Friends of the North Fork would like to join the Shenandoah and Potomac Riverkeepers in supporting the strengthening of regulations concerning the Construction General Permit and increasing the public availability of Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs).  In reviewing and renewing these regulations now, the Commonwealth has a prime opportunity to take firm steps to protect Virginia's remaining miles of clean streams and improve the many miles of streams that are already impaired and suffering greatly from the impact of polluted stormwater runoff.  In the North Fork watershed alone, most of the major tributaries and the North Fork itself, are impaired.  These impairments are largely due to high bacteria levels but the future growth of construction in the watershed is likely to begin effecting our benthic communities as well.  It is imperative that water quality protection and improvement be given the highest priority during this process.

Additionally, the SWPPPs that are developed for each new constuction site should be available for public access and review.  Soil and erosion control inspectors in rural areas like the North Fork watershed are stretched to capacity already and mprovements to current regulations will likely add to their workload.  Therefore it would be helpful to the process if the public could serve as extra eyes for these inspectors - particulalry in alerting them to problem construction sites.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment,

Leslie Mitchell-Watson

Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River

P O Box 746

Woodstock VA 22664