As of January 3, 2017, the Draft Staff Report, including the Draft Substitute Environmental Documentation (Draft SED), is available for the proposed Part 2 of the Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California – Tribal and Subsistence Fishing Beneficial Uses and Mercury Provisions (the Provisions).
The State Water Board will hold a public hearing on February 7, 2017 to receive public input and comments on the Provisions and the Draft Staff Report, including the Draft SED. Written comments can be submitted to the Clerk of the Board until February 17, 2017 at 12:00 noon. For instructions on how to submit comments, visit the State Water Board’s Public Comment page by clicking this link.
The Provisions include the following three elements:
- Three new beneficial use categories: Tribal Traditional and Cultural Use, Tribal Subsistence Fishing, and Subsistence Fishing by the General Population
- Five fish tissue mercury water quality objectives to protect the health of humans that consume fish at a recreational rate from the harmful effects of mercury
- A program of implementation to achieve the water quality objectives
The Provisions include implementation provisions to control mercury pertaining to:
- Municipal wastewater and industrial discharges
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Storm water discharges
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Discharges from closed or closing mine sites
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Nonpoint source discharges
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Discharges from dredging activities
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Discharges related to projects that establish or restore wetlands
The proposed Provisions and Draft Staff Report and SED is a very large document. State Water Board staff have broken up the documents into sections that will allow more user-friendly navigation, and are downloadable as individual PDF files. Click this link to view and download the Draft Staff Report, Draft SED and Appendices related to the Report.
Know and Go:
What: State Water Board public hearing to receive public input and comments on the Draft Staff Report and Draft SED for the proposed Part 2 of the Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California – Tribal and Subsistence Fishing Beneficial Uses and Mercury Provisions
When: Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at 9:00 am
Where: Joe Serna Jr. – CalEPA Headquarters Bldg., Coastal Hearing Room, 1001 I Street, Second Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814
