 2016.
Joel Beauvais,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2016-31049 Filed 12-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

94370 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 247 / Friday, December 23, 2016 / Notices

format for viewing, printing, and/or recommendations of the subcommittee SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection
downloading. To access this document and LGAC workgroups including a draft Agency (EPA) is announcing the
in eLibrary, type the docket number LGAC Biannual Report; and availability of Draft Field-Based
(excluding the last three digits) in the environmental and public health issues. Methods for Developing Aquatic Life
docket number field. This is an open meeting and all Criteria for Specific Conductivity for
27. User assistance is available for interested persons are invited to public comment. Elevated ionic
eLibrary and the Commission’s Web site participate. The Committee will hear concentration measured as specific
during normal business hours. For comments from the public between conductivity has been shown to
assistance, please contact the 12:45 p.m.–1:00 p.m. (ET) on Friday, negatively impact aquatic life in a range
Commission’s Online Support at 1–866– January 13, 2017. Individuals or of freshwater resources. Once finalized,
208–3676 (toll free) or 202–502–6652 organizations wishing to address the states and authorized tribes located in
(email at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov) Committee will be allowed a maximum any region of the country may use the
or the Public Reference Room at 202– of five minutes to present their point of methods to develop field-based
502–8371, TTY 202–502–8659 (email at view. Also, written comments should be conductivity criteria for flowing waters.
public.referenceroom@ferc.gov). submitted electronically to This document does not impose binding
By direction of the Commission. eargle.frances@epa.gov. Please contact water quality criteria on any state, but
the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) at instead provides methods to assist states
Issued: December 15, 2016.
the number listed below to schedule a and tribes that seek to develop such
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
time on the agenda. Time will be criteria for adoption into their water
Deputy Secretary. quality standards. The draft document
allotted on a first-come first-serve basis,
[FR Doc. 2016–30970 Filed 12–22–16; 8:45 am] provides a scientific assessment of
and the total period for comments may
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
be extended if the number of requests ecological effects and is not a regulation.
for presentations requires it. Following closure of this 60-day public
comment period, EPA will consider the
ADDRESSES: EPA’s Local Government
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION comments, revise the document, as
Advisory Committee meetings will be
AGENCY appropriate, and then publish a final
held via teleconference. Meeting
document that will provide methods for
[FRL–9957–34–OA] summaries will be available after the
states and authorized tribes that they
meeting online at www.epa.gov/ocir/
Meetings of the Local Government may use to develop water quality
scas_lgac/lgac_index.htm and can be
Advisory Committee and the Small standards.
obtained by written request to the DFO.
Communities Advisory Subcommittee DATES: Comments must be received on
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
(SCAS) or before February 21, 2017.
Local Government Advisory Committee
AGENCY: Environmental Protection (LGAC) contact Frances Eargle at (202) ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
Agency (EPA). 564–3115 or email at eargle.frances@ identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
epa.gov. OW–2016–0353, to the Federal
ACTION: Notice.
Information Services for Those with eRulemaking Portal: http://
SUMMARY: The Small Communities Disabilities: For information on access www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
Advisory Subcommittee (SCAS) will or services for individuals with instructions for submitting comments.
meet via teleconference on Friday, disabilities, please contact Frances Once submitted, comments cannot be
January 13, 2017, at 11:30 a.m.–12:30 Eargle at (202) 564–3115 or edited or withdrawn. EPA may publish
p.m. (ET). The Subcommittee will eargle.frances@epa.gov. To request any comment received to its public
discuss the LGAC Biannual Report, and accommodation of a disability, please docket. Do not submit electronically any
other environmental and public health request it 10 days prior to the meeting, information you consider to be
issues affecting small communities. This to give EPA as much time as possible to Confidential Business Information (CBI)
is an open meeting and all interested process your request. or other information whose disclosure is
persons are invited to participate. The restricted by statute. Multimedia
Dated: December 16, 2016. submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be
Subcommittee will hear comments from
the public between 11:40 a.m.–11:55 Jack Bowles, accompanied by a written comment.
a.m. on January 13, 2017. Individuals or Director, State and Local Relations, EPA’s The written comment is considered the
organizations wishing to address the Office of Congressional and official comment and should include
Intergovernmental Relations. discussion of all points you wish to
Subcommittee will be allowed a
[FR Doc. 2016–31036 Filed 12–22–16; 8:45 am] make. EPA will generally not consider
maximum of five minutes to present
their point of view. Also, written BILLING CODE 6560–50–P comments or comment contents located
comments should be submitted outside of the primary submission (i.e.,
electronically to eargle.frances@epa.gov. on the web, cloud, or other file sharing
Please contact the Designated Federal ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION system). For additional submission
Officer (DFO) at the number listed AGENCY methods, the full EPA public comment
below to schedule a time on the agenda. policy, information about CBI or
Time will be allotted on a first-come [EPA–HQ–OW–2016–0353; FRL 9957–26– multimedia submissions, and general
first-serve basis, and the total period for OW] guidance on making effective
comments may be extended if the comments, please visit http://
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

Draft Field-Based Methods for www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-
number of requests for presentations
Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for epa-dockets.
requires it.
The Local Government Advisory Specific Conductivity FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Committee (LGAC) will meet via AGENCY: Environmental Protection Colleen Flaherty, Health and Ecological
teleconference on Friday, January 13, Agency (EPA). Criteria Division (Mail Code 4304T),
2017, 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. (ET). The Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
ACTION: Notice of availability.
Committee will discuss Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington,

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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 247 / Friday, December 23, 2016 / Notices 94371

DC 20460; telephone: (202) 564–5939; or a scientific assessment of ecological additional ecoregional case studies for
email: flaherty.colleen@epa.gov. effects and is not a regulation. future consideration.
EPA’s draft methods are based on Dated: December 16, 2016.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
effects observed in streams with
Joel Beauvais,
I. General Information different levels of specific conductivity
and take into account natural variation Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of
A. How can I get copies of this Water.
in background specific conductivity and
document and other related [FR Doc. 2016–31049 Filed 12–22–16; 8:45 am]
the aquatic species adapted to it. The
information? BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
draft document describes how to derive
1. Docket: All documents in the protective field-based aquatic life
docket are listed in the criteria for specific conductivity,
including how to estimate a criterion ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
www.regulations.gov index. Although
continuous concentration for chronic AGENCY
listed in the index, some information is
not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other exposures, how to estimate a maximum [ER–FRL–9030–9]
information whose disclosure is exposure concentration protective of
restricted by statute. Certain other acute toxicity, how to assess geographic Environmental Impact Statements;
material, such as copyrighted material, applicability and potential confounding Notice of Availability
will be publicly available only in hard factors, and how to determine duration
and frequency parameters. Responsible Agency: Office of Federal
copy. Publicly available docket Activities, General Information (202)
materials are available either EPA is also providing four case
studies to illustrate how states and 564–7146 or http://www.epa.gov/nepa.
electronically in www.regulations.gov or
tribes may use the draft field-based Weekly receipt of Environmental Impact
in hard copy at the Water Docket, EPA/
methods to develop criteria in Statements (EISs) Filed 12/12/2016
DC, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301
ecoregions with different background Through 12/16/2016
Constitution Ave. NW., Washington,
ionic concentrations measured as Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.9.
DC. The Public Reading Room is open
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday specific conductivity and demonstrate Notice
through Friday, excluding legal how to assess the applicability of
criteria developed for one ecoregion to Section 309(a) of the Clean Air Act
holidays. The telephone number for the requires that EPA make public its
Public Reading Room is (202) 566–1744, a different ecoregion. The case studies
use field data to demonstrate how to comments on EISs issued by other
and the telephone number for the Water Federal agencies. EPA’s comment letters
Docket is (202) 566–2426. For additional apply the methods to derive example
criteria for specific conductivity for on EISs are available at: http://
information about EPA’s public docket, www.epa.gov/compliance/nepa/
visit EPA Docket Center homepage at flowing waters dominated by sulfate
and bicarbonate salts but not for flowing eisdata.html.
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/
dockets.htm. waters dominated by chloride salts. EIS No. 20160309, Final, BOEM, AK,
EPA typically relies on laboratory Cook Inlet Planning Area Oil and Gas
II. Information on the Draft Field-Based toxicity test data for surrogate species as Lease Sale 244, Review Period Ends:
Methods for Developing Aquatic Life defined in the Agency’s Guidelines for 01/23/2017, Contact: Sharon Randall
Criteria for Specific Conductivity Deriving Numerical National Water 907–334–5200
Quality Criteria for the Protection of EIS No. 20160310, Final, FRA, NAT,
EPA has developed a set of draft Aquatic Organisms and Their Uses
methods that states and authorized NEC FUTURE: A Rail Investment Plan
(1985) for aquatic life criteria for the Northeast Corridor Tier 1,
tribes may use to derive field-based development. The draft field-based
ecoregional ambient aquatic life criteria Review Period Ends: 01/31/2017,
methods for specific conductivity were Contact: Rebecca Reyes-Alicea 212–
for ionic mixtures measured as specific adapted to be consistent with the
conductivity, a measurement of ionic 668–2282
Agency’s traditional approach to derive EIS No. 20160311, Draft, USACE, NE,
concentration, in flowing waters. aquatic life criteria. The draft field-
Elevated ionic concentration measured Missouri River Recovery Management
based methods rely on geographically Plan, Comment Period Ends: 02/24/
as specific conductivity has been shown referenced, paired observations of
to impact aquatic life in a range of 2017, Contact: Aaron Quinn 402–995–
specific conductivity and the presence 2669
freshwater resources. Different mixtures and absence or abundance of freshwater
of ions that increase specific Dated: December 20, 2016.
benthic macroinvertebrate genera from
conductivity are associated with natural wadeable perennial streams. An
Dawn Roberts,
and anthropogenic sources. analysis of data for fish from a Management Analyst, NEPA Compliance
EPA’s draft methods provide flexible Division, Office of Federal Activities.
composite of case study ecoregions
approaches for developing science- demonstrates that the example criteria [FR Doc. 2016–31046 Filed 12–22–16; 8:45 am]
based conductivity criteria for flowing based on macroinvertebrates are also BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
waters that reflect ecoregional- or state- protective of fish.
specific factors. Once final, states and This document underwent an internal
authorized tribes located in any region EPA review and two independent FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
of the country may use the methods to contractor-led external peer reviews. COMMISSION
develop field-based conductivity criteria
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

for flowing waters. The document does III. Solicitation of Scientific Views [MB Docket No. 16–357; FCC 16–153]
not impose binding water quality EPA is soliciting additional scientific Entercom License, LLC, Applications
criteria on any state, but instead views, data, and information regarding for Renewal of License for Station
provides methods to assist states and the science and technical approach used KDND(FM), Sacramento, California
tribes that seek to develop such criteria in the derivation of the draft field-based
for adoption into their water quality methods. EPA is also soliciting AGENCY:Federal Communications
standards. The draft document provides suggestions from the public for Commission.

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Document Created: 2016-12-23 12:29:08
Document Modified: 2016-12-23 12:29:08

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 21, 2017.
Contact		Colleen Flaherty, Health and Ecological Criteria Division (Mail Code 4304T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone: (202) 564-5939; or email: [email protected]
FR Citation		81 FR 94370