[Watersheds] DEM Issues Draft Impaired Waters List and Opens Public Comment Period, Hosting May 22 Workshop to Discuss Findings of Statewide Water Quality Assessment and TMDL Prioritization - 5-13-24

Tue May 14 09:00:13 EDT 2024

[DEM-logo-small]
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 | http://www.dem.ri.gov<http://www.dem.ri.gov> | @RhodeIslandDEM

CONTACT:                                                                                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Evan LaCross, 401-799-0100                                                                                           Monday, May 13, 2024
Dem.communications at dem.ri.gov<mailto:Dem.communications at dem.ri.gov>

DEM ISSUES DRAFT IMPAIRED WATERS LIST AND OPENS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, HOSTING MAY 22 WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS FINDINGS OF STATEWIDE WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND TMDL PRIORITIZATION

PROVIDENCE, RI - The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is soliciting comments on the state's Impaired Waters List and will hold a virtual public workshop on Wednesday, May 22 to review statewide water quality findings. Updates to the State's approach to water quality restoration study prioritization will also be presented. Representatives from DEM's Office of Water Resources<https://dem.ri.gov/environmental-protection-bureau/water-resources> (OWR) will describe the state's water quality assessment process, general findings of this assessment including new waterbody impairments added to the Impaired Waters List. The state's priorities under the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Vision 2.0 Strategy<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.epa.gov/tmdl/Vision__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!LqeTHzepgQfOl_utYEyl707mpb6-RuVS6AW2OpXYc3LV-t6V_xrxKfVFjLECBoM87SliEKd6L4vqHfBxmlKkqPM2bWmMkMpG-uK7$ [epa[.]gov]> for completing the federally mandated water quality restoration studies known as total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) will also be discussed.

The virtual public workshop being held on Wednesday, May 22 will present findings of the full statewide assessment of water quality conditions, including the draft Impaired Waters List. Pre-registration is required. All participants will be muted upon joining the meeting. Following a presentation on the assessment results, DEM will receive questions via voice or chat. To ask a question following the workshop presentation, participants should click the "Raise Hand" button on the screen or type into the chat, which will be monitored.

WHAT:               Virtual Public Workshop to Discuss Findings of Statewide Water Quality Assessment
WHEN:               Wednesday, May 22, 3:30 - 5 PM
WHERE:            Microsoft Teams Meeting: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/0785c45e-1be8-423f-9e83-815ab30fd392@52ca6a54-4465-4635-bff3-65d0a8412288__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!LqeTHzepgQfOl_utYEyl707mpb6-RuVS6AW2OpXYc3LV-t6V_xrxKfVFjLECBoM87SliEKd6L4vqHfBxmlKkqPM2bWmMkGdcbt0k$ [events[.]gcc[.]teams[.]microsoft[.]com]
Any individual requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the meeting should contact Colin Millar at (401) 537-4256, or the Department via R.I. Relay 711, at least 7 business days prior to the meeting.

DEM's Office of Water Resources assesses the quality of the state's surface waters by comparing available monitoring data against the state's established water quality criteria to determine whether the waters are suitable for such uses as swimming, fish/shellfish consumption, and aquatic life. The results of this assessment are presented in the state's Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report (Integrated Report), which documents the overall quality of the state's waters. It includes a five-part Integrated List which provides available information on each of the state's lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and estuarine waters. The process of conducting the assessment is documented in the Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology at: https://dem.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur861/files/2023-02/calm24.pdf

As part of the process, DEM identifies those surface waters that do not meet water quality criteria for which a water quality restoration study known as a TMDL is required in accordance with the federal Clean Water Act<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!LqeTHzepgQfOl_utYEyl707mpb6-RuVS6AW2OpXYc3LV-t6V_xrxKfVFjLECBoM87SliEKd6L4vqHfBxmlKkqPM2bWmMkC3F4gee$ [epa[.]gov]> (CWA). These impaired waters are placed on the state's 303(d) List<https://dem.ri.gov/programs/water/publications/303d.php>, named for the CWA section that establishes the requirement (aka Category 5 List), which also establishes a schedule for development of the federally mandated studies. The draft 303(d) List is available for public comment online on DEM's website at: https://dem.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur861/files/2024-05/303d24.pdf

For informational purposes, the full five-part draft Integrated List is also available online on DEM's website at: https://dem.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur861/files/2024-05/irrc1820.pdf

All interested parties are invited to submit written comments on the draft 303(d) List by Monday, June 10 to Colin Millar at colin.millar at dem.ri.gov<mailto:colin.millar at dem.ri.gov> or via mail to Colin Millar, DEM Office of Water Resources, 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908.

The TMDL Vision framework was intended to help foster integration across 303(d) program areas and focus EPA and State efforts to advance the effectiveness of the federal CWA Section 303(d) Program. Beginning in 2024, states and territories will begin implementation of the EPA's 2022 - 2032 Vision for the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Program (referred to as "2022 Vision" or "Vision 2.0"). The draft document for Rhode Island's Vision 2.0 priorities is available here: https://dem.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur861/files/2024-05/tmdl-ri-vision.pdf

All interested parties are invited to provide feedback on the draft Rhode Island's TMDL Vision 2.0 Framework document by Wednesday June 10 to Jane Sawyers at jane.sawyers at dem.ri.gov<mailto:jane.sawyers at dem.ri.gov> or via mail to Jane Sawyers, DEM Office of Water Resources, 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908.

For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit http://www.dem.ri.gov<http://www.dem.ri.gov/>. Follow DEM on Facebook<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!LqeTHzepgQfOl_utYEyl707mpb6-RuVS6AW2OpXYc3LV-t6V_xrxKfVFjLECBoM87SliEKd6L4vqHfBxmlKkqPM2bWmMkCJG8fgU$ [facebook[.]com]>, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates.

###

Evan LaCross, MPA
Programming Services Officer, Public Affairs
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence RI 02908
401-799-0100 (c)
evan.lacross at dem.ri.gov<mailto:evan.lacross at dem.ri.gov> (E); http://www.dem.ri.gov<http://www.dem.ri.gov/> (W)
Follow DEM on Facebook<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM/?fref=ts__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!LqeTHzepgQfOl_utYEyl707mpb6-RuVS6AW2OpXYc3LV-t6V_xrxKfVFjLECBoM87SliEKd6L4vqHfBxmlKkqPM2bWmMkAhy6M2u$ [facebook[.]com]>, on Instagram<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.instagram.com/rhodeisland.dem/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!LqeTHzepgQfOl_utYEyl707mpb6-RuVS6AW2OpXYc3LV-t6V_xrxKfVFjLECBoM87SliEKd6L4vqHfBxmlKkqPM2bWmMkPx6k1jK$ [instagram[.]com]>, and on Twitter<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://twitter.com/RhodeIslandDEM__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!LqeTHzepgQfOl_utYEyl707mpb6-RuVS6AW2OpXYc3LV-t6V_xrxKfVFjLECBoM87SliEKd6L4vqHfBxmlKkqPM2bWmMkFpdUsHX$ [twitter[.]com]>.
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