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The MDE routinely collaborates with other state and federal agencies to ensure that Maryland waters are properly monitored and protected. As our understanding of the environment continually evolves and monitoring technologies improve exponentially, the water quality standards that are used to protect our waters may also change over time. Consequently, the federal Clean Water Act requires that states undergo a public process of reviewing and updating the existing water quality standards at least once every three years.
As part of the current Maryland Triennial Review effort, MDE is proposing new criteria for harmful algal blooms, nutrient criteria for impoundments, and aquatic life criteria for aluminum, chlorpyrifos and copper. Other proposed changes to existing regulations include designated use reclassification of several streams that support stocked trout populations, updating the list of state-designated high quality waters (i.e., Tier II), and amendments to the submerged aquatic vegetation restoration goals and methylmercury fish tissue criteria.
Maryland water quality standards are comprised of three components adopted to protect public health as well as aquatic resources:
All three of these components play a vital role in protecting Maryland waters and thus need to be routinely reviewed and updated. The purpose behind assigning a designated use is to define a specific function for a given waterbody (e.g., water contact recreation, fishing, public water supply, etc.). Each of the designated uses is an achievable goal, which currently may or may not be attained. The attainment of a designated use can be evaluated based on the adopted water quality criteria typically expressed as a numeric or narrative biological, physical, or chemical water quality characteristic. Finally, antidegradation policy is used to ensure that high quality waters are maintained and do not degrade over time.
Public participation is an important part of the Triennial Review process. To provide the public with adequate time to review the proposed changes, MDE first communicated the proposed updates to the water quality standards through an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) published in the February 29, 2008 issue of the Maryland Register. An informal public meeting was held on March 19, 2008 to discuss issues and provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the changes being considered. The public comment period on MDE’s ANPRM closed on April 15, 2008.
After all of the comments are received and considered, MDE will formally propose new and revised regulations, and will again provide an opportunity for public input, including a formal hearing. Upon review and consideration of the formal comments, MDE will submit the final version of the proposed changes to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for review and approval. Pending EPA’s approval, the proposed changes will become part of Maryland water quality standards.
Click here for additional information about water quality standards, including information on opportunities for additional public input.
Click here to see the Maryland Register publication of MDE’s notice of public action.
Phone calls regarding the above process should be directed to 410-537-3906.
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