Removal of Special Restrictions on Polluted Zone; Spring Creek, Centre County [31 Pa.B. 2995] Since 1982, a section of Spring Creek, Centre County (from the bridge at Oak Hall, located on FAS 871 immediately above Neidig Bothers Limestone Company, downstream to the mouth) has been designated as a ''no-kill zone'' because of mirex (a pesticide) contamination. This stretch was first listed under 58 Pa. Code § 57.9 as a water under special regulations because of harmful substances. Thereafter, the Executive Director, with the Fish and Boat Commission's (Commission) approval, determined that fishing should be prohibited in this portion of Spring Creek under 58 Pa. Code § 65.23 (relating to special restrictions on polluted zones).
Staff from the Commission and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have closely monitored chemical levels in brown trout at various locations in Spring Creek since 1976. Levels of mirex have gradually declined to levels that are now below the United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Action Level of 0.1 mg/kg (ppm). The Interagency Fish Tissue Contaminants Work Group (Work Group), comprised of staff from the Commission, DEP and Department of Health, met and reviewed the most recent data. The Work Group unanimously concluded that the ban on harvest is no longer necessary since the last two samples collected at the Spring Creek Park site and all other sample sites have been below the FDA Action Level for 2 separate years (1998 and 1999).
Accordingly, the Commission is removing the special restrictions on polluted zones for Spring Creek. However, it should be noted that the Commission previously adopted a miscellaneous special regulation under 58 Pa. Code § 65.24 (relating to miscellaneous special regulations) for fisheries management purposes that imposes ''no harvest'' regulations for trout on Spring Creek. Therefore, there will be no change in harvest of trout due to the removal of the special restrictions on polluted zones.
PETER A. COLANGELO,
Executive Director[Pa.B. Doc. No. 01-1002. Filed for public inspection June 8, 2001, 9:00 a.m.]
