Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Environmental Quality
Board
Department of Environmental Quality
Meeting:
TMDL Public Meeting - James River and Selected Tributaries

 
Meeting Details
Date / Time 3/4/2014  6:00 pm
Location Chester Library
11800 Centre Street
Chester, VA 23831 
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? No
Purpose of the meeting
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announces notice of public meetings for the progress update for development of a polychlorinated biphenyl (pcb) water quality restoration study for the James River and selected tributaries in Richmond, Hopewell, Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Chesterfield, Henrico, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Charles City, and Surry. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is providing an update of progress for a water quality restoration study for the James River and selected tributaries which are impaired due to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). The meeting will include an update on the study progress to include background information on PCBs, DEQ monitoring data, pollutant modeling in the waterways, and ongoing voluntary sampling efforts throughout the watershed by facilities. This is an ongoing study. Meetings are to provide an update on progress since the initial public meetings which were held in 2010 and 2011. A formal comment period will not be offered at this time; however, the public is encouraged to contact DEQ with questions or concerns. DEQ expects to complete the study next year, at which time a draft study will be made available and public comments will be accepted on the document. The following streams are found to exceed the water quality standard for PCBs and are in violation of the “fishing” designated use in the jurisdictions mentioned (title above): Appomattox River (to Lake Chesdin Dam), Bailey Creek (to Rt. 360), Bailey Bay, Chickahominy River (to Walkers Dam). Additionally, the James River is impaired from the fall line to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. For the purposes of these meetings, the James River from the fall line to the Charles City Co. and Surry Co. extents will be discussed. This portion of the James River and tributaries is part of a larger PCB study which includes the lower James and Elizabeth Rivers. Public meetings to update the public in these downstream vicinities are forthcoming. The study will report on the sources of PCB contamination and will recommend 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, pollutant levels have to be reduced to the TMDL amount. ONLINE INFORMATION: Please visit the EPA website http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/tsd/pcbs/about.htm for background information on PCBs and potential human health effects. DEQ held the first public meetings to initiate this study in December 2010 and February 2011. Presentations and handouts from those meetings are available at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/TMDL/PCBTMDLs.aspx. CONTACT FOR TMDL STUDY INFORMATION: Mark Richards – PCB TMDL Project Manager; VADEQ - Central Office, 629 East Main Street, Richmond, VA, 23219; (804) 698-4000; Mark.Richards@deq.virginia.gov. Mark Alling – TMDL Regional Manager; VADEQ – Piedmont Regional Office, 4949 Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA, 23060; (804) 527-5021; Mark.Alling@deq.virginia.gov. In case of inclement weather please contact Mark Alling at (804)527-5021 for meeting status.
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: Mark Alling  / TMDL Regional Manager
Address: 629 East Main Street
P.O. Box 1105
Glen Allen, 23060
Email Address: mark.alling@deq.virginia.gov
Telephone: (804)527-5021    FAX: (804)527-5106    TDD: ()-