The Surface Water Quality Division (SWQD) established a Water Quality Trading Workgroup in January of 1998. The workgroup was created to provide public input into the rules development process and reach a level of consensus on recommendations for a statewide water quality trading program. The Workgroup met monthly from January 1998 until August 1999 to develop draft rules and recommendations to the department for implementation of a statewide program. The Workgroup was comprised of representatives from environmental and agricultural organizations, industry, municipalities, academia and county and local units of government. The Workgroup developed draft rules (Draft 20) and based it's recommendations on the trading framework recommended by the department and approved by the Governor's Steering Committee for Market-Based Environmental Programs (Steering Committee). The trading framework is set forth in the findings and recommendations of the Market-Based Program Feasibility Study that was prepared by the department (MDEQ, July 1997).
The Workgroup recommendations have been adopted by the department and were presented to the Steering Committee on December 1, 1999. The Steering Committee recommended that several revisions be made to the Draft 20 Rules prepared by the Workgroup. These changes would allow trading for new federal technology-based effluent limitations where allowed under federal regulations, prohibit trading for bioaccumulative chemicals of concern under remedial action and lakewide management plans designed to achieve virtual elimination, provide additional notice of proposed credit use and an additional requirement for the department to conduct a statewide program evaluation 3 years after the rules take effect. More information is available on the Rules page.
Summaries of each of the Workgroup meetings can be accessed below.
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