Revision to the Water Quality Planning and Management Regulation Listing Requirements

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is revising the Water Quality Planning and Management regulation to remove the requirement in most cases that States, Territories and authorized Tribes submit to EPA for review by April 1, 2000, lists of water quality limited waterbodies. EPA's current regulations interpret the provision in section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act for submission of lists to EPA "from time to time" to require States, Territories and authorized Tribes to submit lists on April 1 of every even-numbered year. EPA is not, however, changing the existing requirement to submit a list in 2000 if a court order or consent decree, or commitment in a settlement agreement dated prior to January 1, 2000, expressly requires EPA to take action related to a State's, Territory's, or authorized Tribe's year 2000 list. Also, EPA is not at this time changing the existing regulatory requirement that subsequent lists be submitted on April 1, 2002, and on April 1 of subsequent even numbered years.