{"abstract":"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity for public comment. Elevated ionic concentration measured as specific conductivity has been shown to negatively impact aquatic life in a range of freshwater resources. Once finalized, states and authorized tribes located in any region of the country may use the methods to develop field-based conductivity criteria for flowing waters. This document does not impose binding water quality criteria on any state, but instead provides methods to assist states and tribes that seek to develop such criteria for adoption into their water quality standards. The draft document provides a scientific assessment of ecological effects and is not a regulation. Following closure of this 60-day public comment period, EPA will consider the comments, revise the document, as appropriate, and then publish a final document that will provide methods for states and authorized tribes that they may use to develop water quality standards.","action":"Notice of availability.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY","name":"Environmental Protection Agency","id":145,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/environmental-protection-agency","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/145","parent_id":null,"slug":"environmental-protection-agency"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2016/12/23/2016-31049.html","cfr_references":[],"citation":"81 FR 94370","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2017-02-21","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Comments must be received on or before February 21, 2017.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353","FRL 9957-26-OW"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods - Data Files Summary","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0014"},{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity - Main Text","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0013"},{"title":"External Peer Review Report 2014","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0012"},{"title":"External Peer Review Report 2015","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0011"},{"title":"EPA Response to 2014 External Peer Review","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0010"},{"title":"EPA Response to 2015 External Peer Review","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0009"},{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity - Appendix D","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0008"},{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity - Appendix C","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0007"},{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity - Appendix B","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0006"},{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity - Appendix A","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0005"}],"agency_name":"EPA","documents":[{"comment_count":941,"comment_start_date":"2016-12-23","updated_at":"2023-02-28T15:48:12.411-05:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0001","allow_late_comments":null,"id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0001","comment_end_date":"2017-04-25","regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":13,"id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353","title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity"}],"document_number":"2016-31049","effective_on":null,"end_page":94371,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"explanation":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2016/12/23/2016-31049.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/23/2016-31049/draft-field-based-methods-for-developing-aquatic-life-criteria-for-specific-conductivity","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2016-31049?publication_date=2016-12-23","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2016-12-23/2016-31049/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":2,"page_views":{"count":798,"last_updated":"2026-04-24 06:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2016-12-23/pdf/2016-31049.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2016-31049.pdf?1482414428","publication_date":"2016-12-23","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2016/12/23/2016-31049.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{},"regulation_id_numbers":[],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods - Data Files Summary","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0014"},{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity - Main Text","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0013"},{"title":"External Peer Review Report 2014","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0012"},{"title":"External Peer Review Report 2015","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0011"},{"title":"EPA Response to 2014 External Peer Review","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0010"},{"title":"EPA Response to 2015 External Peer Review","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0009"},{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity - Appendix D","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0008"},{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity - Appendix C","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0007"},{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity - Appendix B","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2016-0353-0006"},{"title":"Draft Field-Based Methods for Developing Aquatic Life Criteria for Specific Conductivity - 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