(Originally Sent to Shenandoah Riverkeeper for Submittal)

Dear Jeff,

Please include George and Pam Patterson on your list. As recreational users of the river who feel this legislation is absoluteliy critical to all of us in the watershed. It is one more step to improve the water quality of the region. Thank you for your hard work and dedication on these matters!
 

Sincerely, George and Pam

George Patterson, Executive Director
The Downstream Project
P.O. Box C
White Post, VA 22663
h.540-837-2016
c.540-550-2089
gpatterson@thedownstreamproject.org

Poultry waste is a significant source of pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.  As you know it contributes nutrients (notably  nitrogen and phosphorus) and ammonia, among other things, which are especially harmful to aquatic life.  Significant reduction of stormwater runoff containing poultry waste is essential is we are to achieve the water quality goals mandated by the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement.  Such reductions will also be needed to suport the Bay-wide TMDL which is being developed.   Therefore I strongly support the proposed regulations.

In addition, any best management practices, including buffer zones, setback requirements, and measures designed to minimize the release or transport of any poultry waste to the Bay or its tributaries should be strongly encouraged, and preferably required.

For over 25 years I have sailed on the Bay, swum in it and enjoyed its fish and shellfish, as well as the magnificent aesthetic values it affords.  I hope that my grandchildren will be able to do the same.

Thanks for your consideration.

Respectfully,

Ridgway M. Hall, Jr.

 I strongly support the proposed amendments to the Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) Permit Regulation for Poultry Waste Management [9 VAC 25 ? 630].

Virginia’s waterways and the Chesapeake Bay are heavily polluted by nutrients.  Virginia is making major efforts to address point source pollution from sewage treatment facilities.  In addition Virginia is in the process of amending its stormwater regulations to reduce the amount of phosphorus from urban sources. However, these actions will not by themselves solve the problem of phosphorus pollution.  According to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation agricultural runoff accounts for 50 percent of the phosphorus entering the Chesapeake Bay.  According the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) animal manure and poultry litter contribute about one-half of the Bay watershed's agricultural nutrient load, or approximately 25% of the total phosphorus pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.

Animal manure and poultry litter are often applied to cropland as a form of fertilizer However, as the CBP points out, when excess manure is carried from the land via runoff, those nutrients, as well as bacteria and pathogens that manure often contains,  end up in our waterways.

While the Virginia Pollution Abatement program requires nutrient management when applying hog, sheep and cattle waste, regardless of who owns the land, in the case of poultry only the growers are required to have nutrient management plans when they apply on their  land; other end users currently do not have this requirement.  DCR estimates that 85% of poultry litter is transferred to farms with no nutrient management planning requirement.  Poultry litter is an imbalanced fertilizer which contains several times more phosphorous than crops use when it is applied at the rate needed to meet nitrogen needs of the crops.  Many producers in the region have applied so much phosphorus that it is no longer able to absorb all of the excess nutrients.

The proposed regulation will require all significant poultry waste end users and poultry brokers to test soil and to prevent the accumulation of phosphorous. It will also guide the timing of application to minimize spreading outside of the growing season and on frozen ground.  It will also finally end the practice of storing litter in huge piles out in the rain and then applying litter right down to the stream-banks, and into or around environmentally sensitive areas.  The revised regulations should be implemented as written.   They are an integral and indispensible part of addressing Virginia’s responsibilities to reduce phosphorus pollution in our rivers and streams, and in the Chesapeake Bay. 

On behalf of the approximately 16,000 Sierra Club members in Virginia, I register our support for tighter regulation of poultry litter in Virginia.    It is essential that the resources contained in poultry litter be properly managed so that our water is not polluted by runoff coming from land that has too much poultry litter applied and land that is too close to water for the nutrients to be absorbed by the land before runoff occurs.    The nutrient pollution coming from poultry litter represents a big waste of resources - the poultry feed and the labor and resources that produced that feed.   The USA can not afford either water pollution nor can it afford the waste of nitrogen and phosphorus resources.

I support the proposed changes outlined in the Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) Permit Regulation for Poultry Waste Management. The proper storage of poulty litter can be an easy,  but crucial, step in the road to wellness for the Chesapeake Bay.

The proposed regulation of poultry waste is an important and necessary step in the process of  restoring the Shenandoah and the Bay.  As a local fisherman who spends a lot of time on both the North and South Fork, I strongly support the proposed regulation.

As a drinker of ground water, fisherman, and all around person who cares about water quality and our environment, I strongly suport this legislation.  It makes sense to keep fertilizer on the land where it can grow  food.  Nitrogen and phosphorus in water systems cause problems that affect water quality as well as the ability of natural systems to funciton properly.  Please tighten the regulations surrounding chicken litter storage and use. 

Lee Good,  Harrisonburg Va

I support the proposed new poultry Litter regulations .

 Anna Mitchell

J Q

To Whom it May Concern:  Having worked on vegetable farms for 11 seasons--and having run my own "community-supported agriculture" (CSA) vegetable garden operation for three years--and as a resident of Rockingham County, a consumer of local food, a spouse of a pastor, a professor of theology and ethics at a Harrisburg-based university, a person of faith, and one who enjoys the natural beauty of the Shenendoah Valley, I want to commend the DEQ for these well vetted, thoughtful, and balanced proposals for regulating the VA chicken litter market.  We can no longer afford to leave the water quality of our state entirely up to market forces and conventional practices, as well-intentioned as the large majority of VA farmes are. The natural tendency to over-use fertility is well attested by decades of examples. I encourage the DEQ to stick by its proposed limits of 1.5 tons of litter every 3 years and for the proposals to cover end-users using 5 tons or more of material.  Thank you for your careful and conscientious efforts to be wise stewards of our precious and shared state resources.

peace in Christ,

Kent D. Sensenig

I live in Virginia and have fished in local rivers with my two sons
and their boy scout troop. Fish can't stay alive in the water, so to
fish you have to wait until they dump trout in at one end and then you
go wait on the banks for the stunned fish to drift downstream and
hopefully come to enough to nibble at a hook. This is not what I want
for my children, never mind my drinking water, so I hope that the
pending legislation passes and helps relieve the problem of
uncontrolled fish (poultry?) waste affecting our local waters.

Christine Goepp
2139 Hilltop Pl.
Falls Church, VA 22043
(703) 310-9871

Jeff,
 
As regards manures, specifically chicken manures used as a enhanced organic fertilizer….the oriental agronomist, literally local dirt farmers, applied the ‘product’ not as a solid, but as a liquid…for centuries.  Apparently, its easier to store and apply, and is easier to ‘dilute’ so as to get a better bang for your buck, so to speak.  We don’t use this system because of the associated smells I would suppose.  Also, most farmers have trucks, and fewer have tanks. 
 
In the liquid form, the product can and should be diluted, then applied as a liquid which quickly is absorbed by the soil and in that form, much more available to bacteria and plants as amendments.    I would suggest, that ‘runoff’ is minimalzed, and wind blown material from a dry application, would be also be minimalzed.  Poultry manures used as fertilizers are here to stay, I’m sure you would agree with that, it’s a matter or smarter usage and control. 
 
Cheers,
M. O’Neill

I am in favor of regulation of poulty waste legislation for both VA and MD waters - they are all part of the Chesapeake Watershed.  We are trying very hard to clean up the Chesapeake, but if the waters flowing into it are polluted with poultry waste, we are fighting a losing battle.  We are all interconnected in our actions and the waters flowing into one are both a literal and actual symbol of this.  Please make sure runoff from both poultry waste and construction are regulated. 

Dear Potomac Riverkeeper,
 
I strongly feel that poultry waste should be regulated so as not to add pollutants to Virginia streams and rivers.
 
I am a frequent kayaker on the Potomac River near Belle Haven, and in nearby tributary streams.  I am a Friend of Dyke Marsh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ned (Dr. Edward J.) Stone
1111 Westmoreland Road, Alexandria VA 22308-1246
Telephone: (703) 768-5441          Fax: (703) 768-1889
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am a user of the Shenandoah and the Potomac rivers.  I have been boating and fishing them for years and have seen the effect of poultry waste on these bodies of water.  The phosphorous that enters the streams from poultry waste is probably the biggest pollutor on both of these rivers and has contributed to the massive fish kills experienced the last few years on the Shenandoah.
 
The Potomac and Shenandoah are major tributaries to the Chesapeake and this phosphorous pollution is also causing great harm to that magnificent body of water.  We may soon reach a tipping point of no return if something is not done to correct this very soon.
 
I strongly support pending regulations to monitor and control this pollution and all of my neighbors, most of whom only like to picnic or just visit these two rivers, are also strongly supporting the passing of these regulations.
 
If there is something I can do to help please let me know.
 
Thomas P. Fore
17317 Pickwick Dr
Purcellville, VA 20132
540-551-0558

Name is Mike O’Neill….passionate aquatic environmental consultant in California.
Address:                     7071 SVL box, Victorville, CA…92395
Connection to VA       
 None, however, I feel your pain.  I work as a Lake Manager, and am familiar with non point source
                                   
Pollution problems:
  Phosphorus (PO4) mostly adheres to other solid particulate matter, which as runoff, is blown or flushed into surface waters creating the chronic bloom situations which have initiated this legislation, which I’m in favor of.
 
Pending legislation opinion:      
 Any mandated action designed to improve the biological condition of public and private surface waters, is a friend of mine.  Water is our most precious resource, second being a well educated constituency,  as such, both need to be protected and valued.  
 
 
Best regards,
 
MO

Jeff,

I used to be an avid fisherman in the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers.
But the ecological wasteland created by improper handling of chicken
wastes has destroyed our once-wonderful streams. Recreational use is
dwindling and with it money injected to the local economy by sport
and vacationers. Worse yet, we're robbing our descendants of the
legacy of beautiful streams we inherited, in order that some people
can make more money by raising chickens a little cheaper. This outrage

must be stopped. Please tell the politicians they must find their

conscience and not pander to the poultry industry that is ruining our

streams. In particular, it is imperative to close the loophole exempting from good ecological practices all poultry waste that is sold or given away. The greater good of Virginians is being sold out
to a small group who profit and don't care about the unsavory results.

J. Mark Pullen
10015 Raeburn Ct
Fairfax, VA 22032
phone 703-764-9483

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

As a fisherman (streams and the Bay) and a homeowner on the bay in the
Northern Neck of Virginia, I request that the state take action to regulate
the distribution and effects of poultry waste.  We have all watched as the
water quality in our freshwater streams and subsequently the Chesapeake Bay
have deteriorated.  Clearly there are many complex reasons for this
deterioration, and no one should be led to believe that chicken farming is
THE culprit.  But chicken waste and the phosphorus it creates is a
contributor to the problem, and without some level of regulation these
practices will continue choke the life from our waters.  Let us seize this
opportunity to take a step in the right direction, with hopes that others
will follow the example and we can return our streams and the Bay to good
health.

James V. Bullard
Dee David
7906 Sycamore Drive
Falls Church, VA 22042
and
917 Chambers Lane
Lottsburg, VA 22511

FROM: Dr. Boyd W. Post
            1107 Pekay St. SW
            Vienna, VA 22180
            (703) 281--9309
 
            The rivers of northern Virginia are of great importance to me from several reasons.  These streams supply the drinking water for major metropolitan areas, and then flow on to the Chesapeake Bay.  Over the last several years we have seen serious fish kills in many of these streams which has raised unanswered questions as to the effects on human health these obviously unhealthy streams may be having.  There may well be additional sources of unhealthy chemicals entering the streams from poorly treated, or completely untreated, sewage, but the uncontrolled poultry waste situation seems an obvious situation that must be brought under regulation.
 
            As a sport fisherman I feel that what has happened to the smallmouth bass population in Virginia has been an unnecessary tragedy.  Until better poultry waste management practices are required by law there is no assurance that we will not experience similar damage to our aquatic poplulations.
 
            Looking at poultry waste as a resource which could be used in creating usable energy for our energy hungry society this resource is being misused to the detriment of society.
 
            The proposed regulations are a move in the right direction.  There are other sources that also need to be dealt with, but I believe this would be a major step forward!

Dr. James K. Nashed
118 Woodfield Lane
Winchester, Virginia  22602
 
I currently live in the Shenandoah valley and enjoy fishing the local streams and rivers, especially the Shenandoah river herself.  In addition, I also fish and boat in the Chesapeake bay.

 
I am strongly in favor of the potential new regulation regarding poultry waste in the state of Virginia.  The goal of House bill 1207 from the year 1999 was to regulate the amount of poultry litter related runoff, but a loophole was left.  This new act will hopefully close that loophole.  The science is very good regarding the negative influence from nitrogen and phosphorous on the aquaculture of streams and rivers.  Since the poultry industry is prominent in the Shenandoah valley, this law has the potential to significantly reduce pollution into the Shenandoah river.  This river and it's tributaries are a major source of revenue to the counties of the valley and the state in general through recreational fishing, boating, and swimming.  In addition the river is a part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  President Obama and Governor Kaine have both made the cleanup of the bay a major point in recent speaches.  This law would be one step in that large project, but a step that is relatively easy.
 
The impact on farmers in soil testing, proper fetilization of their fields, and non-polluting storage of their Poultry litter will not impact their yeilds in a major way.  It will increase the time invested in the managment of their fields, but for a much greater good, by reducing pollution in the rivers and streams they live next to.
 
Thank you for your consideration.

John Tipton
6842 viscoe road
Radford, Va. 24141
 
I am in total support of the pending poutry litter regulation.
 
I am a river fishing guide of the shenandoah valley for 20+ years and a recreational user for nearly 50+ years. I have seen first hand the impact of the poultry litter and it negitive effect it has done to the shenandoah valley river system.
 
Any help that I can do personally please let me know
 
John Tipton
New River Fishing

Susan Wilensky
5236 Kalmia Dr.
Dayton, MD 21036
301-854-2581

I hike along the Potomac regularly and my son is an avid kayaker.
 

I want us to do all we can to protect the environment and the natural resources that this country has been blessed with.  There must be regulation of industrial waste that enters the Potomac River.  It is common knowledge that waste from chickens is unhealthy for rivers.  My son who is an avid kayaker often has ear infections after kayaking in the Potomac and he seldom gets them when kayaking other rivers.  It's time to clean up the Potomac so that the river can be enjoyed and the water taken from it for drinking is safe for those who consume it.
Thank you,
Susan Wilensky

Larry Chewning
1645 Austin Mill Rd
Evington, VA. 24550
 
I fish and swim in the James and Shenandoah river.
This regulation should be passed as written to help protect the land and water quality in the Shenandoah Vally and the rest of Virginia. It is just the right thing to do to protect the many interests of the people of Virginia by adopting this regulation as written.
Thank you for protecting the quality of the land, water, and the health of people both now and in the future.
 
Larry Chewning

Hey Jeff- L.E. Rhodes
 7456 Blenheim Rad Scottsvill ,Va. 24590.
 
I am a user of the South Fork of the Shenandoah along with the upper/Middle James. My understanding is that the litter is being used in the upper James watershed also. I am strongly in favor of having the litter requlated. I believe not only for the health of the waersheds it is being used but also for the health of the Citizens of the Commonwealth.
 
Jeff this is great news! Hope it passes.If you need anything just give me a shout. Letsgo fishing!!
 
L.E

Herschel Finch
310 Oakridge Ct.
Front Royal,  VA 22630
Phone: 540-635-7636
 
When I first laid eyes on this Valley in 1973 as a young man visiting my future bride’s home, I knew that this where I want to live the rest of my days. I purposed on my second visit to this valley beside the Shenandoah River. The Shenandoah Valley had everything I was looking for: Small towns, mountains to hike in, beautiful vistas to admire, photograph and paint, history everywhere you looked, and best of all (besides the girl I loved and wanted to marry), the storied Shenandoah River. The fishing was superb back then and the Smallmouth Bass was my quarry, my nemesis on occasion, but he was always, and still is…salve for my soul. For 30 years, life and fishing was good. I could catch fish and lots of them virtually anywhere I cared to step into the water along both forks and the main stem of the river. But then something changed.
 
My beautiful smallmouth became less plentiful, smaller…and then they began showing up sick and dying with lesions. I kept asking everyone I knew if they were experiencing the same kind of conditions, and they were, but they had no answers for me as to why. As I began to ask more questions, do more research, and seek out more people to ask, I became involved with the good folks at River Smallies.com and in the Potomac River Smallmouth Club, where I finally met Jeff Kelbe, Steve Resser, Dr. Vicki Blazer and others who were able to give me some answers…but the solutions are more complicated and slow in coming. Now as a dedicated environmentalist, I serve as the Conservation Chairman of the Potomac River Smallmouth Club and as one of Jeff Kelbe, the Shenandoah River Keeper’s extra set of eyes on the river. It was heartbreaking documenting the die-offs in the early to mid 2000s for Jeff and the Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force. But it was a job that had to be done and I along with numerous others did it, but not without heavy hearts, and more and more anger at the lack of regulations covering runoff into our streams.
 
Now, I ask that THIS job be done: The proposed End-user Regulation for Chicken litter in the Virginia Commonwealth being considered must be enacted to ensure that the Shenandoah River, once again can begin to return to a healthy condition, or at least as close as man is able to make it. The over-nutrification due to run-off that has occurred over the last 10-12 years due to 80% of the chicken litter falling through a regulatory loophole is unconscionable.  Virginia is woefully behind in meeting the promises it made to assist in the Cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay some 25 years ago. And as I always tell anyone who will listen: you can pay lip-service to cleaning up the Bay all you like, but until you fix the problems on the waters flowing into the Bay, you’re just treating the symptoms, not the disease. I urge that we do the right thing and get this regulation on the books , and provide the funding and resources to enforce it to it’s fullest.
 
Herschel Finch
 
Conservation Chairman-Potomac River Smallmouth Club
Member -Shenandoah RiverKeeper Organization
Member- Izaak Walton League, Warren County Chapter

Trey Hampshire
1106 West 42nd Street, Richmond, VA 23225
Recreation/Fishing in all rivers and Chesapeake Bay
 

I am in full support of this regulation.  It seems to me that by not asking agriculture to stop, rather regulating them on how and when they use this product is a mutually beneficial proposition.  I fully support what you're trying to do, and I am willing to help your efforts.
 
I have posted this on another message board with buddies, and I have sent personal emails as well. 

Please let me know how I can support your work.

Jeff,

      Thanks again for all of your hard work that you have put forward on behalf of all of the sportsman of Virginia. We are blessed here in the Commonwealth with some of the finest river systems in the world. And to keep them in there pristine and productive nature for all of us to enjoy, this bill would be a huge help.

       I have been fishing the headwaters of the James regularly for the past fifteen years. About three years ago we had some of the best fishing that I had seen, and we were all excited about the future. Nothing else can compare to an all day float on some of the prettiest scenery that our state has to offer. I find it to be the best stress release  to deal with my busy life.

     But the following year our hopes were dashed by wide spread fish kills throughout the headwaters section that I call my home waters. The size and quality of our catches have plummeted, and the sadness of catching fish with sores and lesions have really been hard to bear.

      If we can get the bill passed as it is written now, I feel that it would be a huge asset to our streams and rivers. The loopholes that let this unregulated use of poultry waste spread all over the state needs to closed. I remember reading about all of the problems that you had in the Shenandoah watershed, only to see it show up in my area. To then hear that this poultry litter had been dumped in large quantity’s in my area also, and to then see the same problems show up is terrible. The figure that 80% to 90% of the poultry waste is applied outside of the regulatory guidance is totally irresponsible!

       This legislation needs to be passed to restore our rivers to where they should be, some of the best in the world. The future of our waters is at stake here, and I want future generations to enjoy them as much as I have.  
 

                                                                JAMESDW

                                                             Darrell Woolridge

5046 Pin Oak Dr.
Roanoke , Va  24019
 
JAMESDW

Jay Maizel
1157 Old Virginia Beach Rd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

I support regulation on poultry waste products relative to Jeff Kelble's proposal.

Jay

Name:
Justin Ball

Address:
166 Olde Concord Rd
Stafford, VA 22554

How you are connected to rivers in VA:
Have lived in Virginia most of my life and have grown up swimming and fishing in Virginia's waterways and want to see them protected.

what you think about the pending regualtion:
I believe it is long overdue and I fully support it.

I support regulation on poultry waste products relative to Jeff Kelble's proposal

Corey McConville
7731 Willow Walk Drive
Chesterfield, VA 23832

Henry Bruhl
6921 alpine drive
annandale va 22003

concerned about pollution in va rivers
please pass pending regulation

As a longtime Virginia resident and angler, I have unfortunately had a front row seat to many environmental disasters as they've played out on our watersheds.  The travails of the watermen on the Chesapeake Bay are well known, and more recently we've experienced the noticeable degradation of our native freshwater fisheries....first on the Shenandoah River, and more recently on the James River.  I read your white paper on the pending poultry litter regulation and would like to voice my strong support for closing the identified loophole in regulations.  It seems the fact that regulation is already in place to prevent the 'environmentally irresponsible' application of poultry litter in certain circumstances constitutes acknowledgment by regulatory agencies that improper use of this waste as fertilizer results in preventable harm to our land and water resources.   With this understanding in place, and regulations already enacted to prevent pockets of this behavior, my hope is that common sense prevails and the governing bodies tasked with protecting our resources on behalf of all constituents will continue their efforts by closing this 'transaction based' loophole.  Furthermore, I would challenge anyone to explain how the source of the waste litter being used as fertilizer (homegrown vs. purchased/obtained) in any way mitigates the hazardous impacts of use.  Clearly it shouldn't (and doesn't) matter how a farmer acquires this type of waste....the only thing that really impacts end results is the methods by which the waste is applied as fertilizer. 
 
I am a member of the Richmond based Old Dominion Smallmouth Club, a conservation minded collection of smallmouth fishermen on the front lines of this battle for our natural resources.  Through my association with this organization I have become knowledgeable on numerous ways our resources can be actively protected from environmental disaster.  Some examples include the creation of riparian buffers, recycling and river cleanup efforts, prevention programs targetting various waste products, and perhaps most the most effective.....creating awareness amongst fellow Virginians (sportsmen or otherwise) of current practices that affect our waterways and the true impact, both immediate and long-term, that these practices will ensure.  

I am an avid angler and spend significant time enjoying the spectacular fisheries our state offers, including the James, Shenandoah, New, and countless other rivers, streams and lakes.  Over the course of my time on the water I've witnessed firsthand the true tragedy of an environmental disaster.  I've seen flows like the Shenandoah deteriorate rapidly over the course of two to three years from 50 healthy fish days to 5 lesioned fish days.  I've caught fish with horrific lesions and avoided stretches of certain rivers out of concern for my own health and well being.  I've felt a sense of 'closing in'...wondering how long we have before there are no healthy waters left, and thinking about the inevitability of such a future.   

I am also a father, and thus take a longer term view with regards to responsibility for our environment and its stewardship.  While the crisis you are spearheading efforts to address is no doubt a current issue, I believe it is one in a long line of similar challenges we've faced and will face.  History suggests that because environmental disasters are slow to crescendo and often unobservable at a point in time, political will is nearly impossible to muster proactively.  Rather, it is often reactionary....usually in response to resource degradation so significant it is too late to mitigate, and so broadreaching that it is impossible to ignore. 

My interest in this regulation and others like it is certainly selfish, however it is not my personal benefit for which I am most concerned.  Future generations of Virgnians, my children included, are the constituents with the most at stake in these battlefield skirmishes for our environment.  If our generation doesn't demonstrate an understanding of stewardship and an ability to shift from reactive to proactive, the writing is on the wall and our resources will surely become bankrupt.  One of the greatest minds of our time (IMO), Dr. Jared Diamond, posed a question in his book "Collapse" that I unfortunately believe is relevent to our situation...."What did the Easter Islanders think as they were cutting down the last tree on their island?".  I pray their fate is not ours. 

Sincere Regards,

Derek Venable
212 East Brook Run Drive
Richmond, VA 23238 

My name is Todd Blake, 6959 Knoll Bay Ln, Gloucester VA, 23061.  I support regulation on poultry waste products.
 
 
 
Todd C. Blake

Donald M. Walter IV
171 Memory Lane,
Winchester, VA. 22603

I fish the Shenandoah River regularly.  I've seen the fish kills first
hand and what it's done to the Shenandoah rivers big fish population.

I think that any regulation to slow the spreading of chicken litter on
fields would have a positive impact on the river.
At least make it illegal to spread the stuff within a certain distance
from the river.  We need some type of buffer to protect the river.

Thanks,
Donnie Walter

I support regulation on poultry waste products relative to Jeff Kelble's proposal
 
Andy Mack

Julie Blake
6959 Knoll Bay Lane
Gloucester, VA  23061
 
I support regulation on poultry waste products

I support regulation on poultry waste products

Andrew Edds

1209 Camden Dr.
Richmond, VA 23229

Comments concerning pending reg.

1) Darryl Brewer
2) 13370 Meadowsweet Dr, Fairfax, VA, 22033
3) Paddle sports and  fishing
4) LONG OVERDUE, make it happen.
 
Hope all is well with Jeff, keep up the great work, proud of you.
 
Darryl
 

The Cleansing of the Shenandoah River Basin that leads to the Chesapeake Bay and the Over All Health of theEntire Virginia Water ECO-System is of the Highest Importance!
 
As an Avid Fisherman, President of the Old Dominion Smallmouth club-Richmond, Va. And An Outdoor Enthusiast,
 
 IT is obvious that WE ALL NEED to STAY AWARE of ANY and ALL Threats to the Water that runs through our Beautiful State of Virginia.
 
Our Very Lives Depend on the Drinking Purity!
 
 The recreational benefits are of course important and IT IS Obvious that there is a problem with the Poultry Litter and ANY Livestock Waste or fertilizer runoff.
 
Any and ALL  Efforts to Regulate and enhance the Awareness of Everyone Involved in Fixing this problem and holding the perpetrators accountable is Required Action!
 
Thanks to and hats off to All Positive Action involved in establishing Poultry Litter Regulation and further Awareness that will assure the NOW and FUTURE Health of our State’s Water System!
 
Thank You!
 
Sincerely,
Dave Jones –President- Old Dominion Smallmouth Club

I support regulation on poultry waste products relative to Jeff Kelble's proposal-
Thanks
Trey Metz
686 Washburn Drive
Martinsville, Va 24112
 

Comments concerning pending poultry litter regulation

1) Nick Smith
2) 12706 Colby Cove Ct., Chester, VA 23831
3) I love to fish, kayak, camp and enjoy the rivers of VA. 
4) I think this bill is essential to my ability to share the same enjoyment with my children and future generations to come.

Comments concerning pending poultry litter regulation:

James Hanson
5769 Carters Run Road
Marshall, VA  20115
 
Living in Fauquier County I regularly like to fish and canoe on the Shenandoah.  I think what you are doing is great, and hope that you succeed in your mission.  Everything that can be done to save the VA waterways for the generations of the future need to be done.
 
Thanks for all you are doing.

Ted Hoppock
 
5412 Grove St.,
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
 
I am connected to the rivers affected by poultry in Virginia in three ways.  First, my drinking water supply comes from the Potomac River, downstream from the confluence of the Shenandoah River.  Thus, poultry pollution affects the quality of my drinking water and the cost of purifying my drinking water.  Of course, that cost is ultimately passed on to me.  Accordingly, I incur both a health and economic cost from poultry pollution in the Shenandoah.  Second, I am a passionate fisherman.  I fish the Potomac regularly, primarily downstream from the confluence with the Shenandoah.  Thus, poultry pollution in the Shenandoah adversely affects the water quality of the river I fish regularly.  I have seen evidence, both in observed fish kills and of observed lesions on some smallmouth bass I have caught in the Potomac, of the harm the pollution does to the Potomac fishery.  Third, I am a regular tourist in Virginia, including a renter of a Shenandoah riverfront cabin.  My rental is based on my ability to enjoy fishing the Shenandoah.  The recent history of Shenandoah fish kills threatens the likelihood of repeat business from me, which is bad for my personal enjoyment and is bad for the Virginia economy.
 
I whole heartedly support the proposed regulation.  I advocate its adoption without amendment.
 
Ted Hoppock

From email concerning "Pending Poultry Litter Regs"
 
Samuel G. Davis
3287 Hundley Branch Road
Scottsville, VA  24590
 
I use the James and the New Rivers and don't want to see either one impacted to the point of the Doah.  The proposed regs are a long time coming and I hop they get passed as they are long overdue.
 
Thanks,
 
Sam

Robert Lyall Griffin Jr.
423 Lilys Way   Winchester , Va 22602
My family and I use to use the river in fishing , swimming , and just recreational relaxing  , I started going to The Shenandoah River when I was about 10 years old with my father he introduced me to Smallmouth Bass and wade fishing around the "Overall area" and it was nothing to catch 100 bass a day between the two of us but now I look back at those days and they are just memories I have 2 boys of my own who love to fish and we mainly fish the Upper Potomac because I want them to enjoy themselves and not go fishing and not catch anything or even worse catch a fish that is sick . It's truley sad what has happened to "The Doah" as I have none it for years I live only minutes away but drive close to an hour to take my kids fishing , hopefully with the help of Jeff we can all get to enjoy this Beautiful River once again .
Thanks
Lyall griffin

Jeff,
  These regulations are a long time coming.   I frequently fish and canoe the Shenandoah and Potomac throughout the year.   I also work in the Shenandoah valley and manage communities which fall into this water shed.   The decline of Virginia's Fisheries hurts all Virginians  not just fisherman but also businesses who rely on the tourism dollars,  citizens who use these watersheds for drinking water,   and small towns who are built around the extra traffic created by water recreationists.  If the waterways in VA decline further Citizens will take their money to states that respect their resources. VA needs to take the lead in this type of legislation.  The negligence of over fertilizing has caused detrimental effects for many water sheds in VA and the problems are not localized.   As they say **** runs down stream, and in this case it includes the Potomac and the Chesapeake bay.   I appreciate all the hard work that has been done our behalf and I implore state legislators to resist the pressures of big business and the agriculture industry.  Please do the the right thing and protect the resources that set Virginia apart. 
Nick Elgas
Community manager, Loudoun Management
13705 winding oak Cir Apt 303
Centreville VA 20121

Jeff -- My name is Bob Dickinson. My address is 10217 Windbluff Drive, Richmond, VA 23238.  Thank you for your efforts on this issue.  I have been concerned since the first fish kills on the Shenandoah that poultry litter was the likely culprit.  As an avid smallmouth bass angler, I made at least one trip a year to the Shenandoah to fish.  I have not been back since the fish kills.  I would love to resume fishing ont the "Clear-eyed Daughter of the Stars."  I am also concerned about recent fish kills on the upper James river, and suspect the poultry litter is a contributing factor in this regard as well.

As much as I am concerned for the health of the fishery and my ability to persue my passion for smallmouth fishing, the greater concern is ultimately for the health and wellbeing of the millions of people living in these watersheds.  Intuitively, if the fish and wildlife are being detrimentally affected, how could we suppose that human beings are not being affected. 

Please let me know how I can assist you in supporting the passage of the regulation(s) referenced in your email.

bob dickinson

(Comments regarding pending poultry litter regulations) I support regulation on poultry waste products.
 
Peter Weyrens
1925 N Westmoreland St.
Arlington, VA 22213

Dave Menton
17809 Black Stallion Way
Germantown, MD  20874
301-916-0398 h
240-750-0200 c
dave_menton@yahoo.com
 
I'm writing concerning the proposed Poultry litter regulation in the Shenandoah Watershed in Virginia/West Virginia/Maryland region.  I am an avid river user on the main stem Potomac and do a lot of fishing near the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers in Harpers Ferry, WV.  I also frequently take my kids tubing on the Potomac a few miles downstream and fish the Shenandoah River, although less frequently due to the massive fish kills experienced in the past decade.
 
I've been concerned with the issue of using Poultry litter as well as improper storage of this waste on large Poultry operations in our local watersheds.  As has been commonly documented, we are experiencing a litany of issues on both the Shenandoah as well as James Rivers in Virginia and Potomac River in Maryland below the confluence of the Shenandoah.  Large scale fish kills in the spring following spring rain events that coincide with large scale fertilization of farming lands in the watershed have been documented in several years over the past decade.  These fish kills have resulted in decimating the population of one of the regions most popular gamefish, the smallmouth bass as well as several other notable river species commonly sought by fisherman.  This issue has resulted in tremendous trouble for the fishing industry, resulting in guiding operations being shut down completely, and I'm certain lost revenue in licensing due to fact that local fisherman may not even purchase a license any longer due to decline in the fishery. 
 
Furthermore, the water quality and algae blooms experienced on both the Shenandoah and main stem Potomac along the Virginia shorelines directly influenced by the Shenandoah have resulted in decreased water quality issues and higher rates of algae over the past decade.  River grasses, while somewhat beneficial, have all but choked out sections of both rivers due to increased fertilizer and waste runoff causing these unnatural growth explosions.  While some water grass is natural and beneficial to these watersheds, the levels of growth being experienced as a direct result of this unnatural fertilization aid are making these watersheds unviable for use by recreational anglers and swimmers.  Something must be done to control this rampant use of Poultry waste and poor land use management practices directly impacting thses issues.
 
Jeff Kelble and others have made tremendous strides and effort to bring attention to these concerns which will continue to effect not only waterway sportsman and swimmers but are headed towards a serious decline in the health of our drinking waters and wildlife in these pristine areas of the country.  How in the backyard of our nations capitol we can allow this decline to occur is beyond me.  However, recent efforts have resulted in the pending legislation being considered to take important steps to regulate the proper and reasonable use of this byproduct of an important industry.  We're not asking it be completely shut down, just managed properly so that we can obtain some healthy balance for our industries and surrounding natural environment.
 
I strongly urge that you consider enacting these controls immediately so that we don't lose one of our nations great treasures.  Please feel free to contact me directly should you have any further questions or concerns and I'll be happy to have a candid discussion on the subject.
 
Sincerly,
 
Dave Menton
Avid Mid Atlantic Waterman

1) Your Name: Thomas E. Boyd
2) Your Full Address: 875 W Penn Grant Rd, Willow Street, Pa. 17584
3) How you are connected to rivers affected by poultry in Virginia: I have fished many Virginia waterways with my kayak over the past 10 years. As an out-of-stater, I have always enjoyed the beauty of the surrounding landscape, mountains, and fishing opportunities that these waterways afforded me. As an out-of-stater, I have helped boast the economy of these areas by buying out-of state- freshwater fishing licenses, gasoline, camping on local camp grounds, and buying food at local restaurants and grocery stores. 
4) What you think about the pending regulation: It's about time! For all those who have dedicated their time and energy into the seeing this regulation through, kudos to you all. The valley has needed this pending regulation for quite some time now and it's a shame that a crisis had to come about before those in power sat up and listened to the environmental needs.

Tom Boyd
875 W Penn Grant Rd.
Willow Street, Pa. 17584

Jeff:
 
Tom Ehrhard
7407 River Rd
Fredericksburg, VA 22407
 
I and my family live on the Rappahannock River.  As a result of the furor over fish kills in the Shenandoah River, poultry litter has now started to be dumped in greater volume into the Rappahannock River basin upstream of where we live and recreate.  We also fish frequently in the Shenandoah River system, and have witnessed the dramatic effects of the fish kills up-close.  We are affected not only by the sadness we feel that the resource is being polluted, but that because of the fish kills, a LOT more fishermen are coming to the Rappahannock, which pressures this very small, fragile river.  We are life members of the Friends of the Rappahannock and also support the Shenandoah Riverkeeper financially, and am dedicated not only to cleaning up these and other rivers in the Commonwealth, but seeing that they thrive and flourish.
 
We are writing to support the pending poultry litter regulations that establish an accountability chain from the producer to the farmer to the field and will hopefully diminish the nitrogen and phosphorous pollution it causes.  Both poultry growers AND farmers should be regulated, for they will only do what is required, which clearly isn't enough to control the imbalances that current regulations have allowed.  This is a classic case of protecting the public good--we depend on our elected representatives to impose guidelines that protect all of us--we drink that water, bathe in that water, fish in that water--it's a precious resource and these new regulations take an important step toward making clean water a Virginia family value.
 
Best,
Tom Ehrhard