NOTICES
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Draft 2020 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report; Available for Public Comment
[50 Pa.B. 3170]
[Saturday, June 27, 2020]The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) is providing for public comment its draft 2020 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report (Integrated Report). The Integrated Report includes both a narrative description of the status of the Commonwealth's water quality and the Commonwealth's water quality management programs (formerly the Federal Clean Water Act section 305(b) Report) and waterbody-specific lists depicting the status of Commonwealth surface waters as required by section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C.A. § 1313(d)).
Section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act and 40 CFR Part 130 (relating to water quality planning and management) require states to identify waters which do not meet applicable water quality standards, even after the appropriate pollution control technology has been applied to point sources and required best management practices are in place for nonpoint sources. The Integrated Report establishes five categories for listing waterbodies. Waterbodies that do not meet water quality standards and that require a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) are placed on Category 5 of the Integrated Report waterbody list.
In addition to comments of a general nature on the Integrated Report, the Department is seeking comment on the waters listed as high priorities for TMDL development and the waters selected to be restored through alternatives to TMDLs (Category 5alt). The draft 2020 Integrated Report continues the new digital and fully interactive format with some enhancements such as a general overview of statistics, better search functionality, video tutorials and direct links to TMDL reports through the mapping interface.
Waterbody assessment and compilation of the Integrated Report is an ongoing process. The Department will continue to verify the quality of data used in this process and, as needed, will publish supplements to the Integrated Report for public review and comment.
The draft 2020 Integrated Report is available at www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment.
The Department invites interested persons to submit written comments on the draft 2020 Integrated Report through Tuesday, August 11, 2020. Comments submitted by facsimile will not be accepted. Comments, including comments submitted by e-mail, must include the commentator's name and address. Commentators are encouraged to submit comments using the Department's online eComment tool at www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment or by e-mail to ecomment@pa.gov. Written comments can be mailed to the Department of Environmental Protection, Policy Office, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063. Use ''Integrated Report'' as the subject line in written communication.
Persons in need of accommodations as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 should contact the Water Quality Division at (717) 787-9637 or through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TTD users) or (800) 654-5988 (voice users) to discuss how the Department may accommodate their needs.
PATRICK McDONNELL,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 20-814. Filed for public inspection June 26, 2020, 9:00 a.m.]
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