Water Quality Standards for Coastal and Great Lakes Recreation Waters

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is promulgating water quality criteria for bacteria for coastal recreation waters in specific States and Territories. The States and Territories covered by this promulgation do not have water quality standards for bacteria that comply with the requirements of section 303(i)(1)(A) of the Clean Water Act. Under these circumstances, the Act requires EPA to promptly propose such standards and to promulgate such standards not later than 90 days after proposal. The criteria promulgated today apply to coastal and Great Lakes waters that specific States and Territories have designated for swimming, bathing, surfing, or similar water contact activities and for which the State or Territory does not have in place EPA-approved bacteria criteria that are as protective of human health as EPA's 1986 recommended bacteria criteria. Through this promulgation, the Federally designated water quality criteria will be added to the States' and Territories' water quality criteria applicable to coastal recreation waters.