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EPA/OW RIN: 2040-AF79 Publication ID: Spring 2024 
Title: Federal Selenium Criteria for Aquatic Life and Aquatic-Dependent Wildlife Applicable to California 
Abstract:

On November 29, 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator signed a proposed rule to establish water quality criteria applicable to waters under the state of California's jurisdiction to protect aquatic life and aquatic-dependent wildlife from exposure to toxic levels of selenium. The EPA’s proposed rule does not include waters in the San Francisco Bay and Delta system that were previously covered in the EPA's July 2016 proposed rule (Water Quality Standards; Establishment of Revised Numeric Criteria for Selenium for the San Francisco Bay and Delta, State of California). Under a consent decree with Our Children's Earth Foundation and Ecological Rights Foundation, the EPA is required to finalize its proposed selenium criteria for California within six months of the latest date of the following actions pertaining to Endangered Species Act section 7(a)(2) consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, the Services): making a “no effect” determination, receiving written concurrence from the Services, or concluding formal consultation with the Services. If the EPA approves selenium criteria for the protection of aquatic life and aquatic-dependent wildlife submitted by California for all or any portion of fresh waters in the rest of California (i.e., all fresh waters not part of the San Francisco Bay and Delta) prior to promulgation of a final federal rule, the EPA would no longer be obligated to finalize criteria for such waters.

 
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Final Rule Stage 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: 40 CFR 131   
Legal Authority: 33 U.S.C. sec. 1314(h)    33 U.S.C. sec. 1251 et seq.   
Legal Deadline:
Action Source Description Date
Final  Judicial  The EPA is under a consent decree with Our Children's Earth Foundation and Ecological Rights Foundation to take CWA section 303(c) action to either approve criteria for selenium adopted by California   06/01/2024 
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  12/13/2018  83 FR 64059   
Final Rule  07/00/2024 
Additional Information: EPA-HQ-OW-2018-0056.
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No  Government Levels Affected: State 
Small Entities Affected: No  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Information URL: https://www.epa.gov/wqs-tech/water-quality-standards-establishment-numeric-criterion-selenium-fresh-waters-california   Public Comment URL: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EPA-HQ-OW-2018-0056  
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Maria Letourneau
Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Mail Code 4305T,
Washington, DC 20460
Phone:202 566-2700
Email: letourneau.maria@epa.gov

Danielle Anderson
Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Mail Code 4305T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20460
Phone:202 564-1631
Email: anderson.danielle@epa.gov