Water quality standards, coalbed methane, and EPA

Looking for good…or at least decent…news is becoming a Friday afternoon theme for this blog. A recent story about EPA's position on water quality standards and coalbed methane discharges in Wyoming qualifies for the "good news" label this week.

In EPA Unhappy With DEQ's Water Policy for the Cowboy State, a complicated issue is boiled down:

The Environmental Protection Agency has weighed in on state water policy regulating groundwater pumped up during coalbed methane production, and the EPA says it appears the state is not following Clean Water Act law.

For much more detail, read the Wyoming Outdoor Council's blog entry on their hard work on this issue. Their blog also includes a link to EPA's letter on their position on the issue. The money paragraph in the letter (also featured in WOC's blog posting) is:

“… several of the provisions do not appear to be consistent with the (Clean Water Act)… and the [EPA] would recommend the (Assistant Regional Administrator) disapprove those (Water Quality Standards). Accordingly, our recommendation is that (the rules) should not be adopted as proposed. Even if retained as a policy, EPA has significant concerns regarding whether its implementation is consistent with Wyoming’s approved (Water Quality Standards).”

For those of you following water quality standards and/or coalbed mining issues, this letter is probably required reading and food for strategic thinking about your own work.