EPA Promulgation of Nutrient Criteria in Florida
This Website contains information surrounding EPA’s promulgation of numeric nutrient criteria in Florida. The background material, FAQs, etc. associated with this effort provides good insight into several of the technical and legal issues surrounding the development and implementation of nutrient reduction programs.
EPA Workshop on Bringing Stakeholders Together to Address Nutrient Problems
This Website contains a report that summarizes recommendations and concerns raised by a diverse group of stakeholders from throughout EPA Region 8. The report provides good insight into the diverse range of questions and concerns that surround these issues. Also, the report contains several recommendations on how groups can come together to address this water quality problem.
Nutrient Scientific Technical Exchange Partnership and Support (N-STEPS)
This is a Website that is hosted by TetraTech that provides a good amount of background material surrounding the development and implementation of nutrient criteria. The site is somewhat dated, but still contains useful background information including a searchable bibliography (through 2007) and links to several analytical methods.
EPA Region 8 Comments on Colorado Proposed Criteria: 2011 (663 KB)
This is a comment letter from EPA Region 8 to CO on their proposed nutrient criteria. While the comments are specific to CO, the letter provides good information about the questions and concerns of region staff with regard to nutrient reduction programs.
EPA Response to New England States Standing Behind the Policy of Independent Applicability (934 KB)
This letter from EPA headquarters, in combination with the initial letter from New England States (see above), provides good background into some of the issues surrounding the simultaneous use of both numeric criteria and biological responses. It is important to note that EPA is now reconsidering this position with regard to nutrients.
Use of Numeric Criteria and Biological Responses: Maine Congressional Delegation Letter to EPA (139 KB)
This letter from Maine’s congressional delegation to EPA on questions raised by EPA on the use of both nutrient criteria and biological response data. The letter captures the potential use of an "indeterminate" impairment decision when assessment conclusions derived from interpretations of numeric nutrient criteria differ from those obtained from biological assessments.
EPA Response to Maine Congressional Delegation (660 KB)
This letter is a response to concerns raised by Maine’s congressional delegation to EPA (see above). The letter restates EPA’s position that numeric criteria should also protect the degradation of high quality waters. Hence, strictly using numeric and biological responses to identify impaired waters is inadequate. A compromise "middle ground" is also discussed.
An Urgent Call to Action: Report of the State-EPA Nutrient Innovations Task Group (6 MB)
In this report, a group of leaders from the water quality community present a summary of scientific evidence and analysis that characterizes the scope and major sources of nutrient impacts nationally. This information is not new; it has been synthesized from a number of reports and examined in a holistic framework. The enclosed report also considers the tools currently used under existing federal authority and presents options for new, innovative tools to improve control of nutrient pollution sources. Finally, the Task Group presents findings and suggests next steps needed to better address nutrient pollution.
Nutrients in Lakes and Reservoirs: Literature Review (412 KB)
This document, which was prepared by TetraTech for Wyoming, provides an annotated bibliography of papers that relate nutrients to biological responses in lakes and reservoirs.
Using Stressor-response Relationships to Derive Numeric Nutrient Criteria (2 MB)
A recent guidance document from EPA that describes analytical methods for deriving numeric nutrient criteria from biological response thresholds. Among other things, this paper discusses the use of conceptual models to better tie nutrients to biological uses. Also, several methods for addressing the importance of covariates are discussed.
Updates from States on Numeric Nutrient Criteria Development