### .'

,--.. 

### 8eptetber 

### 23, 1976
iI I • }tt.**i~illlam** R. Adams, Jr., Cotmnissioner Depart;neIl.t 

### of r:Jlv!rolUll<ental Protection State of 

### r:aine State House 

# I Augusta, Ha,*e 04330 

# I Deer 1{r. J\da1ns:

As we discussed with lIr. y...in<J at our Scpt:el.ilber 9- meetlnq, the fol.lovinq 

### are our**re~tions** 

### for water quality 

### standards revisions for the State of Haine:
1. 

### Classification and Uses**~jC** 

### 1983**l~ational** 

### water quality goal 

### uses (Class 

### B; GWilflUablo-fishahle) should be designated for all \-:aters \Ihercvor attainable.


### lon-Jere the National 

### water qual!ty goal 

### use is determined to 

### be unattainable, exceptions l<1ay be**al1~ed.** '1-0 

### obtain an oxcepti.on for It 

### gi'\·en segment, the State**~t** deI:1Ons:trate in \4ritinq \thy the C1ass 13 standard cannot be. achieved. 'I'echnological. social, economic or other factors may serve AS the basis for granting an exception.


### 2.**~.ntidegradation** Policy
lIe recotarnend that Imine desiqnate no 

### discharge zones for 

### vaters that should not be 

### degraded and constitute outstanding 

### zesources, r

...

### 'hese designations Ghould include waters in !:aticnal arid State }'>c.'"trks,**\~'ildlifc** refuges and waters of exceptional recreational or ecological significance. of particular ulPOrtance is the protection of Haine's ma..'"1y outstandinq lakes.

As a**~nin!n:um,** however, 

### r:aLt}e1s**antid~gradatlon** policy 

### slmuld be consistent witl1 Federal regulation.40 CFR 130, Section 130.17(e) and contain the following**~iponents:** 

### -1-. In 

### all cases, existinq instrcam 

### l'.-I:.r..eficial water usea l'!'JUSt

be tr.aintuned and protected. 'Any action$ t'hat lit"Ould interfere with or becone injurious to existi."'lg uses cannot be**undertaJ.'~en.** 

### waste:assiJ:dlation and 

### transport are not rC.C09l\ized 

### beneficial. 

### uses, i I I \ 

# I

\

J 

## I

-\



### I I

# I I

t2. Existing hiqh quality 

### waters must be 1'!'Uiintained at. their 

### existing**r~qh** 

### quality unless**~~e** 

### State dacides to 

### allow Itmfted degradation where econonically or socially justified. If lirnited degradation is' allmYed, it cannot; result 1.'1 violation 

### ofwater quality criteria 

### that UC'lscribe the base levels necessary to suste.1.in the tJational water quality goal uses of protection and propagation of fish, shellfish arA wildlife and recreation in and 

### on the vater;
3. In all cases, high qua1ity W4ters which 

### constitute an**OU1:8~lnq** natioraal resource must be maintained and protected:

4. lilly 

### deterninations concerning thermal dischttrg'e lim!

### taUons under section 316

### (a) of tho Act wi

### 11 be considered to

- be 

### in compliance with the antideqradation policy."



## we note tllat Maine's 

### erlstirig llntideqradation Gtatemont is 

### generally consistent with the abovo and only J!d.nor revisions £lay be needed.
3.**~ater 2u.ali~iteria**  'rile foll.owinq guidelines should be followed in keepinq**"i~h** established 

### EPA policy conccxninq water quality criteria: (a) llumcrica1 criteria should be 

### stated wherever possible.
(b) Bioloqical or bloassay cr!teria should be employed where 

### numerical values are not practical, (e) Narrative. criteria should be employe<! where ot..l}er 

### values 

### cannot be established or to**~pleman1:** numr.rical**val\.~s.** The EPA rua,lity cr:i-tcria for 

### tiatcr (Section (30.1(a» <!oC'l.UnE'nt should 

### serve as the--bani.s 

### for**c;taLllahinq~-Stato** 

### water quality cr1.teria. This 

### docuJnent presents nOn:lally 

### acceptnble levels of water <!UZ\lity to support the 

### related use. However, more 

### stringent criteria for specific paraI:1eters DaYbe adopted

# it a 

### state deems**necess~.** 

## we feel that itaine should adopt t..he %'CC01!£\endations contained in the 304

### (a) docmr.ent 

### or more**Btrln~ent** liI!'.its if the State desires 

### for at least the following parameters I 

### aesthetics mrm'Onia cadmium 

### chlorine chromiUtl oxyqen, dis80lved pesti-C:ldcs 

### pH 

### phthalate estors polych1orinated- 

### biphenyls (PCB's)

### fecal coliform bacteria copper lead 

### mercury nickel 

### silver sulfides (hydro90n 

### sulfide) tai.ntinq nubstances 

### te::.1perature zinc
Other substfUlces .referenced in the 304(a) doctmCnt should be considered by the state of**:~lainc** and**~doptad** if deemed necessary. We note t.11at l-1aine does have 

### nmnerical critoria for a few 

### of the above parameters. Existing criteria should he 

### cor,.pared to 

### tho 304(a) 

### exiteria for 

### consistency.


### 4. Other Rovisions

We recomt1end that ¥..aine add the followinq (or comparable) '\'!Ordinq 

### to 

### Section 480.3 (Assil,.lilativo capacity) of the 

### state's req\.llationB'**~For re9Ulat~,d**  streams,**th~** Board may eC?tablish II minim1J.1\'t flow 

### at or above \:hich**tJ.~e** 

### water quality standards 

### l'\1Ust be 

### t!'.ct. 'nlis 

### flou will be 

### bused 

### upon achievintJ 

### the assigned classification, criteria and protection of the uees 

### of the stream. The Board will cooperate \fib""} appropriate i·c<\0ral, state and private interests in the development and 

### maintenance of stream flow**requir~ts. ~1**  .'_
In addition,**t..~e** 1968 reference in Section 480.2 (Bioassay Procedures) should l>e deleted. '1'l.e EPA Quality criteria for \;J.ater document and \'tater 

### 2Ua1it:Y,Sri.te.;}.a.,**1~72 publish(..~**  by .EPJ'

.. 

### contain pore current bioassay pzocccurea and appli.cation factors.


# s.**~"'l** completion of the current standards revision process, we reCOl'lmend 

### that the stato consider publishinq 

### the co::..-rplete\'."ater cruality sta."l<1ards 

### in
one docU!OOnt. 'l'his**\"~uld** inc1ude criteria, antideqradation 'POlicy and**~ps** 

### and/or tables listir.q strenm 

### classifications and no**disc~~go** 

### zones. 

### SUch a publication would De 

### a valuable workinq document 

### as well as a useful puhlic information report.
We loo}

.. forward to 

### cooperatively worr..ing with 

### you in the 

### standards**r~visions** 

### process. Sincerely yours,

T..enneth L. Johnson Deputy Regional AdIU.nistrator

CCt J. 

### Christian, EPA Hq. C. Kinq, liaine W.Q. Coordinator A. Peloquin,**~~EnlPCC** L. SUtton, hOOPA, Hegion I



### EPA:D.BUTLER:mmc 9/23/76