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<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="83" height="119" style="width:.8645in;height:1.2395in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D787B7.C73BA9E0" alt="DEM-logo-small"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:#00457A">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 |</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">| @RhodeIslandDEM</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Gail Mastrati, 401-255-6144<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Monday, August 2, 2021
</span><a href="mailto:gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><a name="_Hlk501437073"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM ISSUES DRAFT TMDL AND OPENS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD<br>
<i>Draft Restoration Plan Addresses Biodiversity, Metals, and Dissolved Oxygen in Buckeye Brook and Tributaries to Warwick Pond</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437073"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:2.7pt"><a name="_Hlk501437051"><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">PR<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">OVI</span>DEN<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">C</span>E<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">
</span>–<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">T</span>he<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">
</span>D<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">e</span>pa<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">r</span>tm<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">e</span>nt<span style="letter-spacing:-.5pt">
</span>of<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>Env<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">i</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">r</span>onm<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">e</span>ntal<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt">
</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">M</span>anag<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">e</span>m<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">e</span>nt<span style="letter-spacing:-.45pt">
</span>(<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">D</span>E<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">M</span>) is soliciting comments on a draft total maximum daily load (TMDL) study. Buckeye Brook and Tributaries to Warwick Pond were the subject of a focused study to determine
the factors impairing the biodiversity, specifically the benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM’s Office of Water Resources undertook a study beginning in 2008 to characterize the geographic extent and severity of impacts to the benthic
macroinvertebrate community and to identify potential causes or stressors contributing to the impairment. A combination of stressors was found:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Dry and wet weather violations of ambient water quality criteria for various metals (total iron and dissolved
copper, lead, and cadmium) and dissolved oxygen; <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Extensive growth of iron fixing bacteria on stream substrates downstream of the TF Green Airport outfalls and
the Truk-Away Landfill; <o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Discharges of propylene glycol from TF Green Airport– since addressed with construction of a propylene glycol
treatment and diversion system at the airport, and;<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Uncontrolled discharge of stormwater and related hydrologic and stream habitat alterations associated with the
highly urbanized watersheds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">A TMDL is a federally mandated water quality restoration study. Waterbodies not meeting
their goals as described in the state’s water quality regulations are placed on the Impaired Waters List under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act to have a TMDL completed. TMDLs identify the maximum amount of pollutant a waterbody can receive while
still meeting water quality standards.</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">This is the second public comment period for the Buckeye Brook and Tributaries to
Warwick Pond biodiversity TMDL. The first public comment period ended May 10, 2018. After review of the 2018 comments, it was determined that significant revisions to the TMDL document were necessary. Revisions have been evaluated and incorporated as needed
into a new draft of the TMDL document.</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">All interested parties are invited to submit written comments on the draft TMDL by September 1, 2021 to Skip Viator at
</span></span><a href="mailto:skip.viator@dem.ri.gov"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">skip.viator@dem.ri.gov</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
or via mail to Skip Viator, DEM, Office of Water Resources, 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908.</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> The public comment period opens on August 2,
2021.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk501437051"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">The draft TMDL is available on-line on DEM’s website at:
</span></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> </span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/quality/restoration-studies/reports.php"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/quality/restoration-studies/reports.php</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/index.php"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">. Follow us on Facebook at
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!cb61j7LudOhu8cvKHXnZGB0x-nz_pgSemh4Hyv2hmXRahnTdhRKTyoJjJ-KAgdjg5bGwH6Vy$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> or on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for timely updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">###</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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