Idaho watersheds, USTs in Maine, mercury in Iowa, dioxin in Michigan, stormwater in North Carolina, and air quality standards in Wyoming and New Mexico are some of the topics covered in this month's state regulatory update.

Idaho - Proposed Water Quality Management Plans

The Idaho DEQ has proposed plans to manage phosphorus in the Weiser River Watershed. Excess phosphorus leads to eutrophication or over-fertilization of water bodies, which can cause the death of aquatic life. The plans are based on a recent study of the physical, chemical and biological conditions of water bodies in the watershed. The department's goal is to control phosphorus in the Snake River-Hells Canyon, of which the Weiser River is a tributary.

Iowa - Mercury Found in Fish

The Iowa DNR has confirmed the presence of mercury in tissue samples from bass and walleye collected in Pool 12 of the Mississippi River that exceeds consumption advisory levels. Other advisories have been issued for mercury in the Cedar River from Floyd County north to the Minnesota border, in the Upper Iowa River from the lower dam in eastern Winneshiek County upstream 24 miles and in the Volga River, including the Little Volga and the North Branch Volga River from the town of Volga upstream in Clayton County. For more information, visit www.iowadnr.gov/fish/index.html then click on Fish Consumption Advisories in the navigation bar on the left.

Maine - State Proposes Changes to UST Installer Rules

The Maine DEP has proposed to amend rules 2007-P282 through P285 that govern underground storage tank (UST) installers. These proposals would: 1) eliminate certification processes for underground gasoline tank removers and Class 3 underground tank installers; 2) consolidate the certification of underground tank installers into a single class; and 3) alter requirements for apprenticeship of applicants for certification as underground oil storage tank installers.

Michigan - River Contaminated with Dioxin

Federal EPA officials ordered the state to begin emergency cleanup activities in the Saginaw River after samples turned up dioxin levels up to 1.6 million parts per trillion, compared to cleanup standards of 1,000 parts per trillion. Hot spots of dioxin contamination have been recorded from Dow Chemical Co.'s Midland plant to the Saginaw Bay since 1978 but never at such high levels. State health officials have issued warnings not to eat fish from the river.

New Mexico - BACT for Mercury at New Power Plants

The state's Air Quality Bureau has initiated work on a rule to minimize mercury emissions from new coal-fired power plants. The new rule will implement House Bill 318, a product of the 2007 legislative session. The bill provides statutory authority (under the Air Quality Control Act, NMSA 1978, Section 74-2-5(C)(4)) for the Environmental Improvement Board to issue a rule requiring that new coal-fired power plants control the greater of what is achievable with Best Available Control Technology (BACT), or 90 percent of the mercury from the input fuel.

North Carolina - New Coastal Stormwater Rules

The state's Division of Water Quality has held public hearings to gather comments on proposed changes to stormwater rules that protect sensitive coastal waters. The division recommended amending the state coastal stormwater requirements after a study concluded that current rules were not providing effective protection for aquatic resources, including shellfish harvesting and recreation.

Wyoming - Revising Air Quality Standards

The Wyoming DEQ's Air Quality Division has submitted a proposal to the Environmental Quality Council to revise the state's air quality standards and regulations. Changes affect Chapter 3, "General Emission Standards," Chapter 5, "National Emission Standards," Chapter 11, "National Acid Rain Program" and Chapter 14, "Emission Trading Program Regulations." Most of the changes to Chapters 3, 5, and 11 are updates to the annual effort to adopt by reference from the Code of Federal Regulations.