1615 Public informational meetings on draft Pennsylvania's Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program 1998 update; Unified Watershed Assessment; Watershed Restoration Assistance Program

Public Informational Meetings on Draft Pennsylvania's Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program 1998 Update; Unified Watershed Assessment; Watershed Restoration Assistance Program

[28 Pa.B. 4988]

   By this notice, the Department of Environmental Protection (Department), Bureau of Watershed Conservation is requesting public comments and suggestions on the Unified Watershed Assessment and the draft Pennsylvania Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program 1998 Update. The Department will hold six public meetings to provide information and an opportunity for public comment on: the Draft Pennsylvania's Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program 1998 Update; the Unified Watershed Assessment; and the Watershed Restoration Assistance Program. No formal record of questions or comments will be kept at these meetings. The meetings will be held as follows:

Date	Time	Location
October 13, 1998	7 p.m.	DEP Northwest Regional    Office 230 Chestnut Street Meadville, PA
October 15, 1998	7 p.m.	Four Points Hotel (hilltop opposite Westmoreland Mall) 100 Sheraton Drive, off Route 30 Greensburg, PA
October 21, 1998	6 p.m.	DEP Southeast Regional    Office Lee Park, 555 North Lane Conshohocken, PA
October 27, 1998	7 p.m.	DEP Northeast Regional    Office Two Public Square Wilkes Barre, PA
October 28, 1998	7 p.m.	DEP Southcentral Regional    Office 909 Elmerton Avenue Harrisburg, PA
October 29, 1998	7 p.m.	DEP Northcentral Regional    Office 208 North Third Street Williamsport, PA

*  Unified Watershed Assessment

   The Commonwealth is coordinating efforts between State environmental agencies and USDA and other agencies to create a unified watershed assessment by October 1998 to identify watersheds needing restoration (Category I), watershed needing preventive action to sustain water quality (Category II), pristine or sensitive watersheds on Federal or State lands (Category III) and watersheds with insufficient data to make an assessment (Category IV) see Pennsylvania Bulletin Notice dated August 15, 1998.

   The Commonwealth will focus on identifying priority watersheds in all four categories. Our priority setting process will consider all available information presented with emphasis on extent of impairment, agency support and local interest and participation. The public participation process will provide an opportunity to consider public comments and recommendations and additional priority setting methods and data.

*  Watershed Restoration Assistance Program

   The purpose of the grants program during 1998 is mainly to address nonpoint source pollution issues on a watershed basis and to demonstrate effective techniques for achieving program goals and objectives. With this in mind, the WRAP Grants have an overall goal of providing funds for locally managed watershed planning as well as remediation and protection activities. They will also provide incentives and support for communities undertaking these efforts in Pennsylvania watersheds.

*  Nonpoint Source Management Program 1998 Update

   The Pennsylvania Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program 1998 Update (the 1998 Update) outlines the Commonwealth's projected plan to address nonpoint source pollution over the next 4 years and beyond. This upgrades Pennsylvania's Nonpoint Source Management Program approved by the EPA in 1992 in compliance with section 319(b) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) as amended by P. L. 100-4 on February 4, 1987. As specified in the Clean Water Action Plan, beginning in FY2000, new incremental funds for nonpoint source pollution will be awarded only to states with EPA-approved upgraded management plans that are consistent with the EPA's nine key elements for an effective nonpoint source management program.

   Pennsylvania's NPS Management Program incorporates the EPA's nine key elements in a comprehensive Statewide plan to control, prevent and remediate nonpoint sources of polluted runoff. Point source pollution or pollution that comes out of a pipe is regulated by permits. Nonpoint source pollution or ''polluted runoff'' washes off parking lots, fields and other surfaces into our streams. The 303(d) List of Impaired Waters indicates that abandoned mine drainage and agricultural runoff are the two leading sources of nonpoint source pollution in this Commonwealth. Other sources of polluted runoff that have been identified in this Commonwealth and have been approved by the EPA as eligible for 319 funding include: construction/urban runoff, hydrologic and habitat modifications, land disposal (onlot wastewater systems) and silviculture.

   In 1997 the Commonwealth developed an NPS Strategy with specific goals to establish flexible, targeted and iterative approaches to achieve and maintain beneficial uses of the waters of the Commonwealth. This plan includes a mix of water quality based and technology based programs and a mix of regulatory, nonregulatory, financial and technical assistance programs needed to achieve and maintain beneficial uses of surface and groundwater as expeditiously as possible. These programs are further explained in this 1998 Update to the NPS Management Program.

   The 1998 Update follows Pennsylvania's 1992 NPS Management Program in its structure. Section I outlines broad-based institutionalized Statewide programs which address specific nonpoint pollution categories. Section II describes Pennsylvania's NPS assessment and monitoring including information on the Commonwealth's three National monitoring projects. Section III covers specific programs which address nonpoint source pollution at a watershed level. Section IV is an overview of the Commonwealth's consistency with the EPA's nine key elements of an effective NPS program, including funding, Federal consistency and public participation. Section V contains the Commonwealth's strategy for program implementation which includes environmental measures and indicators of progress and success and the action plans to address NPS challenges by category.

   The updating process began with a survey questionnaire and the 1995 Statewide NPS Conference ''Local Solutions to Pennsylvania's Pollution.'' In 1997, the NPS Liaison Workgroup was convened to provide input into Pennsylvania's NPS Management Program. A 45-day public comment period will begin on October 3 and close on November 16, 1998. The Department invites comments from all interested and affected parties, including State, Federal and local agencies; the business community; not-for-profit and environmental organizations; and individuals. The comments and suggestions generated through this public review process will be carefully considered in finalizing program revisions and utilized to strengthen its effectiveness and viability. The draft Pennsylvania Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program 1998 Update is available on the Department web site at http://www.dep.state.pa.us (choose Subjects/Water Management/Bureau of Watershed Conservation/Nonpoint Source Management). To obtain a hard copy, call the Division of Watershed Support at [phone] or write to Michael D. Sherman, Chief, Division of Watershed Support, P. O. Box 8555, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8555. TDD users may contact Michael Sherman through the Pennsylvania Relay Service [phone]. Persons interested in submitting written comments on the draft of the 1998 Update should send the comments to Michael Sherman at the above address by the close of business on November 16, 1998. Comments may also be submitted electronically by November 16, 1998 to Michael Sherman in care of Glenda Ferree at [e-mail].

JAMES M. SEIF,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 98-1615. Filed for public inspection October 2, 1998, 9:00 a.m.]