Status Report:Chesapeake BayTMDL Clean Up

Plan

Presented to Potomac Roundtableby Jack E. Frye

April 9, 2010

Where we are in the Water Quality Process

• Establish Water Quality Standards to protect uses

• Monitor waters and assess data

• Place Impaired Waters on 303(d) List due to violations of Standards [Bay listed for N, P, Dissolved Oxygen in 1998]

• Develop TMDL [Total Maximum Daily Load] = Total Pollutant limit assigned to point and nonpoint sources

• Develop TMDL Implementation Plan that shows how each source sector will meet its load caps

• Implement TMDL Plan(s)

• Remove Waters from 303(d) List when monitoring shows Water Quality Standards achieved

High nutrient and sediment loads in the Chesapeake Bay are resulting in low oxygen, cloudy water, algae blooms, and impacts to commercial and recreational fishing, tourism, and property values

3

Agreements by State Governors and EPA

• 2000 Chesapeake Bay Agreement– Set nutrient caps to clean Bay– Delist Bay by 2010 to avoid TMDL

• Progress made, but not enough– VA reductions: about 2/3 toward nutrient caps

• Interstate waters, so EPA does TMDL• VA Consent Decree sets the Bay TMDL deadline

- must be done by May 2011 although current agreement is to complete by end of 2010

Pre-TMDL VA Progress

• We have already achieved some reductions in wastewater and agriculture sectors

• Wastewater progress based on watershed general permit for major dischargers, and WQIF funding [~$1.5 billion in state & local funds]

• Agriculture progress based on $12 million per year to Bay SWCDs FY08-10, targeting cost-effective BMPs, coordination with federal programs, revised Nutrient Mgt. regulations, MOA to reduce P content of poultry litter and voluntary poultry waste transfer program

Virginia Nitrogen LoadsVirginia Nitrogen Loads[million lbs/yr]

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1985 2002 2008 TS E3

WorkingTargetLoad –59.22 MPYfor Bay TMDLsEXPECTEDTOCHANGE!!

TS – VA Tributary Strategy issued in 2005E3 – Theoretical maximum reductions

Virginia Phosphorus LoadsVirginia Phosphorus Loads[million lbs/yr]

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1985 2002 2008 TS E3

WorkingTargetLoad –7.05 MPY for BayTMDLsEXPECTEDTOCHANGE!!

TS – VA Tributary Strategy issued in 2005E3 – Theoretical maximum reductions

Chesapeake Bay TMDL

• EPA sets pollution diet to meet states’ Bay clean water standards

• Caps on nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment loads for all 6 Bay watershed states and DC

• States allocate loads to point and non-point sources so not exceed TMDL cap [i.e., diet]

8

State Target Loads [as of Oct. 2009]

State2008Load

TributaryStrategy

Target Load

DC 3.54 2.12 2.37

DE 9.91 6.43 5.25

MD 58.00 42.37 41.04

NY 16.71 8.68 10.54

PA 114.40 73.48 73.64

VA 72.82 56.75 59.21

WV 7.77 5.93 5.71

Total 283.15 195.75 197.76

State2008Load

TributaryStrategy

TargetLoad

DC 0.14 0.10 0.13

DE 0.34 0.25 0.28

MD 3.10 2.54 3.04

NY 0.83 0.56 0.56

PA 3.99 3.10 3.16

VA 7.18 6.41 7.05

WV 0.70 0.43 0.62

Total 16.28 13.39 14.84

Nitrogen Phosphorus

All loads are in millions of pounds per year

NOTE: Expect target loads to change in April, with possible lower [more stringent] VA target loads

Watershed Implementation Plans

• EPA expects States to develop Plans that provide roadmap of how TMDL will be achieved and maintained

• Challenge is for States to equitably allocate loads to source sectors, such as:

• Wastewater: municipal and industrial• Agriculture: CAFOs and unregulated Ag• Storm Water: construction permits, MS4s, non-MS4 developed land• On-site septic systems: retrofits, new systems, connection• Forestry

• Some sectors are regulated, some are not• All sectors very concerned over impact TMDL

allocations will have on their future activities

Schedule for Bay TMDL ProcessMajor basinjurisdictionloading targets

Oct 2009

2-yearmilestones, reporting, modeling, monitoring

Starting 2011

Divide Target Loads among Watersheds,Counties, Sources

Phase 1 Watershed Implementation Plans: Prelim by June 1; Draft by August 1, 2010

Final TMDL Established by EPA

PublicReviewAndComment

August-October

2010

December 2010

Program Capacity/Gap

Evaluation

Bay TMDL Public Meetings

November-December

2009

Phase 2 Watershed

Implementation Plans: Jan – Nov

2011

EPA’s Approach to Ensuring Results

Employs Federal Actions or Consequences if Progress unacceptable

States Develop Watershed

Implementation Plans

EPAEstablishes Bay TMDL:

States Set 2-YearMilestones

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Monitor Progress

Virginia TMDL Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG)

Membership• Formed under previous administration• 36 members representing agriculture, wastewater,

developed and developing lands, forest, local and federal government, NGOs, seafood industry and consultants

Charge• Provide for a transparent process, a forum for open

discussion, advice on pollutant load reductions by sector and on the ability of current, expanded, and new programs to achieve needed pollution reductions

SAG has met twice, primarily for information exchange

Schedule for Developing Phase I Watershed Implementation Plans

• Nov. 4, 2009 – EPA guidance issued• Dec. 17, 2009 – 1st meeting of SAG• Feb. 26, 2010 – 2nd meeting of SAG; discuss prelim. source

sector working targets• April 30, 2010 – CBP agreement on draft nutrient and

sediment target loads – PSC Meeting• April/May 2010 – (4/15) meetings of SAG; finalize draft

source sector working targets & discuss prelim WIP• June 1, 2010 - Submit preliminary Phase I WIP to EPA• July 2010 – 5th meeting of SAG; discuss draft WIP• August 1, 2010 – Submit draft Phase 1 WIP to EPA• Nov. 1, 2010 – Submit FINAL Phase I WIP to EPA

Bay Principals’ Staff Committee

• Members from Bay states [cabinet secretaries and agency directors], CBC Chair, EPA Regional Administrator and other federal representatives

• Next Meeting April 29-30 in Lancaster, PA• Meeting Topics:

– Revised N and P target loads and draft sediment and air deposition target loads for discussion and adoption

– Update on Executive Order strategy for release in May– Plan for May meeting of Executive Council

So what about those Virginia Stormwater Management

Program Regulations?

A brief overview

It’s a nuisance

Stormwater what’s so important about that?

Stormwater Management Pre-2004

• Administered by three state agencies and four citizen boards

– DCR, DEQ, and Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department (formerly)– Soil and Water Conservation Board– Board of Conservation and Recreation– Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Board– State Water Control Board

• House Bill 1177 (2004) created the VA Stormwater Management Program (VSMP), which consolidated stormwater management in DCR and the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board, with the concept of ultimately authorizing localities to administer construction stormwater management programs. – Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and MS4 localities required to

adopt; others may opt-in or DCR will operate.

Stormwater Timeline

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

HB 1177(VSMP)

DCR starts regulatory

action

First TAC

Second TAC

Published regulations and first public comment period

Revised regulations and second public comment

period

Final regulations, signed by Governor

Stormwater Timeline

2009 2010 2011

Published regulations and first public comment period

Revised regulations and second public comment period

Final regulations, signed by Governor

Suspension of Final regulations

Public comment period

TMDL HB 1220

Sep? Dec?

Start finalizing regulations?

Regs effective

What do amendments to the regulations need to address?

• Water quality improvements: Addressing stormwater management is a key component (along with impacts from agriculture, point sources, and air deposition- informed by Bay TMDL) to improving water quality in Virginia’s rivers, streams, lakes, and Chesapeake Bay.

• Water quantity: Today’s standards still result in significant flooding and channel erosion.

• Operation of a local stormwater management program: Operated by a locality (“qualifying local program”) or DCR.

• Fee levels: That will provide sufficient funding for local stormwater management programs and DCR oversight.

Water Quality Standard• What we do now

– Total phosphorus (TP) as keystone

– Most sites meet average land cover condition (0.45 lbs/acre/year)

– Redevelopment requires 10% phosphorus reduction

• What was proposed– TP basis for compliance– 0.45 lbs/acre/year for Bay

watershed but subject to change based on Chesapeake Bay TMDL

– 0.45 lbs/acre/year for non-Bay areas and sites <1 acre in Bay watershed

– Redevelopment 10% P reduction on sites <1 acre, 20% P reduction on sites > 1 acre

– UDA qualified local programs must establish standards between 0.28 and 0.45

Items that were included

• Stormwater BMP Choices• Treating Impervious Cover & Managed Turf

Areas• Offsite compliance• Inspections/Maintenance• Grandfathering• Spreadsheet Compliance Tool• Establishment of Locality-Administered

Stormwater Management Programs (Section III)• Revision to the Stormwater Fees (Part XIII)

New Stormwater BMP Paradigm

• How do we address the current stormwater regulations?– Blue Book method unless

locality is more restrictive

• How should we address the stormwater regulations in the future?– Do not: design a site and try to

(retro-)fit/shoehorn stormwater management in after-the-fact

– Use site design, conventional BMPs (revised Blue Book), BMP Clearinghouse, and Run-off Reduction Techniques

– Use of “treatment train”– BMP performance = Runoff

reduction + Pollutant removal

• What is proposed– Runoff Reduction– Use of all the new and

standard tools (including spreadsheet tool).

– Localities have other options if they can demonstrate to the Board that these tools are equivalent.

– Be innovative!

New Stormwater BMP Paradigm

Green Roof

Pervious Parking Bioretention

Rainwater Re-Use

Road to Final Regulations

• HB 1220 requires that new regulations become effective 280 days after publication of Final TMDL or no later then Dec. 1 2011

• TMDL will require addressing Nitrogen and Sediment in addition to Phosphorus

• DCR may be required to adjust the Regulations and Run-off Reduction Spreadsheet to address TMDL requirements (new TAC?) including Nitrogen and Sediment reduction requirements.

For More Info:

Visit the DCR website: See the Stormwater Parts 1,2,3, and 13

tab at: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/lawregs.shtml

or contact

Jan-W. Briedé, Ph.D.Stormwater Outreach ManagerDepartment of Conservation and recreation208 Governor Street, Suite 206Richmond, VA 23219804.371.7486Jan.briede@dcr.virginia.gov