The Environmental Protection Commission will hold a series of public hearings on proposed amendments to Chapter 61, Water Quality Standards. The proposed amendments would incorporate by reference the Iowa Antidegradation Implementation Procedure, update antidegradation policy language with a four-tier approach, and remove High Quality and High Quality Resource designated uses, as they are being replaced by the four-tier approach. The hearings will be held December 12, 15, 17, and 18, 2008, and January 8, 14, and 15, 2009.

The Kansas Water Office announced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will use the Kansas Stream Mitigation Guidelines as the primary tool to evaluate stream impacts and mitigation proposals for new permit actions in Kansas, including tribal lands. The guidelines will be effective November 30, 2008. http://www.kssos.org/pubs/register%5C2008%5CVol_27_No_47_November_20_2008_p_1727-1770.pdf p. 1728.

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a series of public hearings on proposed amendments to 310 CMR 30.000, Hazardous Waste Regulations. The proposed changes would clarify the regulatory and permitting requirements for waste oil, used oil fuel, and other regulated recyclable materials. Other revisions would adopt a federal exclusion for certain medical nitroglycerine wastes and make clerical fixes. The hearings will be held December 1, 2, and 3, 2008.

The Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to 10 CSR 10-6.060, Construction Permits Required; 10 CSR 10-6.100, Alternate Emission Limits; and 10 CSR 10-6.410, Emissions Banking and Trading.

The Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to 10 CSR 25-3.260, Definitions, Modifications to Incorporations and Confidential Business Information; 10 CSR 25-4.261, Methods for Identifying Hazardous Waste; 10 CSR 25-5.262, Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste; 10 CSR 25-6.263, Standards for Transporters of Hazardous Waste; 10 CSR 25-7.264, Standards for Owners and Operators of Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities; 10 CSR 25-7.265, Interim Status Standards for Owners and Operators of Hazardous Waste Treatment, Stor

The Environmental Quality Board amended 25 Pa. Code Chapters 218 and 240, relating to fees and radon certification. These regulations revise the fees associated with Article V (relating to radiological health) programs including permits for radiation-producing machines, radioactive materials, and radon certification. Appendix A of Chapter 218, dealing with radioactive material license fee categories, was revised to better reflect the license categories covered under Pennsylvania's Agreement State status with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The Environmental Quality Board amended Chapter 109, relating to safe drinking water, and added Chapter 110, relating to water resources planning. The amendments add a new chapter establishing the requirements for registration of water users and recordkeeping and reporting of water withdrawal and use information. These regulations specify who is required to register, keep records, and report information related to withdrawals of water in the commonwealth and detail the information that is to be recorded and reported to the Department of Environmental Protection.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to its Surface Water Quality Rules. The amendments would update references; correct typographical errors; clarify language; update toxic pollutant criteria; add and modify definitions; modify the dissolved oxygen, water temperature, and pH criteria; add E.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department adopted an amendment to §58.160, Taking or Attempting to Take Shrimp (Shrimping)--General Rules. The amendment updates the reference to federal regulations governing the dimensions and specifications of approved bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) to accommodate recent changes to the federal rules. BRDs reduce the mortality of non-target aquatic organisms that occurs during shrimping, especially among juvenile finfish and invertebrate populations.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department adopted amendments to §§65.325, 65.327, and 65.331, Commercial Nongame Permits. The amendments eliminate the deadline for commercial dealers to divest themselves of species on the prohibited list, extend the grandfather provision for specimens held in recreational collections in numbers exceeding the possession limit established in §65.331(e) (the "prohibited list"), and alter several other regulations relating to the list.