Federal Human Health Criteria for Washington State Waters

On November 14, 2022, EPA signed a rule to restore the protective and science-based federal human health criteria (HHC) for the state of Washington’s waters that EPA had originally promulgated in 2016 but later removed in 2020. This decision reflects the agency’s commitment to protect people who consume fish from Washington’s waters, including tribes with treaty-protected subsistence fishing rights, and to apply sound science under the Clean Water Act.

• Fact Sheet - Final Rule: Reestablishing Water Quality Criteria to Protect Human Health in the State of Washington (pdf) (133.27 KB, November 2022, EPA 820-F-22-002)
• Final Rule: Restoring Protective Human Health Criteria in Washington

Public Hearings

EPA provided a 60-day public comment period for this proposal which closed on May 31, 2022.  EPA offered two online public hearings during the public comment period so that interested parties could provide oral comments on EPA's proposed rule.

• Transcript: Online Public Hearing for Proposed Federal Human Health Criteria in Washington – May 24, 2022 (pdf) (174 KB)
• Transcript: Online Public Hearing for Proposed Federal Human Health Criteria in Washington – May 25, 2022 (pdf) (176.72 KB)

Docket available at regulations.gov (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0174).

Comments on the Proposal

EPA accepted written public comments on this proposed rule from April 1, 2022 to May 31, 2022. Public comments that were submitted on the proposed rule can be accessed at regulations.gov (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2015-0174).

• Proposed Rule: Restoring Protective Human Health Criteria in Washington (April 1, 2022)