Topeka — Gov. Bill Graves' office said Thursday it was making progress in talks with the federal Environmental Protection Agency on water pollution regulations.
If an agreement were reached, it could be offered as a settlement to environmental groups who have sued the EPA for not putting in place previously agreed-to water quality standards in Kansas.
Charles Benjamin, a Lawrence attorney representing the Kansas chapter of the Sierra Club, said he had a conference call today with the EPA to find out what was going on.
"If there are negotiations going on between the state and EPA, I'm not part of it," Benjamin said. But, he said, he welcomed discussions. "If they want to talk. we're all ears," he said.
Natalie Haag, chief legal counsel for Graves, said the state has been discussing water pollution regulations with the EPA, but declined to provide details about the talks.
But, she said, the governor's office was optimistic it could reach an agreement with EPA.
The dispute centers on water pollution standards proposed by the EPA in July as part of a settlement with environmental groups. They addressed what the EPA saw as deficiencies in state rules on designating rivers and streams for different uses.
Agriculture groups criticized the rules, saying they would require streams that only flow during floods to be clean enough for recreational use.
Lawmakers have proposed legislation that would establish a process for the state to reclassify streams for different uses.
And the state is looking for "flexibility" in the rules, Graves' spokesman Don Brown said.
"We want to make sure we are treated fairly and equitably in relation to other states and that Kansas has some local and state-based controls," he said.
EPA spokesman Bill Landis said there was nothing new to report.
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