Opinion ID: 393673
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sufficiency of the Numeric Criteria

Text: 44 Pursuant to EPA regulation, each basin state adopted salinity standards which included: specific numeric criteria for three stations in the River's lower main stem, narrative provisions, and other factual information, with the goal of maintaining salinity concentrations below 1972 levels. Included also was a water quality monitoring and analysis program which was consistent with EPA's basinwide approach to the salinity problem. EPA, after a public comment period, approved the standards in 1976. 45 EPA's review of the standards must ensure that they were consistent with the applicable requirements of the FWPCA, as in effect immediately prior to the date of the enactment of the FWPCA Amendments of 1972. Clean Water Act §§ 303(a)(1), 303(a)(2), and 303(a)(3)(B). See Montgomery Environmental Coalition v. Costle, 646 F.2d 568, at 592, 593 (D.C.Cir.1980). This reference back mandated that the state standards were to be evaluated, by EPA, under the provisions of the Water Quality Act of 1965. The test for the adequacy of the standards under the 1965 Act directed that the standards were to protect the public health or welfare, enhance the quality of water, and serve the purposes of (the) Act. § 10(c)(3). 39 46 EDF asserted below that separate numeric criteria were to be established in each basin state and that a failure to do so created a set of salinity standards with no accountability. 40 The district court found that EDF has not pointed the court to any section of the Clean Water Act that would require the establishment of separate numerical criteria in any basin state. Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. v. Costle, 13 Envir.Rep. (BNA) 1867, 1871 (D.D.C. Oct. 3, 1979). EDF also fails to cite any persuasive authority to this court. 47 Here, EDF details several reasons which it argues necessitate judicial disapproval and corrective remand of the salinity standards. EDF first contends that the Clean Water Act and corresponding EPA regulations provide that numeric criteria are needed in each of the seven states. To the contrary, neither the Act itself nor the regulations require that any numeric criteria be established. Water quality criteria may be, and often are, totally narrative. EPA's 1974 salinity regulation directed that salinity should be viewed by the states as a basinwide problem, and that numeric criteria be adopted for appropriate points on the River, to aid in the maintenance of lower main stem salinity at pre-1972 levels. 40 C.F.R. §§ 120.5(b), 120.5(c)(1), and 120.5(c)(2) (1974). The regulation, with its requirement of numeric levels at appropriate points, was promulgated after careful agency study and with complete cognizance of EPA's obligation to protect the public health or welfare, enhance the water quality, and serve the 1965 Act's relevant purposes. If the establishment of numeric criteria in each state became legally mandated after thorough EPA study and review of its statutory obligations, EPA would have been duty bound to promulgate appropriate regulations. 48 The district court found the narrative and three numeric criteria to be sufficient to meet the 1965 Act's test of adequacy. We agree. The selection of the three points for numeric standards to supplement the narrative provisions is consistent with the basinwide approach and is fully explained in the record. 49 EDF next assails EPA's alleged change of an official agency position related to the number and location of the appropriate points where numeric standards would be set throughout the basin. 41 EDF argues that EPA arbitrarily abandoned its earlier formal position that numeric standards in the upper basin were required by law, and essential in fact, if downstream salinity levels were to be preserved. Such a turnabout, EDF avers, clearly demonstrates the arbitrariness and capriciousness of EPA's approval of the states' standards. 50 In the years prior to its approval of the state standards in 1976, EPA and the states were in disagreement concerning the proper number and efficacy of points along the River where numeric criteria would be necessary. Certain individuals within the agency were of the view that numeric standards would be required for several key points throughout the entire basin. As detailed earlier, the respective states, the Forum, and EPA combined efforts to develop an amenable solution, which eventually led to the first Federal Register notice of proposed rulemaking in June 1974. 42 The record indicates that a subsequent December 1974 memorandum from EPA's General Counsel stated the EPA may legally require each basin state to set salinity standards in order to comply with the Clean Water Act and that such standards may include numeric criteria. Joint Appendix at 383-384. The final regulation was promulgated, in late December 1974, prescribing numeric criteria at appropriate points. 43 51 EDF maintains that the memorandum from the EPA General Counsel represented a formal agency position, and that the promulgation of the salinity regulation with only three numeric points, and not for each state, was a complete and sudden reversal of EPA's alleged long-standing position. The district court determined that while certain EPA officials had initially advocated numeric criteria for each basin state, EPA took its first formal position upon its promulgation of the salinity regulation in December 1974. We agree. Accordingly, there was no reversal of an official position which would render EPA's actions in approving the standards either arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of agency discretion. 52 EDF's argument misconstrues the record, including the General Counsel's opinion, and ignores the evidence which provides a reasonable as well as rational foundation for EPA's approval of the state salinity standards. 44 EDF misconstrues the General Counsel's opinion which stated that EPA may legally require the adoption of salinity standards which may include numeric criteria. EDF construes this opinion to mean that EPA must require establishment of numeric standards for each basin state. This is erroneous, in that the crux of the entire opinion indicates that EPA is empowered to require basinwide specific numeric criteria, but that it may decide that such criteria are not necessary. Further, the opinion calls for adoption of salinity standards, which may or may not include specific numeric criteria to supplement the various narrative provisions. 53 EPA's approval would survive scrutiny, under the arbitrary and capricious standard of review, even if this court were to construe EPA's early statements which favored implementation of numeric criteria in each state, as collectively representing formal EPA policy. It is well settled that an agency may alter or reverse its position if the change is supported by a reasoned explanation. See N.L.R.B. v. J. Weingarten, Inc., 420 U.S. 251, 264-68, 95 S.Ct. 959, 967-69, 43 L.Ed.2d 171 (1975); Montana Power Co. v. EPA, 608 F.2d 334, 347-49 (9th Cir. 1979) (and the cases cited therein); N.L.R.B. v. International Union of Operating Engineers Local 925, AFL-CIO, 460 F.2d 589, 604 (5th Cir. 1972). Here, such a reasoned explanation is present in the record.