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EPA is developing a proposed rule to establish water quality standards (WQS) for waters on Indian reservations that do not have WQS under the Clean Water Act. Less than 20 percent of reservations have EPA-approved tribal WQS. Promulgating baseline WQS would address this longstanding gap and provide more scientific rigor and regulatory certainty to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for discharges to these waters. The baseline WQS would fulfill requirements for WQS under EPA's regulations, including establishing designated uses, water quality criteria to protect those uses, and antidegradation policies to protect high quality waters. EPA initiated pre-proposal tribal consultation on June 15, 2021 and engaged in coordination and consultation with tribes throughout the consultation period, which ended September 13, 2021. EPA welcomes consultation with tribes both during and after the consultation period.