A UNIQUE ECOSYSTEM THE GREAT LAKES: OUR FRESHWATER SEAS The Great Lakes are an international treasure, spanning over 750 miles across the eight States of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin and the province of Ontario. They contain about 95 percent of the United States' fresh water. They provide drinking water, energy, recreation, and transportation, and are used for agricultural and industrial purposes by more than 46 million Americans and Canadians, including 29 Native American tribes. Thousands of industries and millions of jobs are dependent upon water from the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes basin ecosystem—the interaction of air, land, water and living things, including people—is remarkably diverse and holds a unique place in the global ecology. The Great Lakes coastline supports hundreds of species of aquatic life, wildlife and plants and boasts six National Parks and Lakeshores, six National Forests, seven National Wildlife Refuges, and hundreds of State parks, forests, and sanctuaries. THE NEED FOR ACTION: PROTECTING WATER QUALITY The presence of environmental pollutants in the Great Lakes basin is a significant concern. Much has already been done to reduce the amount of pollutants entering the Great Lakes' basin. The water looks and is much cleaner than in the 1970's when Lake Erie was declared "dead." However, there is still progress to be made. Despite their great depth and size, the Great Lakes are particularly vulnerable to persistent bioaccumulative pollutants because the water and the pollutants remain in the system for many years. Many of these pollutants are a serious threat, even in small amounts, because they are harmful to humans, animals and plants, they are long-lasting, and they can bioaccumulate. That is, they can become more concen- trated as they move through the food chain from plants, to fish, to people, and wildlife. Effects of some of the toxic pollutants on humans and wildlife can include increased risk of cancers, birth defects, kidney disorders, reproductive system and developmental damage. Studies show that women of child-bearing age may store these pollutants in their bodies, and nursing mothers may then pass them on to their children. Researchers believe that animals that depend on fish for food, like mink, gulls, and bald eagles, can experience birth defects and loss in numbers due to consuming rg^X ffiSSS^StaTnkonpaperthat these long-lasting pollutants Stored in the fish. ^ contains at least S0% recycled fiber ------- POLLUTION AT THE SOURCE PROMOTING POLLUTION PREVENTION The Great Lakes Water Quality Guidance promotes the use of pollutant minimization plans to stop pollution before it enters the environment. Reducing pollution at its source is the most effective way of protecting public health and the environ- ment, and it is often cheaper than cleaning them up after they are released. FINISHING THE JOB: FINDING ALL SOURCES OF POLLUTION The water quality criteria in the Guidance apply to all of the waters in the Great Lakes system, regardless of where pollution comes from. Pollutants enter the Great Lakes from the air, from stirred-up bottom sediments, from urban and agricul- tural runoff, hazardous waste and Superfund sites, spills, and from industrial and municipal wastewater. Although the implementation procedures of the Guidance apply mostly to industrial and municipal water discharges, a State or Tribe may choose to improve water quality by reducing air emissions or clean- ing up contaminated sediments, and then may not need to impose additional requirements on wastewater dischargers. Under the 1992 Great Lakes Five Year Strategy, EPA, the Great Lakes States, Tribes, and other federal agencies are pursuing a program to identify, prevent, and to further reduce all dischargers of toxic pollutants. A parallel, on-going project, called the Great Lakes Toxic Reduction Effort, will give EPA, the States, and Tribes more tools to use to prevent arid reduce the toxic pollutants from diffuse sources. Atmospheric Deposition Storm Water/ Combined Sewer Overflows Industrial/ Municipal Discharge I^Great Lakes ystem Urban and Agricultural Runoff Leachate from Waste Disposal Sites Desorption from Sediments Shipping/ Transportation Spills \ \ Uncontrolled ^N\ \ Releases from \s Contaminated Sites Recycled/Recyclable Printed with Soy/Canola Ink contains at least 50% recycled fiber ------- tOSTS AND BENEFITS IMPLEMENTING THE GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE WATER: THE FOUNDATION OF THE GREAT LAKES ECONOMY The Great Lakes basin is a major industrial and agricultural region. The basin repre- sents nearly 11% of total employment and 15% of manufacturing employment for the United States and Canada. With more than 94,000 square miles of navigable water and over 10,000 miles of shoreline, the basin supports a robust recreation industry. About 1 million boats operate each year with a direct spending impact of more than $2 billion. Surveys estimate over 2.5 million anglers fished in the Great Lakes in 1991, with total expenditures of $1.3 billion. CASE STUDIES OF BENEFITS AND COSTS Implementing the Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative will move the Great Lakes toward improved human health and environment protection. Yet, it is hard to quantify in dollar values clean water and public health. The EPA used three communities in different parts of the basin as case studies to estimate benefits that the Guidance would have on the basin's economy. The benefits realized in these communities included: improvements in human health, especially for sport anglers and those who eat fish due to economic need; improvements in recreational fishing; improvements in the quality of water- based recreation; and an increase in the commercial fishery harvest. Economic benefits to these three communities range from an average of $0.3 million to $5.9 million each year, with a midpoint of $2.8 million. Costs will not be incurred by the States and Tribes until they actually imple- ment the Guidance. Average annual costs for the three case study com- munities are in the range of approximately $2.8 mil- lion. EPA estimates that the annual cost of imple- $600 M —I STATES IMPLEMENTATION FLEXIBILITY $60 M Range of State Implementation menting the Guidance will be between $60 and $380 million for the whole basin. Because of the flexibility that the Guidance provides to States, Tribes, and municipalities, EPA believes that implementation costs for the final Guidance will be under $100 million for the basin as a whole. Recycled/Recyclable Printed with Soy/Canola Ink on paper that contains at least 50% recycled fiber ------- PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION THE ORGANIZATION AND PROCESS OFTHE GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE A MODEL PROCESS The Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative began when the States of the Great Lakes region recognized they needed to address growing concerns about the effects of pollution in the basin. Building on a history of successful cooperation, the eight Great Lakes States and EPA set out to assemble the best, up-to-date scientific information to better protect public health and the environment. Data were col- lected and analyzed, procedures were compared, health risks were assessed, ideas to stem the flow of toxic pollutants were collected, and people represent- ing all sides of many important issues were brought to the table. The Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative is a premier example of innovative, collaborative efforts that will protect the people and the environment of the Great Lakes region well into the future. LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC The proposed Guidance resulted in over 26,500 pages of comments from more than 6,000 commenters and many hearings and public meetings throughout the region. All of the ideas were considered, and many of the suggestions were incorporated into the final Guidance. Tremendous effort was spent to actively engage all interested parties - far beyond what is required or usual. As a result, EPA has built in more flexibility for States, Tribes, and municipalities, and has revised the costs and benefits analyses based on additional information provided during the public comment period. TIMELINE OF KEY STEPS Governors sign Great Lakes Water Great Lakes Toxic Quality Initiative Substances Control begun Agreement Congress enacts Proposed Guidance Great Lakes published Critical Programs Act First public hearing EPA. States, Tribes, and stakeholders discuss remaining issues Final Guidance published States and Tribes adopt final Guidance Recycled/Recyclable Printed with Soy/Canola Ink on paper that contains at least 50% recycled fiber ------- REAX.LAKES BASIN At, .- , jMwv U. ,.. Jl . „•* J . 1 % » Recycled/Recyclable Printed with Soy/Canola Ink on paper that contains at least 50% recycled fiber ------- ATER QUALITY GUIDANCE FORTHE GREAT LAKES SYSTEM WHAT IS IT? FAIRNESS AND CONSISTENCY: LEVELING THE ECONOMIC PLAYING FIELDS Current law does not require States that border a common body of water (like a river or lake) to have the same water quality standards in place for that body of water. Inconsistent standards mean that a discharger may be required to meet different standards in one state than its competitors in another state. As a result, one dis- charger may have an economic advantage over another and water quality suf- fers. Once implemented, the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System will change this. The Guidance is designed to assure all dischargers that discharge to the same body of water meet consistent water quality standards based on scientific data. ECOSYSTEM-BASED WATER QUALITY CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES Water quality criteria tell how much of a specific pollutant can be in the water and yet be safe for humans, aquatic life, and wildlife. States and Tribes use these crite- ria and other information to set enforceable water quality standards in rivers, lakes, and streams. Using the methodology and procedures in the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes States, States and Tribes will have consistent ; human health and environmental protection across the whole Great Lakes basin. SOUND SCIENCE AND PEER REVIEW The Guidance received rigorous review by impartial scientists, and incorporates the best available scientific information. There are five protective elements of the Guidance: 1. Criteria to protect human life 2. Criteria to protect wildlife 3. Criteria to protect aquatic life 4. Antidegradation requirements to assure that current water quality will not be diminished 5. Procedures to ensure consistent implementation, with appropriate flexibility. FLEXIBILITY: ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL EPA has built flexibility into its requirements so that the States, Tribes, and municipali- 1 ties can adapt the Guidance to special characteristics of individual communities. This flexibility will help reduce the costs of implementation, without sacrificing environmental protection. Recycled/Recyclable Printed with Soy/Canola Ink on paper that contains at least 50% recycled fiber ------- ?HUMAN HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH The criteria set to protect human health in the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System are based on fish consumption rates that more accurately reflect the fish consumption rates of people who live in the Great Lakes basin. The fish consumption rate, and procedures to adjust the rate on a case-by-case basis, will better protect the health of sport anglers and those who, because of cultural or economic reasons, consume fish from the Great Lakes. PROTECTING AQUATIC LIFE Fish and other aquatic life are protected by criteria that describe the maximum allow- able concentrations for short-term and long-term exposures from 15 pollutants. For other pollutants, the Guidance has methodologies the States and Tribes may use to set standards. PROTECTING WILDLIFE Levels of protection for wildlife were developed based upon field studies of Great Lakes animals and four well-known pollutants that are a threat to wildlife: mer- cury, PCBs, DDT and dioxin. The criteria are set to protect Great Lakes mam- mals and birds from long-term exposure to these pollutants. To address other toxic pollutants, the Guidance includes procedures the States and Tribes should use to set additional levels of protection. PROTECTING CURRENT WATER QUALITY The Guidance sets forth minimum procedures that a State or Tribe must follow when considering an action that may lessen water quality in an area where water qual- ity standards are already met. The Guidance assures that there is a careful eval- uation of the environmental impact of such proposed actions, with full public participation. Also, for a small but important set of waters designated "out- standing," the Guidance reinforces current national policy that no permanent degradation is allowed. Recycled/Recyclable Printed with Soy/Canola Ink on paper that contains at least 50% recycled fiber ------- BIOACCUMULATIVE CHEMICALS OF CONCERN (BCCs) CHEMICALS THAT PRESENT AN INCREASED RISK OF CANCER, BIRTH DEFECTS, GENETIC MUTATIONS, AND REPRODUCTIVE IMPACTS THROUGH LONG-TERM EXPOSURE The final Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System focuses on chemicals of most concern in the Great Lakes System: persistent, bioaccumulative pollutants termed Bioaceumulative Chemicals of Concern (BCCs). Bioaccumulative pol- lutants are chemicals that concentrate at higher levels in the food chain. These pollutants are long lasting throughout the Great Lakes ecosystem and are most likely to bioaccumulate in the food chain. They have also been associated with serious and systemwide impacts. Chlordane 4,4'-DDD 4,4'-DDE ! 4,4'-DDT Dieldrin Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) Hexachlorobutadiene Hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) alpha-Hexachlorocyclohexane (Alpha-BHC) beta-Hexachlorocyclohexane(5eta-B#C) delta-HexachlorocyclohexanefDe/ta-B/fCJ Lindane Mercury Mirex Octachlorostyrene Pentachlorobenzene Photomirex Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 2,3,7,8-TCDD (Dioxin) 1,2,3,4-Tetrachlorobenzene 1,2,4,5-Tetrachlorobenzene Toxaphene Recycled/Recyclable Printed with Soy/Canola Ink on paper that contains at least 50% recycled fiber ------- |