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 was approved by U.S. EPA on April 8, 2026, and will guide standards development through 2028, when the next TSR will begin.
- (EPA approved April 8, 2026)
