Department of Environmental Quality
Department of Environmental Quality
Meeting:
TMDL Public Meeting - James River and Tributaries
| Meeting Details | |
|---|---|
| Date / Time | 11/16/2010 6:00 pm |
| Location | Department of Environmental Quality
Piedmont Regional Office 4949-A Cox Road Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 |
| Board Website | http://www.deq.virginia.gov |
| Agenda document | agency has not posted |
| Minutes document | minutes not taken |
| Disability Friendly? Yes Deaf interpreter available upon request? Yes | |
| Purpose of the meeting PUBLIC MEETING: A public meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 to “kick-off” the Implementation Planning (IP) phase of the James River – City of Richmond Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study. An evening meeting will be held at 6pm at the Piedmont Regional Office of the Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) located at 4949-A Cox Road in Glen Allen, VA 23060. PURPOSE OF NOTICE: The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality will host a public meeting to provide an overview of the Implementation Planning process which will incorporate results of the recently completed TMDL study. A public comment period beginning on November 17 and ending on December 27, 2010 will allow preliminary stakeholder input for the IP development. MEETING DESCRIPTION: DEQ seeks to gain interest of all watershed stakeholders as part of the Implementation Planning process. The goal of the IP process is to outline a plan for reaching the reduction goals of the completed TMDL study. The plan will identify the types and areas where “best management practices” (BMPs) may be placed in order to mitigate the bacteria pollution in the waterways. The plan will also identify funding opportunities and estimate the costs of remedial efforts. This is the first public meeting for the IP process and will be followed by work-group meetings and steering committee meetings. Work-groups will be comprised of voluntary members for specific watershed stakeholder groups (residential, business, agricultural, government, etc.) and will meet to discuss watershed issues, identify opportunities for mitigation, and provide suggestions for the overall IP. There will be work-group sign up sheets at the “kick-off” meeting for those who would like to participate. The steering committee will meet in order to shape the IP document by analyzing, organizing, and formatting the information compiled from work-group suggestions and will be comprised of members who volunteer or are nominated from the work-groups. DESCRIPTION OF PLAN: Virginia agencies developed a study to identify sources of the bacterial contamination in the waters of the James River and it’s tributaries. These streams are impaired for failure to meet the Primary Contact (Recreational) designated use because of bacteria standard violations. The study reported the sources of bacterial contamination and recommended total maximum daily loads, or TMDLs, for the impaired waters. A TMDL is the total amount of a pollutant a water body can contain and still meet water quality standards. To restore water quality, bacterial levels have to be reduced to the TMDL amount. The report, which was submitted to EPA on 9/30/10, is available on the DEQ website: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/tmdl/drftmdls/jamesg3.pdf. PLAN DEVELOPMENT: The development of an Implementation Plan includes a minimum of two public meetings and two public comment periods prior to submitting the final draft IP to the State Water Control Board for approval. Implementation Plan development is required by Virginia state law under the Water Quality Monitoring, Information, and Reporting Act (WQMIRA). The comment period begins on November 17, 2010, and ends on December 27, 2010. Notice of this meeting appears in the November 8, 2010, Virginia Register. | |
| Meeting Scope |
Public hearing to receive comment on a proposed stage
X
General business of the board
Discuss particular regulations / chapters
|
| Contact Information | |
|---|---|
| Name / Title: | Margaret Smigo / TMDL Coordinator |
| Address: |
VDEQ Piedmont Regional Office 4949A Cox Road Glen Allen, 23060 |
| Email Address: | Margaret.Smigo@deq.virginia.gov |
| Telephone: | (804)527-5124 FAX: (804)527-5106 TDD: ()- |