Rule Activity Timeline
| July 2003 |
The Department of Ecology
adopted revised water quality
standards. |
| August 6, 2004 |
Ecology received a letter from
EPA concerning the status of their Standards package review and how they
intended to move forward. |
| December 1, 2004 |
Ecology received a
second letter from EPA. In this letter, EPA's legal and technical review
team requested that Ecology furnish additional clarification on certain
provisions in the Standards. |
January 12, 2005
February 14, 2005 |
Ecology received a
third and
fourth letter, respectively. These letters were a partial approval of the water quality
standards submittal. |
| March, 2006 |
The EPA
formally disapproved parts of Washington State’s 2003 water quality
standards. EPA determined that the standards did not go far enough to
protect salmon and bull trout in certain streams and rivers. |
| August, 2006 |
Ecology revised the EPA areas of concern
within the standards. |
| December 21, 2006 |
Ecology adopts water quality standards as a result of the
disapproval and revision of the 2003 review. Ecology made the suggested
changes to the water quality standards made by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and the changes were adopted. These standards
are currently in use. |
| April, 2007 |
U.S Fish and Wildlife and NOAA Fisheries joined EPA to
review portions of the 2006 standards for compliance with the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). Ecology received final
biological
evaluation letter from EPA. |
| May, 2007 |
EPA submitted
formal approval letter for the Department of
Ecology’s Antidegradation policy. |
| February 11, 2008 |
EPA
approved the 2006 Water Quality Standards.
The letter provides a detailed
description of EPA's basis for approval. |
Easy-to-read version (Ecology
publication)
Code Reviser Version (Washington State Legislature Page)
Waters Requiring Supplemental Spawning
and Incubation Protection for Salmonid Species (Ecology publication)
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Latest on the Standards
February 11, 2008 -
EPA approves the 2006 Water Quality Standards:
EPA's approval includes a consultation to meet Section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). To review the results of the consultation see
the following documents:
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