WDNR seeks input on Water Quality Standards needing review

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 10/31/2013 03:41 PM CDT

Interested Parties:

In order to fulfill requirements of the Clean Water Act, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources staff review our water quality standard (WQS) related priorities once every three years in a process called the Triennial Standards Review (TSR). The TSR identifies WDNR and customer needs to modify, update, or create WQS related rules, policy and guidance. Examples of the kinds of topics we have considered during the TSR include: phosphorus rule implementation guidance, revision of permit effluent limit calculations, and development of new water quality criteria.

In order to begin this TSR process, we are asking you to provide topics to be considered for the 2015-2017 TSR cycle. Topics that are ultimately identified as highest priority will be those that we will focus our efforts on during 2015-2017. Please feel free to share this invitation with others that may wish to submit a topic for consideration.

The toxicologist in the Water Evaluation section, Camille Turcotte, will be leading the TSR process. Please submit your water quality standard-related topic(s) including a brief description to Camille by Monday, December 2, 2013 using the form attached at the bottom of this email.

The form includes a list of the topics that are still in progress from the previous (2012-2014) TSR cycle. Also attached to this email is a summary of all the topics identified in the last TSR cycle and their current status. Topics from the last TSR cycle will be handled in this manner:

  • Topics that have been completed will not be a part of the process.
  • Topics that are currently in progress or pending will automatically be included in Group A as a priority.
  • Topics that were considered in the last cycle will only be considered if they are suggested as a topic again in this process.

After we receive all the proposed topics, a list will be assembled and internal/external parties will be asked to assign priority rankings. Ranking takes into consideration factors such as availability of issue-specific data, staff resources, impacts to other programs, and any state or federal mandates. The ranked list will then be provided to the public for formal comment in accordance with Federal Clean Water Act requirements. Public comment will be considered and a final prioritized list will be presented to WI DNR management for approval. The final list will be explained in the formal TSR report which will be the basis for water quality standards related projects for the 2015-2017 cycle.

Further details of this process and past TSR reports are available on our website at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/surfacewater/tsr.html. If you have any questions about the TSR process, please contact Camille at (608) 266-9262 or camille.turcotte@wisconsin.gov.

Thank you in advance for your input into this very important process.

Brian Weigel
Water Evaluation Section Chief
Water Quality Bureau
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
GEF 2; 101 S. Webster St.
Madison, WI 53707
Phone: (608) 266-9277
Fax: (608) 267-2800