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On August 21, 2015, the EPA finalized updates to the federal water quality standards (WQS) regulation at 40 CFR part 131 that interprets part of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The rulemaking addresses the following six key areas: 1) Administrator's determination that new or revised WQS are necessary, 2) designated uses, 3) triennial review requirements, 4) antidegradation, 5) variances to WQS, and 6) compliance schedule authorizing provisions. The updates result in a better-defined pathway for States, territories, and authorized tribes to improve water quality and protect high quality waters through enhancements in the regulation's effectiveness, WQS transparency, and opportunities for meaningful public engagement at the State, territorial, tribal and local levels. The EPA initially proposed revisions to the WQS regulation on September 4, 2013. The core of the previous WQS regulation had been in place since 1983.