Action Alerts

1. Massachusetts Integrated List of Waters (includes 303(d) list)

Comments are due on DEP’s proposed 2010 Massachusetts Integrated List of Waters this Friday, June 11th, 2010.  The state is required to submit this list to EPA every two years.  The report lists the status of waterbodies throughout the state, including those that do not meet water quality standards (the 303(d) list).   You can review the draft report to see if you agree with DEP’s assessment of the health of surface waters (rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and coastal waters) in your watershed.  If your organization has collected any water quality or flow data since 2008, or has photographic evidence of water quality problems or other degradation, we suggest that you submit these data with your comments

Comments should be submitted in writing to the address below:

MassDEP
Division of Watershed Management
627 Main Street, Second Floor
Worcester, MA 01608
Attn: Arthur S. Johnson
(508) 767-2873

In addition to the actual proposed listing of the individual categories of waters, the report presents a brief history of water quality management in Massachusetts and presents the methodology that is currently employed for assessing and reporting on the status of Massachusetts’ waters. Changes to the 2010 List are based primarily on new watershed assessments completed for the Chicopee, French, Quinebaug, and Nashua watersheds and the Narragansett Bay and Mount Hope Bay Coastal Drainage Areas. Water quality assessments of these watersheds can be found at http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/resources/wqassess.htm along with Word and PDF versions of the proposed Integrated List.
Here is a link to the PDF version of the proposed List: Proposed 2010 MA Integrated Waters List

2.  Proposed changes to State Revolving Fund (SRF) program (apologies – we have not translated this from the original bureaucrat-ese)

Notice of Public Comment Period

Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program

Pursuant to its authority under 310 CMR 44.06(3) and (4), and 310 CMR 45.06(3) and (4), the

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (“MassDEP”) intends to modify the

Project Selection Criteria for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking

Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Loan Programs for calendar year 2011 Intended Use

Plans.

Water and wastewater infrastructure has a significant impact upon where development has and

can occur. As a result, in 2011 the SRF programs intends to continue supporting basic

sustainable development principles. In addition, a continued priority of Governor Patrick’s

Administration is energy conservation and efficiency. That support will be implemented through

weighting of SRF solicitation criteria to include renewable energy generation and energy

efficiency at treatment works. .

In addition to supporting smart growth and greater energy efficiencies at treatment facilities,

MassDEP also intends to increase consideration for projects proposing to use SRF funds to

remedy non-compliance regulatory issues at water and wastewater treatment facilities

DEP is seeking public comment on this notice through the close of business on June 25, 2010.

Written comments should be addressed and sent to: Steven J. McCurdy, Director, Division of

Municipal Services, MA DEP 1 Winter Street, 5th floor Boston, MA 02108

Draft copies of the Project Evaluation Form can be viewed at

http://www.mass.gov/dep/public/publiche.htm. In addition, DEP will conduct one (1) Public

Hearing on its modification to the Project Selection Criteria on June 25, 2010 at DEP’s

headquarters: One Winter Street, Boston, MA. The Public Hearing will begin in Room 2212 at

1:00 p.m.

3. Charles River Watershed Residual Designation Authority (stormwater management)
EPA will hold two public informational meetings. The first will be on May 12, 2010 between 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Tri-Country Regional Vocational Technical School at 147 Pond Street in Franklin. On June 22, 2010, EPA will hold another informational session at the same location from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Immediately following the information session, EPA will hold a formal public hearing at which it will receive oral and written comments for the official record.
Here is a link to the EPA’s press release and web pages:

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