Work Plan & Progress Report - Rhode Island Department of ...

Gradient (BCG) work which incorporates many aspects of the Impervious Cover TMDL needs.
Katrina is using National Coastal Assessment Program funding because RI opted not to participate
directly in this project and regional EPA staff at the Chelmsford Laboratory will be able to complete
some of the planned work. It is intended that the Coastal Assessment Program funding will be directed
through a blanket contractor PO managed at EPA Headquarters to allow Tetra Tech to conduct the
BCG work for RI. Funding for this project will be available in September. Upon completion of the
BCG work, the information generated for that project will be available to EPA’s contractor; e.g. FB
Environmental to conduct the Impervious Cover TMDL. This work will likely not start until FY2012.
Elizabeth reported the following:
• The program will complete 15 TMDLs that were from the prior years commitment
• The program will develop 19 new TMDLs for the next year. Mt. Hope accounts for seven of
them.
• Belleville Pond TMDL went out to notice on 7/29/10, comments ending on 8/30/10
• Pawcatuck River TMDL will go out to notice on 8/19/10, comments ending on 9/18/10 (This
accounts for 6 TMDLs)
• Blackstone River draft is under review and draft should be completed by December this
accounts for 12 TMDLs
• Ten Mile River TMDL will account for 22 TMDLs but was initially listed as 19
• Buckeye Brook wet weather monitoring samples could not be tested at EPA as anticipated.
DEM will try to work on this in the coming year
• Pawcatuck Estuary dissolved oxygen TMDL will be put off and deferred until a later date.
• The Blackstone and Ten Mile River TMDLs may be difficult to finalize because of the WWTF
issues
Steve mentioned New Hampshire will finalize more than 200 TMDLs next year and bacteria TMDLs
may account for more than 60 of them.
For 2011, DEM will finalize greater than 100 TMDLs with the Blackstone River accounting for 19, the
Ten Mile River 22 and more than 60 Bacteria TMDLs accounting for the rest.
Water Quality Standards
Connie and Sue indicated that they have had difficulties in finding a qualified person to hire through an
agreement with NEIWPCC to advance RIDEM’s development of numeric nutrient criteria for
freshwaters. After two postings, a woman from Iowa has agreed to take the job and will start at
RIDEM in early August. This project is supported with ARRA funding. The project is scheduled to
develop the lakes criteria first and then move on to initiating work on the rivers portion. At this time
DEM expects there will be a need to collect additional data to support nutrient criteria development for
rivers. Sue anticipates implementing a river sampling program in 2011. Sue also mentioned that there
is some 604(b) funding available in addition to the ARRA funds to extend this project. Connie
questioned if the intent of P&C List Item 72 required total phosphorus and nitrogen standards for both
lakes and rivers. She questioned if standards for both pollutants were necessary for both types of water
bodies. EPA indicated the intent was to develop standards for both pollutants for the waterbodies
listed, but acknowledged many states have focused to date on one rather than both criteria in
freshwaters. They further indicated they are looking for a schedule to develop the standards by
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