Use designations for some stream reaches

Revisor ID: R-04692

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is currently proposing amendments to rules governing water quality standards — Class 2 use designations (Minn. Rules ch. 7050).

The public comment period for the Notice of Hearing on the proposed rules was Dec. 12, 2022, to Feb. 3, 2023. The proposed rule amendments and related documents are provided below with the Procedural rulemaking documents.

Public hearing

The MPCA held a public hearing on the proposed rules on February 16, 2023. With the close of the rebuttal comment period on March 15, 2023, the hearing record closed. Administrative Law Judge Todnem issued her report on April 14, 2023. The judge’s report is available in the procedural rulemaking documents section below.

Proposed rule amendments

The MPCA plans to amend Minnesota Rules chapter 7050, which establishes designated uses for rivers, streams, and lakes. The proposed amendments affect Class 2 (Aquatic Life) designations. The MPCA routinely reviews use designations to ensure that assigned beneficial uses are protective and attainable as defined by the Clean Water Act and Minnesota Rule. As the result of routine monitoring, the MPCA has identified waters where the currently designated beneficial use does not accurately reflect an attainable use.

Learn more about the agency's proposed amendments:

• Amendments to Aquatic Life (Class 2) use designations for streams (wq-rule4-21aa)
• Appendix A: Amendments to Aquatic Life (Class 2) Use Designations (wq-rule4-21aa1)

Procedural rulemaking documents

April 14, 2023

• Administrative Law Judge report (wq-rulecl2-2122s)

March 15, 2023

MPCA Rebuttal response submitted to the OAH.

• Rebuttal response letter (wq-rulecl2-2122r)

No Non-MPCA rebuttal responses were submitted to the OAH.

March 8, 2023

MPCA Post-hearing comments submitted to the OAH.

• MPCA Post-hearing response cover letter (wq-rulecl2-2122q1)
• Attachment 1 – Spreadsheet of comments (wq-rulecl2-2122q2)
• Attachment 2 – MPCA detailed response to comments (wq-rulecl2-2122q3)
• Attachment 3 – Summary table Class 2 proposed use designations (wq-rulecl2-2122q4)
• Attachment 4 – Administrative Law Judge report 2017 TALU rules (wq-rulecl2-2122q5)
• Attachment 5 – Administrative Law Judge report 2020 Class 2 and 7 use designation rules (wq-rulecl2-2122q6)
• Attachment 6 – EPA review 2017 TALU rules (wq-rulecl2-2122q7)
• Attachment 7 – EPA review 2020 Class 2 and 7 use designation rules (wq-rulecl2-2122q8)
• Attachment 8 – TALU framework (wq-rulecl2-2122q9)

No Non-MPCA Post-hearing comments were submitted to the OAH.

February 2023

• MPCA list of public hearing exhibits (wq-rulecl2-2122o1)
• Hearing exhibit A (wq-rulecl2-2122o2)
• Hearing exhibit B (wq-rulecl2-2122o3)
• Hearing exhibit C (wq-rulecl2-2122o4)
• Hearing exhibit D (wq-rulecl2-2122o5)

  SONAR exhibits are posted with the December 2022 documents.
• Hearing exhibit E (wq-rulecl2-2122o6)
• Hearing exhibit F (wq-rulecl2-2122o7)
• Hearing exhibit G (wq-rulecl2-2122o8)
• Hearing exhibit H (wq-rulecl2-2122o9)
• Hearing exhibit I (wq-rulecl2-2122o10)
• Hearing exhibit J (wq-rulecl2-2122o11)
• Hearing exhibit K-1 to K-8 (wq-rulecl2-2122o12)
• Hearing exhibit L (wq-rulecl2-2122o13)
• Public hearing transcript: February 16, 2023 (wq-rulecl2-2122p)

Notice of hearing comment period

• Comments received during the Notice of Hearing comment period (wq-rulecl2-2122n)

December 2022

• Notice of Hearing on Proposed Amendments to Class 2 Use Designation Rules (wq-rulecl2-2122c)
• Proposed Amendments to Class 2 Use Designation Rules (wq-rulecl2-2122d)
• Statement of Need and Reasonableness for Proposed Rules (wq-rulecl2-2122e)
• SONAR Exhibits 1 – 8 (wq-rulecl2-2122g)
• SONAR Exhibits 9 – 14 (wq-rulecl2-2122h)
• SONAR Exhibits 15 – 20 (wq-rulecl2-2122i)
• SONAR Exhibits 21 – 27 (wq-rulecl2-2122j)
• SONAR Exhibits 28 – 33 (wq-rulecl2-2122k)
• SONAR Exhibits 34 – 37 (wq-rulecl2-2122l)
• List of municipal wastewater permittees – SONAR section 8 (wq-rulecl2-2122m)

April 2021

• Notice of request for comments on amendments – Use Classification 2, April 5, 2021 (wq-rulecl2-2122a)
• Comments received in response to request for comments – Use Classification 2 (wq-rulecl2-2122b)

Beneficial use designations for stream reaches

Water use classification tables identified in the proposed amendments.

• Map of draft Class 2 (aquatic life) designations — A tool for stakeholders to review the draft/proposed use designations
• Summary table Class 2 proposed use designations (wq-rulecl2-2122f)

Beneficial use designations for stream reaches. Changes to the beneficial use designation tables proposed to take effect in 2023.

• 1.A.(1) 04010101 Lake Superior - North (wq-s6-46a)
• 1.A.(2) 04010102 Lake Superior - South (wq-s6-46b)
• 1.A.(3) 04010201 St. Louis River (wq-s6-46c)
• 1.A.(4) 04010202 Cloquet River (wq-s6-46d)
• 1.A.(5) 04010301 Nemadji River (wq-s6-46e)
• 2.A.(1) 09030001 Rainy River - Headwaters (wq-s6-46f)
• 2.A.(2) 09030002 Vermilion River (wq-s6-46g)
• 2.A.(4) 09030005 Little Fork River (wq-s6-46i)
• 3.A.(3) 09020103 Otter Tail River (wq-s6-46p)
• 3.A.(7) 09020108 Wild Rice River (wq-s6-46t)
• 3.A.(9) 09020302 Upper/Lower Red Lake (wq-s6-46v)
• 3.A.(12) 09020305 Clearwater River (wq-s6-46y)
• 4.A.(2) 07010102 Leech Lake River (wq-s6-47f)
• 4.A.(3) 07010103 Mississippi River - Grand Rapids (wq-s6-47g)
• 4.A.(4) 07010104 Mississippi River - Brainerd (wq-s6-47h)
• 4.A.(5) 07010105 Pine River (wq-s6-47i)
• 4.A.(9) 07010201 Mississippi River – Sartell (wq-s6-47m)
• 4.A.(10) 07010202 Sauk River (wq-s6-47o)
• 4.A.(12) 07010204 North Fork Crow River (wq-s6-47q)
• 5.A.(2) 07020002 Pomme de Terre River (wq-s6-47v)
• 5.A.(6) 07020006 Redwood River (wq-s6-47z)
• 5.A.(7) 07020007 Minnesota River - Mankato (wq-s6-48a)
• 5.A.(8) 07020008 Cottonwood River (wq-s6-48b)
• 5.A.(9) 07020009 Blue Earth River (wq-s6-48c)
• 5.A.(12) 07020012 Lower Minnesota River (wq-s6-48f)
• 6.A.(1) 07030001 Upper St. Croix River (wq-s6-47n)
• 6.A.(2) 07030003 Kettle River (wq-s6-48g)
• 6.A.(3) 07030004 Snake River (wq-s6-48h)
• 7.A.(4) 07040004 Zumbro River (wq-s6-48m)
• 7.A.(5) 07040006 Mississippi River - La Crescent (wq-s6-48n)
• 7.A.(7) 07060001 Mississippi River - Reno (wq-s6-48p)
• 7.A.(8) 07060002 Upper Iowa River (wq-s6-48q)

Why update designated uses?

The use designations in this rulemaking were initiated based on routine monitoring and rulemaking by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The most important reason to make these changes is that the designated use for each waterbody needs to be correct and appropriate because it affects many water quality protection and restoration efforts (e.g., assessment, stressor identification, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permitting, total maximum daily loads). Assigning the correct beneficial uses to Minnesota’s waters also accurately documents the types and condition of Minnesota’s aquatic resources.  

Goals

The draft use designations enhance the protection and maintenance of the biological, chemical, and physical integrity of state water resources by:

• Establishing protective and attainable designated uses. The proposal assigns beneficial uses that will result in appropriate management actions to maintain or improve aquatic life condition.
• Assigning beneficial uses to protect high-quality water resources. Draft beneficial uses identify high quality water resources and establish higher biological goals to maintain those conditions.
• Assigning beneficial uses to appropriately classify modified water resources. These include channelized streams and ditches and will result in achievable goals that are consistent with maintaining existing uses.
• Documenting existing beneficial uses. The revision records the baseline goal for these waters to ensure their restoration or protection.

Technical support documents

• Amendments to Aquatic Life (Class 2) use designations for streams (wq-rule4-21aa)
• Appendix A: Amendments to Aquatic Life (Class 2) Use Designations (wq-rule4-21aa1)
• Aquatic Life (Class 2) Use designation map
• Technical guidance for reviewing and designating aquatic life uses in Minnesota streams and rivers (wq-s6-34)
• Identification of predictive habitat attributes for Minnesota streams to support tiered aquatic life uses (wq-s6-39)
• Macroinvertebrate data collection protocols for lotic waters in Minnesota (2017) (wq-bsm3-12a)
• Fish data collection protocols for lotic waters in Minnesota (2017) (wq-bsm3-12b)

Schedule

Dates	Task(s)
Spring 2020 - Dec. 2020	Development of Technical Support Document
April 5, 2021	Notice of Request for Comments published in the State Register
Winter 2020 - Fall 2021	Informal Public Engagement
Winter 2020 - Summer 2021	Drafting of rule language/Statement of Need and Reasonableness
December 12, 2022	Notice of hearing published in State Register
February 16, 2023	Public hearing on proposed rules
Approximately 6 months after notice of hearing	Adoption of rules
To be determined	U.S. EPA review and approval

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