-----Original Message----- From: dep.online@wv.gov , Sent: Wed, Jul 1, 2009 4:42 pm

Subject: DEP Public Notice - Public Input Accepted on Water Quality Standards

The following was sent to you because you are a Member of the DEP Public Notice mailing list. =========================================================== Wednesday, July 1, 2009 @ 4:42 PM ===========================================================

Public Input on Water Quality Standards Accepted Until August 14

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s DEP Water Quality Standards Program is providing an opportunity for the public to submit information and data concerning the agency’s triennial review of the state’s water quality standards.

In response to a request for public input discussed at a public meeting on May 18, the DEP is offering a 45-day public comment period to allow involvement from West Virginia citizens.

All correspondence will need to be received by August 14, 2009, and should be mailed to: West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection ATTN:  Water Quality Standards Program 601 57th Street S.E. Charleston, WV 25304

Comments and information may also be e-mailed to Linda.B.Keller@wv.gov.

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To:  CLEAR=2 0members and friends...........  From: J. B. Kotcon & D. G. Nichols

The Clean Water Act requires states to review and update their water quality standards every three years to incorporate new scientific findings and other emerging issues.  WV-DEP is now taking public comment on their water quality standards, and this is a good opportunity to seek improvements.

Potential rule changes might be to strengthen existing standards for specific pollutants, such as mercury, selenium, coliform bacteria, etc.  This would also be an opportunity to request standards for new pollutants such as TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), as was suggested in a bill introduced in the Legislature this year.  Such a standard would help protect water quality from discharges of brine and drilling fluids from gas wells, or treated or untreated acid mine drainage, bot of which are issues for many rivers and streams in West Virginia (Pennsylvania currently sets their standard at 500 ppm for TDS, but West Virginia does not have a standard at all.)  Another issue is the enforcement and interpretation of the Anti-Degradation Policy.  DEP issued a variance to the policy for the Pond Lick Quarry near Elkins which allowed 100 % of the stream's assimilative capacity for iron and aluminum, a variance directly contrary to the intent of the anti-degradation policy in the rule.

The current version of the rule (47-CSR-2) is available on the WV Secretary of State's web page at: http://www.wvsos.com/csrdocs /worddocs/47-02.doc