Green Water or Clean Water?

Betsy LawtonMidwest Environmental Advocates

Cladophora, Lake Michigan

Barnum Bay, Lake Petenwell August 2008

Algae Bloom – Wolske Bay 2009

Lake Nokomis (Rice Reservoir) September 2009

Freshwater Impacts

http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/bluegreenalgae/BlueGreenAdvisorySign.pdf

Recreational Uses Cyanobacteria/Blue-

Green Algae Beach Closures Nuisance Algae Unpleasant Odor

Fish and Aquatic Life Low DO/fish kills

Drinking Water Supplies Taste and odor problems High costs for treatment

Economy Fishing and tourism

industry Housing values

Sources & Current ControlsPoint Sources Industrial and

Municipal Wastewater WPDES Water

Pollution Permits 1 mg/L Phosphorus No Water Quality

Related Phosphorus or Nitrogen Limits

Nonpoint Sources Urban and Agricultural

runoff Wis. Admin Code Ch.

NR 151 Agricultural Performance Standards

Cost Share requirements

Numeric Nutrient Criteria“Numeric nutrient water quality standards will drive

water quality assessments and watershed protection management. They will support improved development of nutrient Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). Perhaps most importantly, they will create state- and community developed environmental baselines that allow us to manage more effectively, measure progress, and support broader partnerships based on nutrient trading, Best Management Practices (BMPs), land stewardship, wetlands protection, voluntary collaboration, and urban storm water runoff control strategies . The progress of States and Territories in setting numeric nutrient water quality standards is extremely important to help address nutrient pollution.”

May 25, 2007 Memorandum from Benjamin Grumbles “Nutrient Pollution and Numeric Water Quality Standards”

What Are We Waiting For? 1998: EPA expected criteria

by 2003. 2009: “States have not been

motivated to create these standards because implementing them is costly and often unpopular with various constituencies.”

U.S. EPA, Office of the Inspector Gen., EPA Needs to Accelerate Adoption of Numeric Nutrient Water Quality Standards, No. 09-0223 (Aug. 26, 2009).

http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/nutrient/files/report1998-2008.pdf

Action

EPA Petition Florida Clean

Water Act Citizen Suit EPA Florida

Determination Wisconsin Clean

Water Act NOI

COSTS BENEFITS Treatment Flexibility

Compliance Schedules

Variances TMDL

Tourism Fishing Boating

Property Values Health Benefits

IMPLEMENTATION

Midwest Environmental Advocatesmidwestadvocates.org