	United States

Environmental Protection Agency	Office of Water

4304T	  SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 EPA-822-F-09-002

April 2009

	Notice of Data Availability on   SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 Ocean
Acidification and Marine pH Water Quality Criteria 



	

EPA has published a Notice of Data Availability (NODA) to provide
interested parties with information that was submitted to EPA regarding
ocean acidification and to solicit additional pertinent data or
scientific information that may be useful in addressing ocean
acidification.  In addition, EPA is notifying the public of its intent
to review the current aquatic life criterion for marine pH to determine
if a revision is warranted to protect the marine designated uses of
states and territories pursuant to Clean Water Act §304(a)(1). The NODA
also solicits ideas for effective strategies by state and territorial
water program managers to address the impacts of ocean acidification.
EPA also requests information pertaining to monitoring marine pH and
implementing pH water quality criteria.

Background

Ocean acidification refers to the decrease in the pH of the oceans
caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. 
Oceans have been absorbing about one-third of the anthropogenic CO2
emitted into the atmosphere since pre-industrial times.  As more CO2
dissolves in the ocean, it reduces ocean pH, which changes the chemistry
of the water.  These changes present potential risks across a broad
spectrum of marine ecosystems.

The marine or saltwater pH criteria EPA recommended pursuant to Section
304(a) of the CWA applies to coastal waters specifically.  States,
territories and authorized tribes adopt saltwater pH criteria into their
water quality standards, as appropriate, to protect the designated use
of the coastal waters within their jurisdiction.  EPA received a
petition from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) requesting that
EPA revise its recommended national marine pH water quality criterion
for the protection of aquatic life and asking EPA to publish information
and provide guidance on ocean acidification.  

EPA has agreed to publish a NODA in the Federal Register to present
available information on this issue and to solicit scientific views on
the following specific issues:

Technical information on measurement of ocean acidification in marine
coastal waters.

Technical information on effects of ocean acidification on marine biota.

Scientific views on the information presented in the bibliography
provided in the notice.

Information related to the existing recommended pH criterion for marine
waters, including how the criterion could be best expressed,
particularly with respect to natural variability.

Information regarding state and territorial implementation of the pH
criterion related to new information on ocean acidification.

Potential strategies for state and federal water programs to coordinate
and enhance federal data collection efforts.

Information that may be used to develop guidance and information on
ocean acidification pursuant to Clean Water Act Section 304(a)(2) for
states and the public. 

After the comment period for the NODA closes, EPA plans to evaluate the
information and data it has received on ocean acidification.  EPA
intends to make a final decision, within one year of the date of
publication of the NODA, on whether revisions to the current pH water
quality criterion are needed. 

To get more information, contact Joe Beaman at 202-566-0420 or  
HYPERLINK "mailto:beaman.joe@epa.gov"  beaman.joe@epa.gov  or Lisa Huff
at 202-566-0787 or   HYPERLINK "mailto:huff.lisa@epa.gov" 
huff.lisa@epa.gov . 

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