OLYMPIA — The state Department of Ecology will not be adopting a current draft rule on clean water rules that are tied to how much fish people eat.
Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday directed the state Department of Ecology to reevaluate its options on a draft rule issued this year that dramatically raised the fish consumption rate to 175 grams a day to protect people who eat about a serving of fish a day.
How much fish people eat is part of a complicated formula that determines how clean waters should be. A higher rate theoretically would mean fewer toxic chemicals would be allowed in waters and tougher permitting rules for facilities that discharge pollutants into state waters.
Ecology was scheduled to adopt new water quality rules by Monday. Now, it could rewrite the rule before submitting it to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or look for other ways to enhance clean water and reduce toxics. The EPA will impose a standard on the state if a rule is not finalized.
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