Comment Period for TMDLs in Monongahela Watershed

WVDEP News Release
2 August 2013

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announces a comment period and public meeting on draft Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for impaired streams in the Monongahela River watershed.
 
A Total Maximum Daily Load is a plan of action used to clean up streams not meeting water quality standards. Each of the streams under TMDL development has been identified as violating state water quality standards and the federal Clean Water Act requires TMDL development for them. The pollutants addressed in this project are acidity (pH), total iron, total manganese, total selenium, dissolved aluminum, chlorides and fecal coliform. After consideration of public comments, DEP will submit final draft TMDLs to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval.
 
A public meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., August 20, 2013 to present a general discussion of the TMDL development process and to answer questions regarding the proposed TMDLs. The meeting will be held at Fairmont State University in the Falcon Center, Conference Room 3, Room 303, 2101 Locust Ave., Fairmont, WV.  Parking is available to guests on the third floor of the parking garage across from the Falcon Center.
 
The DEP invites public comment on all aspects of the draft TMDLs. The comment period begins August 2, 2013 and extends through September 3, 2013. Written comments may be submitted by U.S. Mail, electronic mail, and fax. The preferred form for comment submissions is e-mail or disk in order to expedite the review and response process. Written comments should be postmarked no later than September 3, 2013. Comments should be sent to:
 
Steve Young, ATTN: Monongahela River TMDL Comments
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
601 57th Street
Charleston, WV 25304
E-mail: stephen.a.young@wv.gov
 
The TMDLs will be available for review by close of business August 2, 2013 on DEP’s webpage: http://www.dep.wv.gov/tmdl  
CDs may also be obtained by calling Steve Young at:

(304) 926-0495, TTY 711
(304) 558-2751