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Bill

LC 3522

Generally revise water quality standards

2025 Regular Session

Proposes a comprehensive overhaul of state water quality standards to update pollutant criteria and regulatory rules, but the draft died and did not become law.

(LC) Draft Died in Process
#environmentalprotection #water
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Bill Summary · LC 3522

Summary of LC 3522 — Generally revise water quality standards

Status: Draft Died in Process
Introduced: December 14, 2024
Classification: Bill
Subject: Environmental Protection, WATER
Legislative Actions:
- 2024-12-14: Drafter Assigned
- 2025-02-15: Draft On Hold
- 2025-05-23: Draft Died in Process

Overview

LC 3522 is a bill proposed to generally revise water quality standards. The bill’s title indicates an effort to overhaul or update existing water quality criteria and related regulatory framework. As of the latest actions, the draft moved to an On Hold status in February 2025 and ultimately died in process in May 2025. No text of the bill is provided here, so specifics about the proposed standards or mechanisms are not available from the information given.

Purpose and Intent

  • The primary aim appears to be a comprehensive update to the state’s water quality standards, potentially affecting how water bodies are classified and how pollutants are regulated.
  • Such revisions typically seek to reflect current scientific understanding, update pollutant criteria, and align state standards with federal guidelines or new environmental objectives.
  • The bill’s progression status suggests it did not advance to enactment during the 2025 session (or the applicable session after introduction).

Key Provisions (Conceptual, Based on the Title)

Note: The exact text is not provided. The following represents common elements in bills that “generally revise water quality standards.” The actual provisions could differ.

  • Revisions to water quality criteria: Updates to numerical or narrative standards for pollutants in surface and possibly groundwater.
  • Definitions and classifications: Clarification or expansion of how water bodies are classified and what standards apply to each category.
  • Monitoring, reporting, and compliance: Requirements for data collection, measurement methods, and enforcement timelines.
  • Rulemaking and implementation: Processes for how standards would be revised, including regulatory rulemaking steps, public notice, and comment periods.
  • Transitional provisions: How existing permits and approvals would transition to new standards, including sunset or grace periods.
  • Coordination with federal standards: Alignment or interaction with federal Clean Water Act criteria or EPA guidelines.
  • Public participation: Provisions for stakeholder input and transparency during the revision process.

Because the text is not provided, these are indicative. The actual LC 3522 provisions may differ in scope and detail.

Affected Parties

  • State environmental or natural resources agencies responsible for water quality regulation and permitting.
  • Municipalities and local governments managing wastewater treatment and Stormwater permits.
  • Industrial facilities and agricultural operations subject to water quality criteria and permit requirements.
  • Public and environmental groups interested in water quality standards and ecosystem protection.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduction: December 14, 2024 (Drafter Assigned).
  • Subsequent actions: Draft On Hold (February 15, 2025); Draft Died in Process (May 23, 2025).
  • Implication: With the draft dying in process, the bill did not become law in its current form during the relevant session. Any revival would require new drafting, sponsorship, and committee movement.

Potential Impacts and Next Steps

  • If revived or reintroduced, the bill could alter regulatory standards, enforcement, and permitting, with downstream effects on water quality protections, industry compliance costs, and local government planning.
  • Stakeholders should monitor for any new drafts or amendments that reintroduce or modify LC 3522’s provisions.
  • Interested parties may review the bill’s text upon future reintroduction to understand exact changes to standards, criteria, and implementation timelines.

If you have access to the bill text or committee analyses, I can provide a more detailed, provision-specific summary.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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