SystemThinkers: News Release (Region 4): Public Meeting on Floyds Fork Pollution Control Plan

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

News Release (Region 4): Public Meeting on Floyds Fork Pollution Control Plan

Public Meeting on Floyds Fork Pollution Control Plan

EPA to host Aug. 30 meeting

Contact Information: EPA, Davina Marraccini, (404) 562-8293, marraccini.davina@epa.gov

KDOW, Allison Fleck (502) 564-3410, Allison.Fleck@ky.gov

(Atlanta, Ga. – Aug. 16, 2011) – On Wednesday, August 30, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 will conduct a public meeting to obtain comments from stakeholders on the process of developing a Total Maximum Daily Load for Floyds Fork.

The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. (EDT) in the Eastern High School auditorium. The school is located in the Middletown community of Louisville at 12400 Old Shelbyville Road.

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a term used to describe the amount of pollution a stream can receive and still meet water quality standards. Water quality standards are regulations based on federal or state law that limit pollutants in order to meet the designated use of a given water body (e.g., recreation, water supply, aquatic life, agriculture). TMDLs are required for water bodies that are determined to be impaired. Floyds Fork currently fails to meet state standards for recreation and aquatic life.

EPA recently awarded a contract to Tetra Tech, Inc., to develop a water quality model addressing nutrient pollution within the entire Floyds Fork watershed to the confluence with the Salt River. Technical assistance is being provided by the Kentucky Division of Water.

Water quality protection and restoration is a cooperative process that requires concerted action by citizens, industry and government, said Amy Newbold, Kentucky Watershed Coordinator for EPA Region 4. “Stakeholders provide valuable information about water quality and use. They are the people and groups who live, work and play in the watershed. They are also the people responsible for making or implementing a management action, the people who will be affected by the action and the people who can facilitate its implementation.”

The Kentucky Division of Water (DOW) will also be organizing a stakeholder-driven watershed planning process to build upon the TMDL development efforts. The development of an effective watershed plan will create a mechanism for implementing the TMDL.

“EPA’s efforts on the nutrient TMDL are helpful and timely as we begin working with stakeholders on developing a watershed planning process that integrates the valuable efforts already underway in Floyds Fork,” said DOW Director Sandy Gruzesky.

Members of the public who wish to obtain additional information regarding this public meeting may contact, Amy Newbold at (404) 562-9482 or newbold.amy@epa.gov. For more information regarding EPA's approach to developing the Floyds Fork TMDL, contact Tim Wool at (404) 562-9260 or wool.tim@epa.gov.

Additional information about this meeting can be found online at: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region4.html

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