The federal Clean Water Act requires states to review their water quality standards every three years and solicit public input on the need for revising or adding to state standards. The triennial standards review (TSR) gives the public a formal opportunity to provide wide-ranging comments about water quality standards. Otherwise, opportunities for the public to comment on WQS are generally confined to specific, proposed rulemaking projects.
The MPCA reviewed the need for additions and revisions to WQS, evaluating standards completed since the last triennial review, considering new scientific information on the impacts of pollutants, and considering changing program needs. The MPCA created a draft work plan and requested public comments on the draft, Minnesota Rules chapters 7050 and 7052, active variances, and modified class 2 and class 7 uses. After reviewing all public comments received, MPCA revised the draft work plan and responded to the comments received during the public comment period.
The final 2026-2028 WQS work plan, which will guide standards development work for the next three years, is provided below, along with responses to comments received. MPCA has submitted the work plan to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who will review and determine if MPCA met the requirements of the TSR.
- pending EPA approval
- Public comments received (Dec. 9, 2024-Feb. 7, 2025)
Schedule
| Dates | Task(s) |
|---|---|
| Dec. 9, 2024 | Notice of request for comments published in the State Register |
| Jan. 23, 2025 | Recorded public meeting (53 min.) |
| Jan. 28, 2025 | Recorded public meeting (60 min.) |
| Feb. 7, 2025 | End of public comment period |
| Feb.-April 2025 | Review public feedback |
| March 2026 | Respond to public feedback, update draft work plan, and submit final work plan to EPA for approval |
| To be determined | EPA approval of work plan |
