Opinion ID: 346899
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Water Quality Standard Applicable to the U.S. Pipe Facility.

Text: 44 U.S. Pipe argues that the Alabama water quality standard of Fish and Wildlife as a Goal is applicable to its permit, and that the standard required only BPT by July 1, 1977. Although Alabama nominally adopted its standard before U.S. Pipe's permit was issued, the standard was not defined until April 19, 1974, eleven days after the permit was issued. Following the publication of the Alabama definition, EPA notified the State that the classification was not consistent with its policy on the requirements of the FWPCA. When the State failed to amend its classification, EPA established the Fish and Wildlife standard for all streams in Alabama to which the Alabama standard of Fish and Wildlife as a Goal had applied. It is EPA's contention that this federal standard is applicable to the U.S. Pipe permit. 45 EPA's invalidation of the State standard and its promulgation of a federal standard, however, have been declared invalid. Associated Industries of Alabama v. Train, No. 75-M-0092 (N.D.Ala. Dec. 7, 1976). 12 Thus, the only water quality standard which might be applicable to the U.S. Pipe facility is the state standard of Fish and Wildlife as a Goal. EPA contends, however, that the agency granted its approval of the State standard only because EPA understood, in the absence of definitions provided by the State, that the standard required achievement of water quality criteria normally associated with a Fish and Wildlife standard. 13 Hence, the agency contends that the Fish and Wildlife as a Goal standard is equivalent to the Fish and Wildlife standard despite the State's definition to the contrary. U.S. Pipe, on the other hand, argues that the State's definition of its own standard should apply, even though that definition was issued on April 30, 1974, eleven days after the permit was issued. 46 These arguments place the court in a dilemma which cannot be resolved by resort to the language of the FWPCA. If EPA's understanding of the standard is said to be controlling, the federal standard declared invalid in Associated Industries will be resurrected. If that were to occur, EPA would have accomplished by means of an unexpressed understanding that which it failed to accomplish using the administrative process. 47 If the belated definition of the State is said to be applicable, the operative State standard will be no more stringent than BPT. Such a state of affairs will to some extent frustrate the second, i. e., water quality standard, level of regulation under the FWPCA. The anomaly of Alabama's regulatory scheme lies in its decision to define the water quality standard Fish and Wildlife as a Goal in terms of the criteria applicable to the technology standard BPT. EPA noted the inconsistency of this regulatory scheme when it attempted to override the State standard: 48 The Goal classification did not contain specific water quality criteria. The criteria for the Goal classification consisted of section 301 of the Act (Best Practicable Technology by 1977, Best Available Technology by 1983). The Act distinguishes between these technology limitations, applicable to particular sources of pollution, and water quality standards, which define desirable ambient water quality. The section 301 requires establishment of minimum levels of treatment based on consideration of available technology and other factors enumerated in sections 301 and 304 of the Act. Under section 301(b)(1)(C), additional treatment may be required to meet ambient water quality standards, which are to be established in accordance with the factors set out in section 303. Adopting these technology definitions as the water quality standards is therefore inconsistent with the statutory scheme. 39 Fed. Reg. 41254, 41255 (emphasis added). 49 EPA's criticisms are valid, but if the agency had required the State to specify the criteria applicable to its standard as a condition for granting approval, the uncertainty surrounding the State's water quality standards could have been avoided. Having chosen not to interject such a requirement into its approval process, EPA cannot accomplish its ends by obtaining a declaration from this court that its unexpressed understanding should be preferred to the State's definition of a state standard. In the absence of a superseding federal standard lawfully issued by EPA, we therefore find that the State standard Fish and Wildlife as a Goal, as defined by the AWIC, is the applicable standard until altered by the State itself. 14 50 In summary, the Decision of the Administrator is enforced to the extent that it upholds the BPT limitations of the U.S. Pipe permit. In the absence of a more stringent water quality standard, and until the State adopts a different standard, the Alabama standard of Fish and Wildlife as a Goal is the only state standard applicable to Five Mile Creek. Due to the peculiar circumstances of this case, therefore, the State of Alabama has not triggered the operation of section 301(b)(1)(C), which requires achievement by July 1, 1977, of effluent limitations more stringent than BPT if such limitations are necessary to implement water quality standards adopted pursuant to any State law or regulation. Thus, enforcement of the Administrator's Decision is denied to the extent that it required modification of the permit to achieve water quality standards more stringent than BPT. 51 ENFORCED in part, VACATED in part.