DENVER, April 15, 2022 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 (EPA) announced its approval of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s water quality standards under the federal Clean Water Act. This milestone approval culminates a 20-year effort by the Tribe’s Environmental Programs Division. With EPA’s action, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe becomes only the 47th federally recognized tribe, out of 574 nationally, to have tribal water quality standards approved by EPA under the Clean Water Act. The approval allows the Tribe to protect the water quality of the lakes and rivers they use for swimming, boating and fishing. The Southern Ute Indian Reservation is located in southwest Colorado and is comprised of lands within La Plata, Archuleta and Montezuma counties.
Water quality standards are state, territorial, tribal or
federal law that determine the water quality goals for rivers, streams, lakes
and wetlands. Water quality standards serve as the basis for several Clean
Water Act programs, including issuing permits for discharges and assessing
water quality.
“EPA congratulates the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, the Tribal
Council, and Environmental Programs Division for their determination in
building programs and expertise to protect valuable Tribal water resources,” said
EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “We look forward to working together
with the Tribe as a partner in ensuring clean rivers, streams, lakes and
wetlands for tribal members.”
“EPA’s approval of the Tribe’s water quality standards is
the culmination of years of work by the Tribe and its staff,” said Chairman
Melvin J. Baker. “The tribal approval process included consulting with EPA
and the State of Colorado and an outreach and engagement process with tribal
members and stakeholders. The Tribe appreciates the EPA’s approval and looks
forward to implementing the standards and issuing water quality certifications
to protect water resources on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation.”
The Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s water quality standards
apply to many waters within the Southern Ute Indian Reservation including
portions of the La Plata, Animas, Florida, Los Pinos (or Pine), Piedra, San
Juan and Navajo Rivers and portions of the Navajo Reservoir. With the
approval of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s water quality standards, combined
with the prior and separate EPA approval of Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe’s
water quality standards, all federally recognized Indian tribes with
reservation lands in Colorado now have EPA-approved water quality
standards.
The Clean Water Act has a two-step process to establish
Tribal water quality standards: 1) Tribes acquire Clean Water Act water quality
standards program authority from EPA; and 2) Tribes submit specific water
quality standards to EPA for Clean Water Act review and approval. In 2018, the
Southern Ute Indian Tribe received Clean Water Act water quality standards
program authority from EPA for waters on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation
located on tribal trust lands (as well as one parcel of tribal trust land
contiguous to the Reservation).
In developing its water quality standards, the Tribe
collaborated with the State of Colorado and surrounding county and municipal
governments, as well as other interested parties, to gather input on their
proposed water quality standards. The Tribe held a water quality standards
public comment period from August 23 to October 22, 2021, including an October
7, 2021, public hearing. Based on comments received through this public
participation process, the Tribe revised its water quality standards, adopted
the revised water quality standards on February 8, 2022, and submitted them to
EPA on February 15, 2022. EPA approved the Tribe’s water quality standards
after determining they are consistent with the requirements of the Clean Water
Act and EPA’s Water Quality Standards Regulation.
The Tribe’s water quality standards and supporting documents
will be available on the SUIT Environmental Programs Division website. For more
information contact Lindsay J. Box, SUIT Communications Specialist at
970.553.0287 or lbox@southernute-nsn.gov.
