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What are Water Quality Standards?
Water quality standards (WQS) arc the foundation of the nation's surlViCi* WJUT qiKiliiv protection
WQS arc a tool for protecting and improving water quality. WQS define the use of the waterbody as wdl as ih-
amount of pollulanis that may be discharged into waters from sources such as industrial facilities, wastewater
trcatjncjtt plants, and storm sewers. WQS help reduce pollution from rural and urban areas, WQS comprise
ilin:e components:
•fc The designated use (description of the goal for the waterbody,
such as fishing, swimming, cultural, or iraditional)
•sip- Water quality criteria (limits on pollutants and conditions
that will protect the designated use)
0 An antidcgradation policy governing changes in water quality,
Water quality standards are adopted for all surface waters of the United States, including rivers, streams,
intermittent streams, lakes, natural ponds, wetlands, and marine waters such as estuaries and near-shore coastal
waters.
Indian Tribes Can Administer the Water Quality
Standards Program on Tribal Land
With the water quality standards program, an approved Indian tribe can set the water quality goals for all surface
(e.g., streams., rivers, lakes and wetlands) on the reservation. The tribe will also determine whether activities which
require a federal license or permit are consistent with the tribe's water quality standards.
Setting Water Quality Standards — An Example
During the development of its WQS, a tribe decides, after holding public hearings,
that it warns a waterbody on the reservation to he suitable for the protection and
propagation of warmwater aquatic life (e.g., sun.fi sh, bass, and crayfish). This
brumes the designated use. The tribe adopts numeric criteria or narrative
descriptions, (water quality criteria) of various pollutants like toxii:
chemicals, and limits for water quality parameters, such as dissolved
oxygen. Keeping pollutant concentrations, below the criteria levels
ensure that the designated use is protected. The tribe must aGso protect
quality lhat is. better than the minimum levels (mtidegradatioRpolicy},
How Authorization Under the Clean Water Act
Benefits Indian Tribes
& U ruler Section 401 „ if a requested license or ]wnit within the reservation results in a discharge adversely
affecting water qualitv, an eligible tribe may certify whether the requeued license or permit satisfies the tribe's
water quality standards.
+ Tr:-vs L^Uibli-h water i|ii;il.iy tviuls lor :x's::rv:/.ic:n -AMKTV :v protect wr.i.e.' re>ourccs.
Tribe.1; designate uses of waterbodies which may include Cultural or traditional purposes.
Terras in this folder we ikn'irknl in the
C i :if: iii-s were luJien from Clip Art D !99()-97, RT Computer Graphics, (nu., NM.
front ajidback photos aic nf Blackfooi (nttian Re^ervaliuii Liirids neiii Brawning,
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QUESTIONS ABOUT PROGRAM
AUTHORIZATION:
does a tribe need to start
the Water Quality Standards (WQS)
process for owr reservation lands?
Before a tribe may adopt Standards consistent with the
Clean Water Act, it must receive authorization to
administer the WQS Program.
What is program authorization?
EPA uses four criteria to determine the eligibility of u
tribe ui ;idminister-the WQS program. These are:
4fc The tribe must be federally reerjgni»ed;
0 The tribe must have a governing body that carries
out subsiuntial governmental dyiies and powers;
0The tribe must have authority to administer the
pm^rarn for reservation waters; ami
41 The tribe must be capable of administering an
effective WQS program.
L'pon receiving authorization, the tribe can submit its
WQS for approval lo EPA, You can submit bolh appli-
c-;Miun.s lor program authorization and tribal adopted!
WQS at the same time.
How does a tribe apply for the
WQS program?
There is u-::i :i s!;iii.;l;ird iipplicalion LO apply for pro-
gram authorization. An Indian tribe submits documen-
tation to show that il meets the lour criteria iilniv*:.
Documentation should include copies of tribal laws or
regulations and other supporting information The
appropriate P.PA Regional Administrator (addresses-
are listed in this folder* reviews the information.
How will EPA evaluate a tribe's apply -
cation for program authorization?
EPA will notify other governmental entities (slates,
tribes, anil oilier federal agencies located contiguous to
me reservation) that the tribe's application is under
review and prnvkli: lliern \vitli ;in opportunity lo com-
ment within 30 days, on the tribe's regulatory authority
to administer the program,
How Tong can EPA take to review
the application?
There is no specific tiinefraine for review because a
decision is not made until a complete application is
subrniUixl ami l\PA has had an opportunity to review
comments submitted by relevant governmental enti-
ties. EPA's pivxv^i-ir: nl";m upplieiition must be time-
ly. The applicant tribe will be promptly notified when
the EPA Regional Ailminislraior makes a decision on
the tribe's application.
QUESTIONS ABOUT WATER QUAUTY
STANDARDS:
Must an Indian tribe administer
the WQS program?
No. If* up to the tribe. And me tribe can make that
decision at any time.
When can a tribe start developing
fts WQS?
An Indian tribe may begin developing its WQS at any
time, taking into accourn. iln- unique characteristics of
'.In: 'Afterbodies within the reservation. A tribe may
submit its WQS to EPA at ihe same time it applies lo
administer (he WQS program, or it can wait until EPA
has approved its application for program auttmri/.:i-
1km. BPA i:;uiii:ji uppruve a tribe's WQS submission
until it has. authorized the tribe's program,
Who does a tribe contact to get
started?
Applications lo administer the WQS program may he
SIMM lo the appropriate BPA Recional Contact listed in
this folder (either the WQS Coordinator or the Indii.m
OoonUniilur). EPA will work with the tiil^e ilirougliout
the application process. During the development of its
WQS. we hope (he tribe; will frequently consult wilh the
appropriate FPA WQS Coordinator (names and phone
numbers are contained in this folder). Dialogue betwm!
the tribe and EPA is an essential part of the WQS devel-
opment process. After the tribal WQS arc adopted by
the Tribal Council (or its equivalent), the tribe submits
those WQS to HPA for review and approval or disap-
proval. KPA's Standards and Health Protection Division,
Water Quality Sumdarils Branch can also provide more
:-ili::mi:r.i;:-ii i>-jc ll-.i: cotilitjt pL>je Mr '.he ;.iddivv; :'. 'i
phone nuinbcr).
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Water Quality Standards offer solutions to real
environmental problems on reservations - some
examples:
The Problem: lli»h levels of nutrients from agricultural
activities caused undesirable plant growth and limited fish pro-
duction.
The VVQS Solution; The tribe adopted a numeric limit
for phosphorus. This resulted in reduced discharges from agri-
cultural activities.
1 lie Problem; High levels of ammonia being discharged
by a sewage treatment plant tliai csuwed elevated ammonia
concentrations, in reservation waters which reduced fish
populations.
WQS Solution: The tribe adopted numeric limits
for ammomu. This resulted in the sewage treatment plant alter-
ing its treatment processes to reduce the amount of ammonia
discharged.
The Problem: Fish populations wi-re reduced even though
numeric limits an pollutants were being met.
The WQS Solution: The tribe adopted biological criteria
to desLiriru: the desired conditions of the fish community and
other aquatic life. This ynvc them the regulatory busis for
improving the fish populations.
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* Environmental Protection Agency
Contacts
HPA Region 1
I Congress Strcol
Bos ion. MA OZ1 14-2023
www.cpa. gov/regicmQ 1
\\ iJILiiii Heck with, Was
Coordinator (6 1 7-9 1 S- 1 544)
.Unites Sappier, Indian
Coordinator (6 1 7-9 1 8- 1672)
EPA Region 2
290 RnviiLwfiy
New York, NY luQOY. 1866
Wayne Jackson,
Cowdiwtor (2 1 2-637-3807}
Christine Yost, Indian
Coordinator (2 1 .2-637-3564)
EPA Region 3
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 1 9 103-2029
www.epa.gov/nz.gion03
Dcnisc HukuwskL WQS
Coordinator (215-814-5726)
There tiru no federally recognized
tribes located, in Region 3.
EPA Region 4
61 Forsyih Sired. SW
Atlanta, GA 30303-3104
Fritz Wagener,
Coordinator (404-562-9267)
Mark kohertsoii, Indian
Coordinator {404-5 62-9639)
EPA Region 5
77 Wcsl. Jacks i jr. nuulsvisrid
Chicago, 1L 60604-3507
www.cpu ,guWre»i xi 11S
David l*feifer, WQS Coordinator
(312-353-9024)
Casey Amhufas, Indian
Coordinator (312-35 3-1394)
EPA Region 6
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas. TX 75202-2733
www.epa. gov/regioit06
Russell Nebson, WQS
Caartliitator (214-W)5-(i646)
Eve Boss, Indian Coordinator
(214-665-2118)
E-PA Region 7
901 N. SrtiSircel
Kansas City, KS 6f»l01-2D(>7
www.epa.gov/rcgion07
Hal CostcllOs WQS Coordinator
(913-551-7939)
WoU'gang llrandntr, fttdian
Coordinator (913-551 -7381)
EPA Region 8
999 18lh Street, Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2466
w w w.eprt .go v/r e^ i ori( JK.
William Wuerthele, WQS
CovrttiBfH&r (303-31 2-69-T)
Sadie 1 loskiu, hidian
Covnliiwfor (303 -312-6343)
EPA Region 9
75 Hawtliorne Street
Scm Francisou, CA 94l^-
www. epa. eov/regi on09
Garj WoliBsky, HrOS
Coordinator (415-744-1978)
Clancy Tenlcy, Indian
Coordinator (415-972-3785)
EPA Region 10
120)3 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, VVA 98101-1128
www.epa.gov/regiofi 10
Marcta. Lagerloef. 1^25
Coordinator (206-553-017fi>
S;-iJidi'ii Johnson, Indian
Coordinator (206-5 53-6220)
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
Office of Water
Standards and Health Protection
Division (4305)
Wnler Quality Standards. Branch
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
202-566-0400
www.epa.gov/ost
EPA Regional Offices and States in EPA's Regions
Reghn j Reahn 5 Region j^ -
Region j
Delaware
District of Columbia
New
Puerto RJC&
Virgin Islands
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Mississippi
North Carofma
South C&rofimt
Indiana
Mfe'
Minnesota
Region 6
Arkansas
Louisiana
NewM&dco
Oklahoma
Texas
Region 7
lowd
Kansas
Missouri
Nebraska
Regions
Colorado
Montana
North Dakota
South Dakota
Utah
Wyoming
If you wtsfi to view tribal WQS approved by E?A,
Arizona
Cafrfbmi
Hawaii
Nevada
American Samoa
Guam
Commonwealth o)
the Northern
Mariana Islands
Region to
Alaska
kfaho
Oregon
—t Washfnaton
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of Water (4305-T)
-823-&-02-C02
www.epa.gov
June 2002
Clean Water Act goal:
restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological
egrity of the surface waters of the United States,"
United States
nviron mental Protect ion Agency
Ariel Rio$ Building
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W,
Washington, DC 20460
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