Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Environmental Quality
Board
Department of Environmental Quality

General Notice
EPA's Accotink Creek TMDL - Extension of Comment Period Until August 20, 2010
Date Posted: 8/2/2010
Expiration Date: 8/20/2010
Submitted to Registrar for publication: NO
No comment forum defined for this notice.

Notice of an extension until August 20, 2010, for EPA's comment period for the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study to restore water quality in a portion of Accotink Creek. Accotink Creek has an aquatic life use impairment.

BACKGROUND: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to establish a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Accotink Creek Watershed located in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, and the Town of Vienna, Virginia. Stream segments listed as impaired for not supporting the aquatic life use due to poor health in the benthic biological community will have TMDLs calculated. A TMDL is the total amount of a pollutant a water body can receive and still meet water quality standards. To restore water quality, pollutant levels have to be reduced to the TMDL allocated amount.

DESCRIPTION OF STUDY: A portion of Accotink Creek has been identified as impaired on the Clean Water Act §303(d) list for not supporting the aquatic life use due to poor health in the benthic biological community. EPA is working together with Virginia agencies to identify the benthic stressors causing the aquatic life use impairment on Accotink Creek. The Accotink Creek watershed covers portions of the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and Fairfax County.

HOW TO COMMENT: EPA welcomes input from the public on the proposed TMDL during the comment period. Persons wishing to comment on the information contained in the TMDL are invited to do so in writing. All comments must be postmarked no later than August 20, 2010. All comments should be written and include the name, address and telephone number of the commenter and a concise statement of the exact basis of any comment and the relevant facts upon which such comment is based. Clearly identify the TMDL being commented on. Electronic submission of comments via email is encouraged.

Copies of the materials which were presented at the July 26, 2010, public meeting are posted on EPA’s website at: http://www.epa.gov/reg3wapd/tmdl/index.htm and on DEQ’s website at: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/TMDLDataSearch/DraftReports.jspx. As an alternative, copies of materials can be inspected and copied at EPA's Region III Office, Office of Standards, Assessment and TMDLs, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, at any time between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except during Federal holidays. Further information may be obtained by contacting EPA Region III at the address below.

CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Name: Gregory Voigt (3WP30) Address: Office of Standards, Assessment and TMDLs U.S. EPA, Region III 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 Email: voigt.gregory@epa.gov. Telephone: (215) 814-5737


Contact Information
Name / Title: Gregory Voigt  / EPA Region III
Address: Office of Standards, Assessment and TMDLs (3WP30)
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, 19103
Email Address: Voigt.Gregory@epamail.epa.gov
Telephone: (215)814-5737    FAX: ()-    TDD: ()-