Basic Course: Key Concepts (Module 6.b)

Preparing for Submission: What to Include

When the State/Tribe's water quality standards have been finalized, the package that is submitted to the EPA Regional Office must include seven key elements.

Item #1
Waterbody use designations that are consistent with the Clean Water Act.

Item #2
Methods and analyses used to support the standards, particularly for any that are atypical (e.g., not specified in 40 CFR 131.11(a)(b)(1)(iii)).

Item #3
Water quality criteria sufficient to protect designated uses.

Item #4
An antidegradation policy and accompanying implementation procedures.

Item #5
Certification by the Attorney General or appropriate Tribal legal authority that the standards were duly adopted according to State/Tribal law.

Item #6
Information to support uses not specified in CWA Section 101(a)(2).

Item #7
General State/Tribal policies affecting the application and implementation of the standards (e.g., variance policy).

Key Point. The submission should also include use attainability analyses as appropriate (e.g., to justify a designated use that does not address the CWA's "fishable/swimmable" goal).