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News Release 424
DEPARTMENT EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS
ON STREAM USE DUE TO OVERWHELMING PUBLIC RESPONSE
Volume 36-424 |
Contact: Renee Bungart |
(For immediate release) |
573-751-4465 |
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JULY 22, 2008 -- Because of overwhelming public interest concerning the Recreational Use Attainability Analyses, or UAAs, the department has extended the deadline for submitting comments to Aug. 31. The department also will schedule several public meetings across Missouri.
"There has been a great deal of information about this; unfortunately, much of it has been misinformation," said Doyle Childers, director of the Department of Natural Resources. "Oversimplification and misstatements from several groups have caused public alarm that is totally unnecessary."
The department is committed to protecting the public who recreate in our streams while at the same time being careful not to cause small communities or ratepayers to pay higher fees to protect uses that do not exist. With this in mind, there are several key points to consider:
- Discharge of raw sewage is a violation of state and federal statute and will not be allowed. Wastewater must be treated prior to discharge and be sufficient to meet all downstream water quality standards.
- Removal of pollutant controls on bacteria due to removal of the Whole Body Contact Recreation use does not exempt a facility from the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act or Missouri Clean Water Law. The conditions of the facility State Operating Permit must continue to be followed and enforced.
- Where recreational uses such as Whole Body Contact Recreation are removed, sewer agencies and other facilities will still be required to meet federal and state wastewater discharge requirements that protect other applicable designated uses, such as secondary contact recreation, aquatic life protection, livestock and wildlife watering or drinking water supply.
"We are getting letters from people concerned that we will allow raw, untreated sewage into Missouri streams. This is not the case, and it is irresponsible to promote this notion," said Dan Schuette, director of the department's Division of Environmental Quality.
The federal Clean Water Act assigns swimming and fishing uses to all waters of the United States, where the use is attainable. Waters that attain the use must meet bacterial standards. The states are charged with determining attainability.
According to Schuette, the department is doing its job. "We are a resource management agency, and we have to protect the public," he said. "But we also have to ensure that the requirements and standards that we set are necessary. We should not be forcing ratepayers to protect uses that don't exist."
The Use Attainability Analysis protocol, established by the Missouri Clean Water Commission, combines stream depth measurements with interviews and public notification. Based on recent data, the department is currently considering removing the use on 47 streams, less than 1 percent of Missouri's classified streams. These are streams that are typically dry during the summer months, but may contain pools deep enough to support swimming.
"The department recognizes that the public best knows how their local streams are used for recreation," said Childers. "The department encourages those who recreate in these waters, or any water of the state, to let us know."
To review the UAA information available online and submit comments via the stream use survey, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/wqstandards/uaa/uaa_county.htm or by mail to UAA Coordinator, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Water Protection Program, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176.
In 2005, the Missouri Clean Water Commission amended state water quality standards to designate more than 95 percent of classified streams for the Whole Body Contact Recreation use. To ensure that Whole Body Contact Recreation, or swimming, is attainable or existing, the department, at the request of the commission, conducted structured, scientific surveys on a specific group of classified waters. The stream segments selected for a Recreational UAA are typically dry during the summer months but may contain pools deep enough to support a swimming use.
In addition to surveying for swimming use, the department looks for evidence of existing Secondary Contact Recreation uses, such as fishing and wading. The results of the UAA are compiled, reviewed and a recommendation made for new or revised use designations, when appropriate. The new or revised use designation will ensure appropriate bacteria criteria are in place to protect attainable or existing recreational uses.
or more information about the designation process or the department's Water Protection Program, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/index.html or call 573-751-1300 or 800-361-4827. For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.
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