Pennsylvania adds high-quality protection to Class A wild trout streams, tightening permits for new discharges
A final rule effective July 11, 2026 redesignates Class A wild trout streams as High Quality waters. New earth disturbance and new or expanded discharges to them face antidegradation review and individual permits. The Board's preamble states EPA approval is required under the Clean Water Act. A further proposal covering eight streams is on the October 13, 2026 board agenda.
On July 11, 2026, the Environmental Quality Board's final-form rulemaking, Water Quality Standards; Class A Stream Redesignations, IRRC Regulation No. 7-583, amending 25 Pa. Code Chapter 93, was published as final and took effect on publication, according to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission ("IRRC") and the Board's preamble. IRRC lists 489.35 stream miles redesignated to High Quality ("HQ") status based on their classification by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as Class A wild trout streams, while the Board's executive summary gives 530.41 stream miles, so the rule's annex governs which segments are covered. For projects that would disturb earth near, or discharge to, a listed stream, the permit path is now more demanding.
25 Pa. Code Ch. 93 (IRRC Reg. No. 7-583, IRRC No. 3423), final-form rulemaking published July 11, 2026; Clean Streams Law, 35 P.S. §§ 691.5(b)(1), 691.402