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EPA Approves Nebraska’s List of Impaired Waters

Release Date: 04/16/2012
Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., April 16, 2012) - EPA has approved Nebraska’s list of impaired waters, which removes 21 waters from the previous impaired waters list and adds 92 waters. Today’s decision brings the total number of impaired waters in the state to 330.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) submitted its impaired waters list to EPA for review and approval, as required by the 40-year-old Clean Water Act (CWA). The act requires EPA to review the state’s list of impaired waters to determine if the state reasonably considered available water quality-related data, and identifies waters to be listed.

EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks said, “The impaired waters list sets priorities for reducing sources of water pollution in the state. Nebraska is making solid progress in assessing and restoring its waters for all Nebraskans.”

A water body is placed on the impaired waters list when monitoring finds that pollutant levels prevent the lake, river, or stream from attaining its beneficial uses. Beneficial uses in Nebraska include human recreation, agricultural water supply, and maintaining healthy aquatic life.

EPA’s April 16, 2012, decision letter provides a more detailed description of EPA’s review and the basis for this action. The decision letter, including the 2012 impaired waters list, is available at www.epa.gov/region7/newsevents/legal/.