The EPA received petitions from the Utility Water Act Group and the U.S. Small Business Administration requesting reconsideration and an administrative stay of provisions of the EPA's 2015 final rule titled 'Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Steam Electric Power Generating Point Source Category,’ (80 FR 67838; November 3, 2015). After considering the petitions, the Administrator decided that it is appropriate and in the public interest to conduct a rulemaking to address some of the issues raised by petitioners. On November 22, 2019, EPA proposed revisions to the 2015 final rule's effluent limits for flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater and for bottom ash (BA) transport water applicable to existing steam electric power generators (84 FR 64620). EPA’s proposal would achieve pollution reductions estimated at 105 million pounds of lead, arsenic, mercury, and other pollutants prevented from entering our nation’s waters annually. These reductions are greater than the 2015 rule would have achieved. The proposed modifications to the 2015 rule will also reduce compliance costs, saving approximately $175 million pre-tax annually. These cost savings are primarily attributable to lower technology costs associated with the pollutant control systems available today to effectively treat and manage the wastewater, flexibility in the management of those systems, additional subcategorization of affected power plants, and establishing new compliance timeframes.