DEQ-CFW_00053524

From: Young, Sarah [/O=EXCHANGELABS/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=94Elll4833AA46B9B87F8D4E6B9613F4-SMYOUNG1]
Sent: 7/28/2017 2:27:55 PM
To: Munger, Bridget [/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Administrative Group
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=c54elf650cea49968a5aba689c2O4f6l-bcmunger]; Holman, Sheila
[/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Administrative Group
(FYDI BOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=94a3f69674d34b769b3bd834a97105c5-schoI man]
Subject: Revised answers for Port City Daily
Will you review as well?
51111 1
I 17"Vir, M, I 'I
What steps would it take to come up with a state surface/groundwater, or drinking water standard for
GenX, if the federal government fails to do so?
Surface or groundwater standards
The authority to establish new or amended groundwater (I 5A NCAC 02L) and surface water standards (I 5A
NCAC 02B) falls under the authority of the Environmental Management Commission (EMC). Most research
and background information for surface water is generated by the U.S. EPA (under the Clean Water Act) and
published as National Recommended Water Quality Criteria (NRWQC). There is no federal analog to the
state's groundwater standards program. However, the U.S. EPA publishes some toxicity values that may be
used in the derivation of groundwater quality standards. In both sets of rules — mechanisms to establish
provisional numbers are available. There are numerous steps that are required — this is a brief and very much
abbreviated list:
First, staff must have valid peer -reviewed scientific toxicological information to provide a recommended value
to the EMC. This recommendation takes a bit of time to gather, then staff must write up the justification and
evaluate research papers published in scientific journals. Consultation with other research scientists and
agencies is common. It often involves conversations with our state laboratories, and commercial laboratories to
determine if staff can analyze for the chemical of concern with confidence.
Beyond that point, the Water Quality Committee (or the Groundwater Committee) of the EMC must approve
DEQ to proceed to the full EMC for approval to go out to public hearings with any revised water quality
standard. Prior to public hearings or approval of any recommended changes, a fiscal note must be prepared and
approved by the commission and the Office of State Budget Management. After public hearings are held, an
information package is prepared and presented to the EMC for amendment/approval/disapproval. If approved,
the final regulations must go through the Rules Review Commission (RRC) and potentially the General
Assembly, before changes to current rules can be enforced. If the package of rules is for surface water
amendments (15A NCAC 02B), a review and approval by the N.C. Attorney General's office and the U.S.
EPA, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is required under the Clean Water Act and the Endangered
Species Act.
Drinking water standards
DEQ-CFW-00053524

The national drinking water program requirements are specified in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and
EPA's National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. Essentially, EPA does the research and analysis to set
standards applicable to public water systems and state primacy agencies implement the programs to monitor and
evaluate compliance and take appropriate enforcement actions.
The Public Water Supply staff consists of engineers and environmental specialists with expertise related to
implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act and related rules based on the application of engineering
principles and practices.
Sarah M. Young
Public Information Officer
N.C. Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Coastal Management
919-707-8604 office
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DEQ-CFW-00053525