REGIONS PUSH LOCAL OFFICIALS FOR STRICT MERCURY LIMITS IN WATER PERMITS

Regional EPA officials are urging state and local regulators to require strict numeric discharge limits in their water permits based on the amount of mercury in fish tissue -- despite the agency's support for a more flexible approach in a pending draft guidance. Region X says in comments filed Sept. 20 on a draft implementation guidance for Idaho's mercury water quality criteria that the state's permitting approach may be insufficiently protective of water quality because it allows dischargers to implement...