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| High Priority Strategic Actions--Repair |
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Governor Kulongoski on the Willamette
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Below are high priority actions needed to improve water quality to a swimable, fishable, drinkable condition throughout the Willamette River Basin.
Action: Fully implement watershed based NPDES permitting in the Willamette and reduce the permit backlog to less than 10%
Benefit: Consideration given to cumulative impacts on the basin, permits will comply with current standards, improved water quality
Funding: Governor’s Recommended Budget (GRB) for 05-07 includes $419,000 GF and $544,000 OF to restore 4 staff in 05 and add 2.5 staff in 06; 07-09 add 1.5 staff in 07, 1.0 staff in 08, cost is $79,000 GF, $103,000 OF
Key Partners: DEQ
Timeline: By 2007 reduce the NPDES permit backlog and fully implement watershed based permitting in the Willamette River Basin. Because of the number of permits in the Willamette there will be a two year cycle for all permits issued in the Basin.
Target: Reduce permit backlog to less than 10% by 2007, fully implement watershed based permitting in the Willamette by 2008.
Action: Finalize and implement the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for the Willamette and its subbasins
Benefit: Improved water quality, compliance with Clean Water Act requirements
Funding: Governor’s Recommended Budget includes funds for implementation ($835,000), 319 grants available to designated management agencies (DMAs), pursue EPA targeted watershed grant for the Willamette in 2005
Key Partners: DEQ with DMAs including cities, state agencies, Willamette Partnership, soil and water conservation districts, local watershed councils, private industry, local landowners
Timeline: DEQ finalizes and issues the TMDL as an Order summer 2005 for most of the basin and submits to EPA for approval, implementation plans from DMAs within 12-18 months of DEQ’s Order, complete phase 2 of the mercury TMDL to update the TMDL in 2010, two remaining TMDLs will be completed for the Molalla-Pudding and Yamhill watersheds in 2006.
Target: By 2007 80% of DMAs have TMDL implementation plans in place and implementation is under way
Action: Investigate the feasibility of point source/non-point source pollution trading system for the basin using DEQ’s new Water Quality Trading Internal Management Directive (January 2005)
Benefit: Faster improvement in water quality associated with non-point source pollution, added growth potential for future municipal and industrial uses
Funding: Seek EPA targeted watershed grant to initiate program
Key Partners: DEQ, industrial and municipal NPDES permit holders, Willamette Partnership, watershed councils, soil and water conservation districts, agriculture and timber interests
Timeline: Establish Willamette Water Quality Trading Work Group in 2005 to identify trade opportunities in the Willamette River Basin
Target: Establish Willamette Water Quality Credit Bank through a temperature trade by December 2006.
Action: Clean up the Portland Harbor Superfund site- EPA has lead role for in-water site investigation and cleanup, DEQ has lead role in identifying and controlling upland sources of contamination to the Harbor
Benefit: Improved water quality, removal from Superfund list, improved economic development opportunities for Portland Harbor
Funding: Costs of clean up unknown until Proposed Plan is developed
in 2007/2008, costs assigned to potentially responsible parties; DEQ, EPA and Lower Willamette Group providing funding for current work
Key Partners: EPA, DEQ, Lower Willamette Group, potentially responsible parties, natural resource trustees, Willamette River Cleanup Authority
Timeline: Remedial Investigation Report 2006, Risk Assessment 2006/2007, Feasibility Study 2007, Proposed Plan/Record of Decision 2007/2008
Target: Timeline for clean up dependent on Record of Decision
Action: Clean up Black Butte Mine
Benefit: Eliminate mercury leaching into Cottage Grove Lake and the Upper Willamette, eliminate or reduce fish consumption advisory days
Funding: Up to $8 million for cleanup involving full removal of material, EPA providing $60,000 to DEQ to complete a removal assessment to evaluate alternative removal options and costs, $1 million request in FFY06 budget to begin clean up
Key Partners: Responsible parties (current, past owners and operators), DEQ
Timeline: Declared an Orphan Site by DEQ in 2002, Removal Assessment to be completed 12/05, cleanup timeline dependent on recommended actions and available funding
Target: Clean up dependent on available funding
Action: Reduce excessive nitrate in groundwater in the Southern Willamette Valley. DEQ declared a Groundwater Management Area for this area in 2004.
Benefit: Improved water quality, reducing public health threats that may currently be impacting private well owners and protection of public water supplies, avoiding expensive treatment options.
Funding: Advisory Committee established (see list of Partners below); DEQ providing 0.5 FTE to staff and participate on workgroup.
Key Partners: DEQ and multiple partners, including: OSU Extension; Lane Council of Governments; ODA; WRD; DHR; DLCD; Benton, Linn and Lane Counties; the cities of Monroe, Harrisburg, Junction City and Coburg; SWCDs, watershed councils, rural residents, farmers; and private industry.
Timeline: Nitrate loading to the groundwater will be reduced within a timeframe established by the Groundwater Management committee.
Target: Rescind the Groundwater Management Area declaration when the groundwater quality is reduced to less than 7.0 milligrams of nitrate per liter.
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