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8eptetber 23, 1976 i

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}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}e1 s 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.

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2. 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

of water 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 wi11 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~-Statowater 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

DaY be 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 parametersI

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