Minnesota Administrative Rules

7050.0217 OBJECTIVES FOR PROTECTION OF SURFACE WATERS FROM TOXIC POLLUTANTS.

Subpart 1.

Purpose and applicability.

The purpose of this part and part 7050.0218 is to establish methods for developing site-specific water quality criteria for toxic pollutants in the absence of numeric standards listed in parts 7050.0220, 7050.0222, and 7050.0227. The site-specific numeric criteria established by these methods protect Class 2 waters for the propagation and maintenance of fish and aquatic life, the consumption of fish and edible aquatic life by humans, the use of surface waters for public and private domestic consumption where applicable, and the consumption of aquatic organisms by wildlife. These criteria also protect the uses assigned to Class 7, limited resource value, waters as described in parts 7050.0140 and 7050.0227.

Subp. 2.

Objectives.

Protection of the aquatic community from the toxic effects of pollutants means the protection of no less than 95 percent of all the species in any aquatic community. Greater protection may be applied to a community if economically, recreationally, or ecologically important species are very sensitive.

Protection of human consumers of fish, other edible aquatic organisms, and water for drinking from surface waters means that exposure from noncarcinogenic chemicals shall be below levels expected to produce known adverse effects; and the incremental cancer risk from exposure to carcinogenic chemicals, singly or in mixtures, shall not exceed one in 100,000. The combined risk from mixtures of carcinogens will be determined as described in part 7050.0222, subpart 7, item D.

Protection of wildlife that eat aquatic organisms means the protection of the most sensitive wildlife species or populations. Greater protection may be applied if the exposed animals include endangered or threatened wildlife species listed in chapter 6134, or in Code of Federal Regulations, title 50, part 17, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, United States Code, title 16, sections 1531 to 1543.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 115.03; 115.44

History:

15 SR 1057; 18 SR 2195; 32 SR 1699

Published Electronically:

April 1, 2008