MDE Starts 2025 Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards Process

MDE recently released an Advanced Notice of Public Rulemaking for the 2025 Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards, kicking off the review process. 

Prior to any formal public rulemaking, the Maryland Department of Environment recently announced an Advanced Notice of Public Rulemaking for the 2025 Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards. The Advanced Notice provides a notification and opportunity for the public to view and comment on the topics that the Department will be considering for the next Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards. The Department posted the Advance Notice in the September 20, 2024 edition of the Maryland Register. For more information on the Advanced Notice and the topics under consideration for the 2025 Triennial Review, please see the following link: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/TMDL/WaterQualityStandards/Documents/WQSwebpageDocs/ANPRM_2025TriennialReview.pdf .

Depending on the comments received in response to this notice, MDE plans to formally propose new and/or revised regulations by spring of 2025, and submit a final notice on these regulations by summer of 2025. Comments on the topics planned to be addressed during this Triennial Review period should be submitted to Melinda Cutler via email at melinda.cutler@maryland.gov.

Background:
The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that States review their water quality standards every three years (Triennial Review) and revise the standards as necessary. A water quality standard consists of three components:
  1. Designated Uses that set goals for a water body. Examples include the support of aquatic life, drinking water supply or the support of a coldwater fishery, such as trout.
  2. Criteria that support the designated uses. There are numerous criteria for chemical substances, bacteria, acidity and physical characteristics (e.g., temperature). Examples include dissolved oxygen sufficient to support aquatic life or metals in sufficiently low concentrations that they will not interfere with aquatic life.
  3. Antidegradation policy. Maryland has a policy in place for Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III classified waters.The Department updates the list of high quality waters each triennium as needed.

The Maryland water quality standards are found in the Code of Maryland regulations (COMAR) at 26.08.01 – 26.08.02. Maryland regulations may be accessed online at the Division of State Documents web site: http://www.dsd.state.md.us. Click on COMAR Online and enter the appropriate regulatory reference.

Click here to check out the Advanced Notice.