Overview of Overview of Issues Related to Issues Related to

the Impact of the Impact of Toxic Chemicals Toxic Chemicals in Chesapeake in Chesapeake

BayBayPrepared by Greg Allen, EPAPrepared by Greg Allen, EPAChesapeake Bay ProgramChesapeake Bay Program

For Briefings Conducted Fall 2007For Briefings Conducted Fall 2007

Overview of Issues Related to Overview of Issues Related to the Impact of Toxic Chemicals the Impact of Toxic Chemicals

in Chesapeake Bayin Chesapeake Bay

The Importance of Managing Toxic The Importance of Managing Toxic Chemicals: Ten ExamplesChemicals: Ten Examples

Thoughts on Implementation Strategies Thoughts on Implementation Strategies for High-Priority Chemicalsfor High-Priority Chemicals

Current Toxics Subcommittee Work Current Toxics Subcommittee Work ItemsItems

Conclusion Conclusion

1.1. Chesapeake Bay Tidal Waters Chesapeake Bay Tidal Waters Impaired by Toxic ChemicalsImpaired by Toxic Chemicals

Chemical Chemical contaminant 303(d) contaminant 303(d) impairmentsimpairments 67.4% percent of 67.4% percent of

tidal segments tidal segments have a full or have a full or partial spatial partial spatial impairment due to impairment due to a chemical a chemical contaminantcontaminant

95% include PCBs95% include PCBs

2. Ubiquitous Pollutants in 2. Ubiquitous Pollutants in Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay

Certain toxic Certain toxic chemicals are chemicals are ubiquitous in Bay tidal ubiquitous in Bay tidal waters/sedimentswaters/sediments PCBs *PCBs * PAHs *PAHs * Butyltins *Butyltins * Ag. Herbicides +Ag. Herbicides +

* NOAA (NOS NCCOS 47), January, 2007; + McConnell et al., 2007

3. Chesapeake Bay Fish 3. Chesapeake Bay Fish Under Consumption Under Consumption

WarningsWarnings Approximately Approximately 2323

different species of different species of fish have some fish have some level of fish level of fish consumption consumption advisory in tidal advisory in tidal waterswaters

Main risk drivers Main risk drivers are PCBs, mercury, are PCBs, mercury, and pesticidesand pesticides

From MDE “Fish Facts” brochure 2007

4. Striped Bass 4. Striped Bass AdvisoriesAdvisories

For the commercially and recreationally important For the commercially and recreationally important striped bass, MDE recommends less than one meal striped bass, MDE recommends less than one meal per month for the general population and per month for the general population and no no consumptionconsumption for children when the fish is “trophy” for children when the fish is “trophy” (>28”). PCB contamination is primary risk, mercury (>28”). PCB contamination is primary risk, mercury is secondary risk.is secondary risk.

5. Contaminated 5. Contaminated SedimentSediment

“The aerial extent of observed toxicity and elevated ERMq values were consistently seen in the upper Bay, urban harbor areas, and the major western tributaries.”

NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 47, January, 2007

6. Biomarkers of Toxic 6. Biomarkers of Toxic Effects in Chesapeake BayEffects in Chesapeake Bay

2005 USFWS survey 2005 USFWS survey of Brown Bullhead in of Brown Bullhead in the South River the South River 53% had skin tumors53% had skin tumors 20% had liver tumors20% had liver tumors

Scientists consider Scientists consider areas to be highly areas to be highly contaminated when contaminated when skin tumors rates skin tumors rates are above 12% and are above 12% and liver tumor rates are liver tumor rates are above 5%.above 5%.

7.7. Chemical Impacts to Benthic Chemical Impacts to Benthic IntegrityIntegrity

The condition of the benthos has The condition of the benthos has been considered degraded or been considered degraded or marginally degraded in more than marginally degraded in more than 50% of the Bay50% of the Bay

Biological indices indicate Biological indices indicate detectable impact of contaminants:detectable impact of contaminants:““Diversity and number of species Diversity and number of species declined with increasing chemical declined with increasing chemical concentrations while observed concentrations while observed toxicity increased with increasing toxicity increased with increasing contaminant value.”contaminant value.”

In the most stressed areas, both In the most stressed areas, both biological indices show declinebiological indices show decline

NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 47, January, 2007

8. Potomac River PCB 8. Potomac River PCB TMDL TMDL

Large-scale PCB TMDL Large-scale PCB TMDL for Potomac watershed for Potomac watershed submitted to EPA in submitted to EPA in 20072007

Objective is to ensure Objective is to ensure that the “fish that the “fish consumption” use is consumption” use is protectedprotected

Consent decree initiated Consent decree initiated TMDL developmentTMDL development

9. Emerging Endocrine 9. Emerging Endocrine DisruptionDisruption

““Intersex fish have been Intersex fish have been found in the Potomac found in the Potomac River in Washington, River in Washington, D.C., where scientists D.C., where scientists have discovered have discovered immature eggs in the sex immature eggs in the sex organs of male organs of male smallmouth and smallmouth and largemouth bass.”largemouth bass.”

7 of 13 male largemouth 7 of 13 male largemouth showed feminine showed feminine characteristics, 3 characteristics, 3 contained eggs in 2005 contained eggs in 2005 D.C. samplesD.C. samples

“ “ (Vicki) Blazer (USGS) (Vicki) Blazer (USGS) believes the intersex believes the intersex abnormality cannot be abnormality cannot be blamed on just one blamed on just one pollutant but on several pollutant but on several pollutants acting pollutants acting together … ‘They're not together … ‘They're not just chemicals used by just chemicals used by big industry. They're big industry. They're pharmaceuticals, beauty pharmaceuticals, beauty products that everyone products that everyone uses and discards. uses and discards. They're pesticides and They're pesticides and herbicides used in herbicides used in yards.”yards.”

September 2006

10. Increased Usage of 10. Increased Usage of Agricultural Pesticides Agricultural Pesticides

Projections for Projections for increased corn acreage increased corn acreage in Bay Watershed could in Bay Watershed could mean greater risk from mean greater risk from atrazine and other atrazine and other pesticides used pesticides used intensively on cornintensively on corn

Potential 20-60% Potential 20-60% increase in atrazine increase in atrazine usage (based on 300K-1 usage (based on 300K-1 mill. new acres of corn)mill. new acres of corn)

Chesapeake Bay Program Chesapeake Bay Program PCB StrategyPCB Strategy

Root CauseRoot Cause Ownership/ Ownership/ AuthorityAuthority

Intervention Intervention OpportunityOpportunity

Storm water Storm water contaminated contaminated with PCBswith PCBs

Transformer Transformer owners, owners, property property owners; TSCA, owners; TSCA, RCRARCRA

Find a way to Find a way to accelerate accelerate transformer transformer retrofitsretrofits

CSOsCSOs Municipalities; Municipalities; Brownfields, Brownfields, CERCLACERCLA

Incentivize PCB Incentivize PCB retrofits and retrofits and cleanupscleanups

Atmospheric Atmospheric DepositionDeposition

More data More data neededneeded

More data More data neededneeded

Chesapeake Bay Program Chesapeake Bay Program PAH StrategyPAH Strategy

Root CauseRoot Cause Ownership/ Ownership/ AuthorityAuthority

Intervention Intervention OpportunityOpportunity

Storm water Storm water contaminated contaminated with PAHswith PAHs

property property owners; sealant owners; sealant applicatorsapplicators

Convene sealant Convene sealant industry group; industry group; Ban coal tar Ban coal tar based sealantsbased sealants

Contaminated Contaminated sedimentssediments

CERCLA; COECERCLA; COE Convene focus Convene focus group Region 3 group Region 3 CRCLA CRCLA managersmanagers

AtmosphericAtmospheric More data More data neededneeded

More data More data neededneeded

Agricultural Pesticides Agricultural Pesticides StrategyStrategy

Root CauseRoot Cause Ownership/ Ownership/ AuthorityAuthority

Intervention Intervention OpportunityOpportunity

Farm runoff is Farm runoff is contaminated contaminated with herbicides with herbicides and insecticidesand insecticides

Farm owners; Farm owners; USDAUSDA

Determine most Determine most effective BMPs; effective BMPs; promote new promote new technologytechnology

Groundwater is Groundwater is contaminated contaminated with herbicides with herbicides and insecticidesand insecticides

Farm owners; Farm owners; USDAUSDA

Determine most Determine most effective BMPs; effective BMPs; promote new promote new technologytechnology

Endocrine Disrupting Endocrine Disrupting Compounds StrategyCompounds Strategy

In early 2008 the Bay Program will In early 2008 the Bay Program will conduct a STAC-sponsored conduct a STAC-sponsored workshop to determine our level of workshop to determine our level of understanding of the fate of EDCs in understanding of the fate of EDCs in ENR wastewater systems.ENR wastewater systems.

Concurrently, we should promote Concurrently, we should promote proper disposal of pharmaceuticals.proper disposal of pharmaceuticals.

Toxics Subcommittee Work Toxics Subcommittee Work ItemsItems

Monitoring and Monitoring and AssessmentAssessment New impairment New impairment

indicator for 2008 indicator for 2008 Bay Health ReportBay Health Report

Effort to integrate Effort to integrate chemicals into chemicals into UMCES Report UMCES Report CardCard

Stormwater Stormwater monitoring in monitoring in progressprogress

Communication and Communication and EducationEducation Third year of training Third year of training

fed facilities on Bay-fed facilities on Bay-Focused EMSFocused EMS

New web site for Hg New web site for Hg modeling workshopmodeling workshop

Toxics Today Toxics Today NewsletterNewsletter

New Toxics New Toxics Characterization in 07-Characterization in 07-0808

Toxics Subcommittee Work Toxics Subcommittee Work ItemsItems

Implementation IdeasImplementation Ideas Continue EMS training and promote Chesapeake Continue EMS training and promote Chesapeake

Regional Challenge within Performance TrackRegional Challenge within Performance Track Partner with agricultural community to promote Partner with agricultural community to promote

BMPs that keep agricultural chemicals on the BMPs that keep agricultural chemicals on the landland Require farm management plans for herbicides and Require farm management plans for herbicides and

insecticidesinsecticides Push for outcomes related to reducing toxics Push for outcomes related to reducing toxics

loads:loads: Innovative PCB transformer retrofit programInnovative PCB transformer retrofit program Coal-tar sealant banCoal-tar sealant ban

Issues Related to the Issues Related to the Impact of Toxic Chemicals Impact of Toxic Chemicals

in Chesapeake Bayin Chesapeake BayConclusionConclusion

Toxic chemical impacts in Chesapeake Bay are Toxic chemical impacts in Chesapeake Bay are similar to nutrient impacts in that the current similar to nutrient impacts in that the current regulatory requirements alone can not regulatory requirements alone can not adequately protect living resources and adequately protect living resources and humans.humans.

A combination of regulations and voluntary A combination of regulations and voluntary initiatives are needed to improve conditions.initiatives are needed to improve conditions.

The Bay Program reorganization should The Bay Program reorganization should maintain a structure to allow an appropriate maintain a structure to allow an appropriate balance of targeting resources to toxics in balance of targeting resources to toxics in addition to nutrients.addition to nutrients.