Amendments To Ohio Water Quality Trading Rules

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) has proposed changes to the rules that govern trading programs for wastewater discharge permits issued by the State. Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3745-5 provides the administrative requirements for the development and implementation of water quality trading programs in Ohio. A majority of the revisions consist of minor updates to references and grammatical edits. In addition, the following specific changes are being considered:

Rule 03 – Revising rule to state that use of a water quality credit shall not cause or contribute to a violation of water quality standards. Adding provision that nonpoint source load reductions funded through Ohio EPA’s Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program are not eligible to generate water quality credits
Rule 04 – Adding date by which two existing trading programs must submit water quality trading management plans
Rule 06 – Changing the size of the hydrologic unit codes that must be used when identifying areas where nonpoint source projects might be located
Rule 11 – Identifying additional compliance-related provisions that will be included in NPDES permits when the permittee is participating in a water quality trading program.
Rule 14 – Revising language to include biological and stream habitat parameters in ambient water quality monitoring plans

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