The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is
beginning a review of the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards
(standards) to start the revision process. The TCEQ requested
preliminary public comments to the standards and the Procedures to
Implement the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards, RG-194
(Standards Implementation Procedures) in January 2006. Comments
were received by March 1, 2006 and are currently being considered
by TCEQ staff.
Revisions to the standards and the Standards Implementation
Procedures are needed to:
-
Incorporate recently developed site-specific standards for
individual water bodies.
-
Incorporate new research on the toxicity of specific
chemicals.
-
Improve the way that standards are used and applied.
The process of reviewing and revising the standards is a joint
process with the TCEQ, EPA, the general public, other governmental
agencies, industries, municipalities, environmental groups, and
others. Much of the coordination is done through the Surface
Water Quality Standards Advisory Work Group.
For the next triennial review, the TCEQ staff are considering a
variety of potential changes (PDF),
such as nutrient criteria (PDF),
revised toxic criteria, numerous additional uses and criteria for
individual water bodies, and changes in how to apply bacterial
indicators. (Help with PDF Files.) Revisions are being
developed by internal staff workgroups, plus the Surface
Water Quality Standards Advisory Work Group. The first work
group meeting has been scheduled for March 7, 2007 at the TCEQ
central office in Austin, Texas.
Procedures to Implement the Texas Surface
Water Quality Standards RG-194, which explain how the standards
are used in permitting, is reviewed and revised along with the
standards revision.
