Authority to Administer Standards Program

This tribe was granted treatment in a manner similar to a state (TAS) on April 18, 2008.

Tribe Standards in Effect for CWA Purposes

• [See Water Quality Standards Code, Title 19, Chapter 06 ]
  (Effective May 20, 2019) This Chapter establishes designated uses for Regulated Surface Waters, water quality criteria to protect such designated uses, and an antidegradation policy to prevent further degradation of Regulated Surface Waters.
  
  EPA has taken action in accordance with its authority under CWA section 303(c), 33 U.S.C.§1313(c), to approve a portion of the new and revised water quality standards of the Swinomish Tribe. Please see below for information regarding the status of EPA’s action. Provisions that EPA has approved are in effect for Clean Water Act purposes.

Federally Proposed or Promulgated Standards

At this time, there are no federally proposed or promulgated standards applicable to this tribe.

Selected Actions and Correspondence

EPA's recent actions along with supporting documents are provided below for reference.

May 20, 2019 – EPA approved the water quality standards submitted by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community on April 30, 2019, with the exception of aquatic life criteria and other provisions related to the protection of aquatic life that are the subject of EPA’s consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

• [See EPA’s May 20, 2019 Action on Certain Provisions of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community’s 2019 Surface Water Quality Standards ]

August 25, 2017 – EPA approved certain provisions of the water quality standards submitted by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community on February 8, 2017. Approved provisions of the water quality standards are primary contact and spiritual and cultural uses, water contact bacteria criteria in fresh and marine water, and relevant definitions.

• [See EPA’s August 25, 2017 Approval of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Water Quality Standards for Primary Contact and Spiritual and Cultural Uses, Water Contact Bacteria in Fresh and Marine Water, and Relevant Definitions ]

• Water Quality Standards Code, Title 19, Chapter 06 (PDF)(72 pp, 39 MB)
• EPA’s August 25, 2017 Approval of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Water Quality Standards for Primary Contact and Spiritual and Cultural Uses, Water Contact Bacteria in Fresh and Marine Water, and Relevant Definitions (PDF)(12 pp, 2 MB)
• EPA’s May 20, 2019 Action on Certain Provisions of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community’s 2019 Surface Water Quality Standards (PDF)(33 pp, 976 K)