§131.10. Designation of uses. — Inbound Citations

(2) Where a State adopts a WQS variance, the State must retain, in its standards, the underlying designated use and criterion addressed by the WQS variance, unless the State adopts and EPA approves a revision to the underlying designated use and criterion consistent with §§ 131.10 and 131.11. All other applicable standards not specifically addressed by the WQS variance remain applicable.

(a) The State shall from time to time, but at least once every 3 years, hold public hearings for the purpose of reviewing applicable water quality standards adopted pursuant to §§ 131.9 through 131.15 and Federally promulgated water quality standards and, as appropriate, modifying and adopting standards. This review shall include evaluating whether there is any new information available about Tribal reserved rights applicable to State waters that needs to be considered to establish water quality standards consistent with § 131.9. The State shall also re-examine any waterbody segment with water quality standards that do not include the uses specified in section 101(a)(2) of the Act every 3 years to determine if any new information has become available. If such new information indicates that the uses specified in section 101(a)(2) of the Act are attainable, the State shall revise its standards accordingly. Procedures States establish for identifying and reviewing water bodies for review should be incorporated into their Continuing Planning Process. In addition, if a State does not adopt new or revised criteria for parameters for which EPA has published new or updated CWA section 304(a) criteria recommendations, then the State shall provide an explanation when it submits the results of its triennial review to the Regional Administrator consistent with CWA section 303(c)(1) and the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section.

(5) All other applicable provisions of this part 131 shall apply on the Colville Confederated Tribes Reservation. Special attention should be paid to §§ 131.6, 131.10, 131.11 and 131.20 for any amendment to these standards to be initiated by the Tribe.

(1) Take into consideration the use and value of their waters for protecting the Tribal reserved right in adopting or revising designated uses pursuant to § 131.10;

(i) Criteria and values derived as HCV-Drinking and HNV-Drinking shall apply to the Open Waters of the Great Lakes, all connecting channels of the Great Lakes, and all other waters of the Great Lakes System that have been designated as public water supplies by any State or Tribe in accordance with 40 CFR 131.10.

(B) For a WQS variance to a non-101(a)(2) use, the State must submit documentation justifying how its consideration of the use and value of the water for those uses listed in § 131.10(a) appropriately supports the WQS variance and term. A demonstration consistent with paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section may be used to satisfy this requirement.

(A) For a WQS variance to a use specified in section 101(a)(2) of the Act or a sub-category of such a use, the State must demonstrate that attaining the designated use and criterion is not feasible throughout the term of the WQS variance because:

(1) One of the factors listed in § 131.10(g) is met, or

(2) Actions necessary to facilitate lake, wetland, or stream restoration through dam removal or other significant reconfiguration activities preclude attainment of the designated use and criterion while the actions are being implemented.

(g) is a structured scientific assessment of the factors affecting the attainment of the use which may include physical, chemical, biological, and economic factors as described in § 131.10(g).