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Environmental News
Contact: Martin Kessler(913) 551-7236
kessler.martin@epa.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2004
EPA APPROVES MOST OF LATEST KANSAS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
EPA has approved nearly all the provisions of the new and revised Kansas water quality standards submitted to EPA by the state. The approved provisions are now effective for implementation purposes under the Clean Water Act. EPA would like to commend the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) for the fine work the agency has done in preparation of the water quality standards revisions.
KDHE submitted new and revised Kansas Surface Water Quality Standards to EPA for review and approval, by letter dated January 5, 2004, pursuant to Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act.
Under Section 303(c), states are required to review their water quality standards no less frequently than every three years and submit new or revised standards to EPA.
The Jan. 5 submittal included revisions to the Kansas Administrative Regulations (K.A.R.), Title 28, Article 16, and a revised Kansas Surface Water Register.
With this action, EPA is approving the following provisions of the new or revised water quality standards:
• The addition of Primary Contact Recreation use designations for
183 water bodies.
• The addition of Secondary Contact Recreation use designations
for 246 water bodies, based on use attainability assessments.
• The removal of 13 water bodies from the Kansas Surface Water Register, based on use attainability assessments.
• The change in use designation for one water body from Expected Aquatic Life to Special Aquatic Life.
The state’s submittal also included provisions to remove three lakes from the Kansas Surface Water Register. These lakes were subject to EPA’s promulgation of Primary Contact Recreation use designations for Kansas in July 2003.
Kansas’ submission for these lakes did not provide sufficient information to remove the Primary Contact Recreation use designations, so these uses promulgated by EPA will remain in effect.
* Our Sept. 8 decision letter provides a more detailed description of EPA’s review and the basis for this action. To obtain an electronic copy of this decision letter, please contact Martin Kessler by phone or e-mail (see contact information above).
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