|
March 2008
Prepared by Thomas
Au and Barbara
Benson.
This is a periodic newsletter to keep Sierra Club members and
leaders informed. We encourage you to circulate the newsletter as
you deem appropriate. If you did not receive this newsletter and
would like to receive future issues, please send a message to Barbara
Benson, asking to be added to the distribution list. If you
prefer not to receive it, please send a message to Barbara
Benson asking to be removed from the distribution list. We welcome
your comments and input.
Sierra Club Water Workshop – April 19, 2008
With the support of the Bernheim grant, the Pennsylvania Chapter
is hosting a water workshop on protecting headwater streams and
wetlands. The workshop will be held at Cedar Crest College in Allentown.
This all-day working session is designed for watershed activists
who want to know more about the ecology of headwaters, the activities
that affect water quality, the agencies that regulate those activities,
and how citizens can affect decisions in their watersheds. There
is no charge for the workshop, but participants must register by
mail or email. Look at the chapter website for registration information.
Another workshop is being planned for western Pennsylvania.
DEP Triennal Water Quality Review
On January 12, 2008, the Environmental Quality Board published proposed
regulations to revise the water quality standards in the Pennsylvania
Bulletin. Section 303(c)(1) of the Clean Water Act requires that
states periodically, but at least once every 3 years, review and
revise as necessary, their water quality standards. The water quality
standards consist of the designated uses of the surface waters of
this Commonwealth, along with the specific numerical and narrative
criteria necessary to achieve and maintain those uses and an antidegradation
policy. Water quality standards are in-stream water quality goals
that are implemented by imposing specific regulatory requirements,
such as treatment requirements and effluent limitations, on individual
sources of pollution.
A detailed discussion of the proposed changes is included in the
preamble. Among other items, the policy statement of Water Quality
Toxics Management Strategy will be incorporated into the Chapter
93 regulations.
The public comment period has been extended to March 27, 2008. The
proposed regulations can be found on the DEP website (Public Participation
Center, click Environmental Quality Board, click Proposals Currently
Open for Comment).
Stormwater Best Practices Implementation
The DEP Stormwater Best Practices Manual was released in final form
on Dec. 30, 2006. DEP has yet to publish the model ordinance in
final form. This model ordinance is needed by municipalities to
implement the best practices manual. For more information, contact
Thomas Au (thomasau@excite.com) or Barbara Benson (barbarabenson@bensonsails.com).
Revisions to Erosion Control and Wetland and Stream Encroachment
Regulations
In the coming year, DEP will be revising two sets of regulations
relating to erosion and sedimentation control (Chapter 102) and
encroachments on wetlands and streams (Chapter 105). DEP expects
revision process to take two years. Sierra Club and other Pa Campaign
for Clean Water members have sent a letter to DEP stating the changes
that they would like to see in the Chapter 105 and the Chapter 102
revision process. In particular, environmental groups are requesting
wider stream buffers to protect water quality. Conceptual proposals
are being reviewed by DEP’s Water Resources Advisory Committee.
Among other ideas, DEP is proposing to create a new class of wetlands,
called “high quality wetlands.” For more information,
contact Thomas Au (thomasau@excite.com) or Barbara Benson (barbarabenson@bensonsails.com).
Montour Crossings Development
The Coalition for Responsible Growth and Resource Conservation,
a community group in Lycoming County, reports that the proposed
Montour Crossings project in Lycoming County is on hold. This retail
mall project would be in a floodplain of Loyalsock Creek, near its
entry to the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. The developer
proposes to fill a 47 acre area of the floodplain to bring it above
flood elevation and leave a large pit in the floodplain. DEP has
suspending reviewing the developer’s permit application while
it awaits a FEMA review of flooding information. For more information,
contact Harvey Katz of the CRGRC, 570-433-4681.
Stroud White Paper
The Stroud Water Research Center is working on a white paper which
will examine the role of first order streams in protecting downstream
water quality and biodiversity. It will address the functions of
those streams and the riparian areas that help them perform those
functions. The paper will focus on research performed in Pennsylvania
waters. Sierra Club has funded this project. We will be using the
results in advocacy for greater riparian buffers in the coming year.
For more information, contact Robin Mann (robinmann@earthlink.net).
Cold Water Heritage Partnership’s 2008 Keystone Cold
Water Conference
The Pennsylvania Chapter of Trout Unlimited is held its coldwater
conference in February 2008 in State College. Pennsylvania Sierra
Club was a co-sponsor of this conference. In keynote addresses,
global warming and its effect on Pennsylvania streams and fisheries
was the prime concern. Even a rise of a few degrees in stream temperature
can have devastating effects on fish and insect populations. Several
speakers advocated wider forested riparian buffers to maintain stream
temperatures. For more information, contact Thomas Au (thomasau@excite.com).
Clean Water Restoration Act
The Clean Water Restoration Act (HR 2421) was introduced to ensure
that the broad coverage of the Clean Water Act is maintained. This
important legislation would settle recent erosion of the Clean Water
Act by reaffirming the scope of the Act, as intended by Congress
when it passed more than 30 years ago. One needed change is a redefinition
of “water of the United States.” The House of Representatives
is expected to hold hearings on this bill soon. Sierra Club local
groups have been setting up meetings with local Congressmen to encourage
them to pass the legislation this session. We intend to continue
to educate Pennsylvania Congressmen on the importance of this legislation
and the need to pass it in 2008. Robin Mann (robinmann@earthlink.net).
Return to Water Committee page
Up to Top
Sierra Club® and "Explore,
enjoy and protect the planet."® are registered trademarks
of the Sierra Club.
All content on this website is governed by a Creative
Commons license. |
