Purpose of notice: The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is seeking input and comments on the 2015 priority areas for TMDL and Watershed Plan development. These areas have been listed as impaired in Virginia’s Water Quality Assessment 305(b)/303(d) Integrated Report. Developing plans to address and restore impaired waters is required by the Code of Virginia, § 62.1-44.2.
Public comment period: November 17 – December 17, 2014
Description of proposed action: In 2015, DEQ staff plan to continue or initiate TMDLs or Watershed Plans in the following areas:
Project Area |
City/County |
|
New River PCB |
Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, Radford City, Wythe |
PCB |
Wolf Creek and Tribs. |
Bland, Tazewell, Giles |
Bacteria |
Long Meadow Run and Turley Creek |
Rockingham, Shenandoah |
Benthic [1] |
Meadow Creek and Schenks Branch |
Charlottesville, Albemarle |
Benthic |
Accotink Creek Benthic |
Fairfax |
Benthic |
South Fork Holston River and Tribs. |
Smyth |
Bacteria |
Mattaponi Watershed Bacteria |
Spotsylvania, King William and Caroline |
Bacteria |
Stony Run (stressor analysis) |
Henrico |
Benthic |
Lower Chickahominy River & Tribs |
Charles City, New Kent |
Bacteria, Dissolved Oxygen (DO) |
Little Mosquito Creek and Assawoman Creek |
Accomack |
DO |
Nassawaddox Creek and tributaries |
Northampton |
Bacteria |
Walker Creek and Tribs. |
Bland, Giles |
Bacteria |
North Fork Catoctin Creek Benthic TMDL |
Loudoun |
Benthic |
Kits Creek (stressor analysis) |
Lunenburg |
Benthic |
Bluestone Creek |
Mecklenburg |
Bacteria |
Nottoway River and Crooked Creek |
Nottoway, Dinwiddie |
Bacteria |
Kerr Reservoir tributaries |
Mecklenburg |
Bacteria |
Jeffries Branch |
Loudoun, Fauquier |
Benthic |
Woods Creek |
Lexington, Rockbridge |
Bacteria, Benthic |
McClure River |
Dickenson |
Benthic |
TMDL reports and Watershed Plans are developed in accordance with federal regulations (40 CFR §130.7) and are exempt from the provisions of Article II of the Virginia Administrative Process Act. The reports are subject to the TMDL public participation process contained in DEQ’s Public Participation Procedures for Water Quality Management Planning. The public comment process provides the affected stakeholders an opportunity for public input on the TMDL development process. Once completed, draft reports are available for public review and comment on DEQ’s website at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/TMDL/TMDLDevelopment/DraftTMDLReports.aspx.
How to comment: The DEQ accepts written comments by e-mail, fax and postal mail. All written comments must include the full name, address and telephone number of the person commenting and be received by DEQ by 5 p.m. on December 17, 2014.
How a decision is made: After comments have been considered, DEQ will make the final decision on 2015 priority areas. Comments will also be used for prioritizing waters in future work plans.
[1] Evidence of a degraded biological (benthic) community is a strong indicator that a water does not support the aquatic life designated use. More information on Virginia’s biological monitoring program is available at the following website: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityMonitoring/BiologicalMonitoring.aspx
Name / Title: | Sandra Mueller |
Address: |
629 East Main Street P.O. Box 1105 Richmond, 23218 |
Email Address: | sandra.mueller |
Telephone: | (804)698-4324 FAX: (804)698-4032 TDD: ()- |