Ecology proposes adopting federal human health criteria for water quality

(OLYMPIA)– The Washington Department of Ecology is proposing to adopt the federal water pollution limits intended to protect human health – formally adding the existing federal limits into state rules. This proposal would not change any of the human health criteria already in place for Washington.

The human health criteria are a set of pollution limits designed to protect people, particularly those who eat fish and shellfish and drink untreated water, from experiencing long-term health effects of pollution in rivers, lakes and marine water in Washington. These limits are specific to each of the nearly 100 pollutants covered by the criteria, which include methyl bromide, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and arsenic, according to a news release from Ecology.

This is a unique rulemaking as it does not change the pollution limits already in place for Washington. In 2016 and 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set some of the human health criteria for Washington, so those limits are in federal rule, instead of state rule like the rest of Washington’s pollution limits. Ecology received feedback during other recent rulemakings that making this change should be a priority for the state.

The work to implement these limits began when EPA established the criteria for Washington in federal rule. Ecology is already using the federal human health criteria to identify polluted waters and develop clean up plans. The criteria are also being used when issuing and updating water quality permits for facilities discharging those pollutants.

Ecology aims to make a final decision on the rulemaking by the end of the year.

This rulemaking will include an Environmental Justice Assessment, as required under Washington’s Healthy Environment for All Act. Ecology will finish the assessment prior to finalizing the rule.

Ecology is accepting public comments from 12 a.m. on Sept. 17, 2024 until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 25, 2024.