SIP Proposal: Colorado (base-year emissions inventory for the Denver Metro/North Front Range 2015 eight-hour ozone nonattainment area, certification that existing Air Pollutant Emissions Notice (APEN) program fulfills the CAA’s emission statement rule requirement, and new requirement for annual certification of APEN reported emissions).
EPA proposed to grant a second one-year extension of the attainment date for the Uinta Basin, Utah marginal nonattainment area under the 2015 ozone NAAQS, and to determine that the area attained the standard by the extended attainment date of August 3, 2023.
SIP Proposal: Wyoming (regional haze).
BLM finalized a rule to reduce the waste of natural gas from venting, flaring, and leaks during oil and gas production activities on federal and Indian leases and to ensure that, when federal or Indian gas is wasted, the public and Indian mineral owners are compensated for the wasted gas through royalty payments.
EPA proposed to promulgate a CWA chronic aquatic life ambient water quality criterion for waters under the state of Idaho’s jurisdiction to protect aquatic life from exposure to harmful concentrations or levels of total mercury.
The Department of Ecology proposed amendments to regulations governing water quality standards for surface waters. The amendments would update aquatic life toxics criteria in Table 240 and footnotes; make minor non-substantive edits to correct typographical errors, calculation errors, and formatting errors; and cite federal regulations for human health criteria where they apply for CWA purposes. Hearings will be held April 4 and 10, 2024. Comments are due May 7, 2024.
The Division of Drinking Water proposed amendments to regulations governing drinking water source protection for groundwater sources. The amendments would remove special construction criteria for sewer mains, laterals, and maintenance holes when locating new groundwater sources in Source Protection Zone 2, and add sewer maintenance holes to the list of facilities needing special construction requirements in Zone 1. Comments are due May 1, 2024.
The Division of Drinking Water proposed to repeal and reenact regulations governing facility design and operation of pump stations. The reenacted regulations would remove redundant requirements and reorganize for clarity, maintaining the original content while enhancing readability. Comments are due May 1, 2024. See https://rules.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/b20240401.pdf (pp. 151-58).
The Division of Drinking Water proposed amendments to regulations governing facility design and operation of public drinking water sources. The amendments would delete references to specific rules regarding water pump usage, wellhouse construction, and special construction requirements for sewer mains. Comments are due May 1, 2024. See https://rules.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/b20240401.pdf (pp. 140-51).
The Department of Environmental Quality proposed amendments to regulations governing aquatic life criteria. The amendments would update aquatic life criteria for toxic substances based on EPA's latest recommendations and ensure clarity and consistency for CWA implementation by removing nonregulatory guidance values for toxic pollutants. A hearing will be held April 23, 2024. Comments are due May 3, 2024.