From: Wendy Loren

Sent: Tue Mar 15 16:04:55 2011

To: ToxicsRuleMaking

Subject: water quality

Importance: Normal

Dear DEQ,

Contamination from industrial processes and pesticide use compromises the quality of

Oregon's waterways, impacting public health.

As a health educator, I have studied food consumption for optimal human health. I have advised

some people to eat fish as an alternative to beef to decrease some of the risk factors for

heart disease, the number one cause of death for men and women in the U.S.

Oregon's standards are designed to protect people who eat 6.5 grams of fish per day-

he amount of fish that fits on a cracker. Please adopt human health criteria for toxic chemicals based on more accurate fish consumption rates;

175 grams per day.

Also, please limit the variance rule only to standards that are affected by this rule It is important that DEQ and EQC not undermine their own efforts by making it easier to obtain exceptions or "variances" to current standards. The new rule allowing DEQ to issue variances without EQC approval should not apply to standards that aren't affected by this rule. The new variance rule should be limited to only those standards that have changed.

Sincerely,

Wendy Loren, MS,

Eugene, OR 97405