EPA’s Partial Approval of North Carolina’s 2014 303(d) List Kathy Stecker DWR Modeling and Assessment Branch EPA’s Partial Approval of North Carolina’s 2014 303(d) List

Summary NC submitted 2014 303(d) list to EPA March 31, 2014 List based on methodology approved by EMC March 2013 EPA issued decision document July 31, 2014 Partial approval of list as submitted, and Proposed to add back 52 listings for metals EPA’s public comment period ends Sept. 12 EMC September 2014

EPA Decision Document EPA review concluded that NC’s approach was acceptable for most waterbody impairments Agreed with listing 1194 waterbody-pollutant combinations Agreed with 227 de-listings EMC September 2014

EPA Decision Document EPA conclusion on NC’s current method for toxics Not reasonable method to assess toxic pollutants consistent with NC’s current water quality standards Not consistent with toxics criteria expressed as “maximum permissible levels” Statistical confidence not necessary to account for uncertainty in data quality EMC September 2014

Conclusion EPA applied their recommended methodology of not greater than one exceedance in three years for toxics EPA proposes to add back 52 listings EPA’s public comment period ends Sept. 12 EMC September 2014

EMC September 2014

Questions? kathy.stecker@ncdenr.gov EMC September 2014