National Strategy For The Development Of Regional Nutrient Criteria

This document sets forth EPA'€™s strategy to develop scientific information ie., criteria documents under section 304(a) of the Clean Water Act) which EPA will recommend that States use to adopt nutrient criteria to support State water quality standards. These nutrient criteria provide a critical foundation to address overenrichment problems in the Nation'€™s surface waters. It also provides guidance to States, Tribes and the public regarding how EPA intends to exercise its discretion in implementing the provisions of the Clean Water Act concerning the adoption of water quality standards. This document is designed to implement national policy on the issues it addresses. It does not, however, substitute for the Clean Water Act or EPA'€™s regulations; nor is it a regulation itself. Thus, it cannot impose legally binding requirements on EPA, States, Tribes or the regulated community and may not apply to some particular situations. EPA, State and Tribal decisionmakers retain the discretion to adopt approaches on a case-by-case basis that differ from this guidance where appropriate. EPA also retains discretion to change the guidance contained in this strategy in the future