Alaska Human Health Water Quality Criteria

Summary

EPA and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) are working, in parallel, to develop and establish new or revised water quality criteria for Alaska that protect human health in accordance with the Clean Water Act.

On June 5, 2024, EPA determined — pursuant to Clean Water Act section 303(c)(4)(B) — that new and revised human health criteria in Alaska are necessary to meet Clean Water Act requirements. For more information about the EPA’s determination, visit Water Quality Standards to Protect Human Health in Alaska.

• Water Quality Standards Regulations: Alaska
• Basic information on water quality criteria

Supporting Documents

Petitions

• Southeast Alaska Conservation Council's Petition for Revision of Alaska’s Fish Consumption Rate (pdf) (293.02 KB, November 12, 2015)
• Chickaloon Native Village’s Petition for Revision of Alaska’s Fish Consumption Rate (pdf) (1.62 MB, December 16, 2015)

Correspondence

• Response Letter from EPA to ADEC Regarding Alaska’s Human Health Criteria (with Enclosures) - October 30, 2023 (pdf) (3.32 MB)
• Letter from ADEC to EPA Regarding Alaska’s Human Health Criteria - September 28, 2023​ (pdf) (374.17 KB)
• Response Letter from EPA to ADEC Regarding Alaska’s Human Health Criteria - July 3, 2023 (pdf) (265.53 KB)
• Letter from ADEC to EPA Regarding Alaska’s Human Health Criteria - May 19, 2023 (pdf) (335.38 KB)
• Response Letter from EPA to ADEC Regarding Alaska's Human Health Criteria - November 1, 2022 (pdf) (306.86 KB)
  • Attachment: Responsiveness Summary for Ohio Surface Water Quality Standards (OAC-3745-1) (pdf) (17.19 MB, October 20, 2020)
  • Attachment: Spokane Riverside Park Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant NPDES Permit (WA0024473)
  • Attachment: Spokane County Regional Water Reclamation Facility NPDES Permit (WA0093317)
  • Attachment: Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District NPDES Permit (WA0045144)
  • Attachment: Kaiser Aluminum NPDES Permit (WA0000892)
  • Attachment: Inland Empire Paper NPDES Permit (WA0000825)
  • Attachment: Ontario Sewage Treatment Plant NPDES Permit (OR0020621)
• Response Letter from ADEC to EPA Regarding Alaska's Human Health Criteria - September 30, 2022 (pdf) (335.15 KB)
• Letter from EPA to ADEC Regarding Alaska’s Human Health Criteria - September 6, 2022 (pdf) (168.96 KB)

Reports

• Alaska Statewide and Regional Estimates of Consumption Rates in Rural Communities for Salmon, Halibut, Herring, Non-Marine fish, and Marine Invertebrates (Polissar & Neradilek, 2019) (pdf) (787.53 KB, March 20, 2019)

Related Information

• ADEC Human Health Criteria and Water Quality Standards
• ADEC Triennial Review
• Human Health Water Quality Criteria and Methods for Toxics

Contact

For questions or more information, please contact Rachael Renkens (renkens.rachael@epa.gov), 206-553-1580.