Department of Environmental Quality
Department of Environmental Quality
Meeting:
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING AND PUBLIC COMMENT – CLEANUP STUDY- James River, Maury River and Jackson River PCB TMDL Project
| Meeting Details | |
|---|---|
| Date / Time | 2/15/2024 5:30 pm |
| Type | Physical Location Only |
| Location | 407 East Water Street, Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission Water Street Center in Charlottesville
In the event of inclement weather, the meeting will be held on February 20th, 2024, at the same time and location stated above. |
| Board Website | http://www.deq.virginia.gov |
| Agenda document |
Meeting Agenda
1/23/2024
(50k)
|
| Minutes document | agency has not posted |
| Disability Friendly? Yes Deaf interpreter available upon request? Yes | |
| Purpose of the meeting PURPOSE OF NOTICE: The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) seeks public comment on the development of a cleanup study, also known as a Total Maximum Daily Load report (TMDL), for the James, Maury, and Jackson Rivers in Albemarle, Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt, Buckingham, Campbell, Chesterfield, Craig, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Giles, Goochland, Greene, Hanover, Henrico, Highland, Montgomery, Nelson, Powhatan, and Roanoke, and the affected cities include Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Covington, Lexington, Lynchburg, and Richmond. This project effects streams located within the territories of DEQ’s Blue Ridge, Valley, and Piedmont Regional Offices. These streams are listed as impaired since monitoring data does not meet Virginia’s water quality standards for Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in fish tissue. Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act and §62.1-44.19:7.C of the State Water Control Law requires DEQ to develop cleanup studies to address pollutants responsible for causing waters to be on Virginia’s 303(d) list of impaired waters. A component of a cleanup study is the Waste Load Allocation (WLA); therefore, this notice is provided pursuant to §2.2-4006.A.14 of the Administrative Process Act for adoption of the WLA into the Water Quality Management Planning Regulation, 9VAC25-720 after completion of the study. The adoption of the WLA may require new or additional requirements for entities holding a Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit in the James, Maury, and Jackson Rivers watersheds. A study has been completed for James, Maury, and Jackson River watersheds to identify pollutant sources and recommend reductions needed from the sources to meet water quality standards. At the meeting, DEQ will present the results of the study and provide an overview of the draft report. Citizens are invited to provide comment on the study. CLEANUP STUDY LOCATION: The study area totals 4,342,969 acres (approximately 6,786 mi2), and consists of four TMDL watersheds: Jackson River, Maury River, Upper James River study area (from the head of the James near Iron Gate to the Bent Creek confluence), and Lower James River study area (from the Bent Creek confluence to I-95 James River Bridge in Richmond). PREVIOUS TMDL PUBLIC MEETINGS AND TECNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC) MEETINGS: The first public meeting to initiate this cleanup study was convened on January 12, 2021. TAC meetings to assist in development of this cleanup study were convened on February 24, 2021, August 2, 2022, and November 2, 2022. PUBLIC MEETING: The final public meeting on the development of the cleanup study will be held at 407 East Water Street, Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission Water Street Center in Charlottesville on February 15th, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the meeting will be held on February 20th, 2024, at the same time and location stated above. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: February 15th, 2024, to March 18th, 2024. HOW TO COMMENT: DEQ accepts written comments by e-mail or postal mail. All comments must be received by DEQ during the comment period. Submittals must include the name, organization they represent (if any), mailing addresses and telephone numbers of the commenter/requester. CONTACT FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, DOCUMENT REQUESTS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Mark Richards; Central Office, 1111 E Main St Ste 1400, Richmond, VA, Phone: (804) 659-1126; E-mail: mark.richards@deq.virginia.gov; Aerin Doughty; Blue Ridge Regional Office, 901 Russel Dr, Salem, VA, Phone: (540) 988-3684; E-mail: aerin.doughty@deq.virginia.gov; Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Botetourt, Campbell, Craig, Giles, Montgomery, Roanoke, Covington, Lynchburg. Denise Moyer; Piedmont Regional Office, 4949-A Cox Rd, Glen Allen, VA 23060, (804) 527-5020; denise.moyer@deq.virginia.gov Buckingham, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Powhatan, and Richmond. Nesha McRae; Valley Regional Office, 4411 Early Rd, Harrisonburg, VA, Phone: (540) 217-7173; nesha.mcrae@deq.virginia.gov. Albemarle, Augusta, Bath, Fluvanna, Greene Highland, Nelson Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Lexington. The public may review the cleanup study at the following website address: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/water-quality/tmdl-development/tmdls-under-development/pcb-tmdls. | |
| 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 Richards |
| Address: |
1111 East Main Street, Suite 1400 P.O. Box 1105 Richmond, 23218 |
| Email Address: | mark.richards@deq.virginia.gov |
| Telephone: | (804)659-1126 FAX: ()- TDD: ()- |