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Please comment on proposed WA water quality rule!

303 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Jerry White 
#1 ·
Hey, I know that a lot of us catch and release fairly exclusively, but I have an ask to make of those who do eat Washington caught fish, care about removing toxins from Washington waters or would like to see improvements in the water quality of our Puget Sound, lakes and rivers. All of Washington's Waterkeepers are pushing on this.

Please comment on the draft rule on Washington Water Quality - now open until March 23.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/ruledev/wac173201A/1203inv.html

As it stands there are fish Advisories on nearly every body of water in Washington…. You cannot eat fish without looking over your shoulder for methylmercury, PCBs, PBDEs, etc.

Ecology is drafting surface water quality rules that regulate allowable toxins in our surface water. The way they do this is by using a formula that is based on fish consumption rates of the "average" Washington citizen and cancer risk levels for those who do our eat fish over a 70 year period.

Right now, Washington Department of Ecology is formulating a rule that is weak at best and completely dishonest at worst. It will not protect Washington citizens or lead to cleaner water and fish. They have done one thing that is great. They have increased the fish consumption number to 175 grams per day. This is a serving the size of your palm and represents a decent average. Some folks eat much more of course.

Right on the heels of that success they then shift gears and increase the cancer risk level from 1 person contracting cancer (from toxins in fish) in 1,000,000 people to 1 case of cancer in 100,000 people. This weakened the rule so profoundly that it stalls any progress we might be making on toxins in our water.
Additionally, they are offering extended compliance schedules and open-ended extensions on "variances" that allow polluters to continue to pollute at outdated levels. In other words, tougher pollution standards can be evaded with little pressure to make technological gains in moving towards meeting more stringent pollution standards.

The EPA is already telling Ecology that this rule is weak sauce and we hope they will step in and make the rule themselves.

As anglers you all are in a special position to have a positive effect. Ecology and the Governor will listen. THANKS!

Please make comments here:

(Puget Soundkeepers page): http://goo.gl/V0ebjf

Or here: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/ruledev/wac173201A/1203inv.html

Also, please sign this online petition (goes to EPA):
http://goo.gl/7iEqN9

Spokane Riverkeeper's comments to Ecology are attached:
 

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#4 ·
Good point. Hard to get a straight story on the fish advisory's because Washington Dept. of Ecology (and sometimes EPA) regulates the pollution in the water (by rule and permit), Washington Dept. of Health puts out the fish advisory's and Washington Dept. of Fish and Game regulates the catching and killing of fish... LOL- kind of tough to stay on top of what is what, for sure.

Spokane River Fish advisory:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/334-164.pdf
 
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