The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a rule under the Federal Clean Water Act to amend the California Toxics Rule by establishing a revised selenium water quality criterion for certain freshwater bodies in California. This new criterion aims to protect aquatic life and wildlife that depend on these aquatic ecosystems from high selenium levels, which can be toxic. The EPA incorporated public feedback and scientific evidence into the rule, and it includes measures to account for site-specific conditions. The rule will take effect on January 16, 2025, unless California develops its own compliant standards.
Simple Explanation
The EPA made a new rule to keep some rivers and lakes in California safe from too much selenium, which is a bad stuff for fish and animals that live there. This rule will start working in January 2025, and they listened to people's comments and used science to make it right.