Newly Found Impairments

Chesapeake Bay Protection

and the Ethical Need to

Improve Our Local Environment

Some Background

Ecologically We Live in a Watershed

Blackwater/Ivy Creek Watershed

What do we do?

Manipulate the Natural Environment to Build the Human Environment

How we Behave?

With General Disregard for Natural Resources

And Solutions to Environmental Problems

driven mostly by Economics

Combined Sewer Overflow

With Out of Sight out of Mind Operational Policy

Sewage Overflows in Remote Places

And Inadequate Engineering and

Construction Practices Even in front

of us we ignore the obvious threats to the environment.

Into Ecosystem Wide Problems

Extreme Siltation and Pollution of a Resource

To Fundamentally Change Our Environment

Alter Stream Channels

And Pollute with Every Rain Fall

Newly Found Impairments

EPA must Monitor this. In August 2010 DEQ Issued Draft Water Quality Assessment and Impaired Waters Integrated Report

Driven By: Clean Water Act and the

Virginia Water Quality Monitoring, Information and Restoration Act require state to assess and report on the quality of state waters.

Dec 2010 – Chesapeake Bay TMDL is due

What would we Expect?

Impaired area in rivers and streams increased from 10,543 miles in 2008 to 12,103 miles in 2010

Who do we think is to Blame?

The leading cause of impairment of designated uses in Virginia’s rivers and streams is exceedences of the E. coli bacteria Standard

Agricultural practices appear to be one of the primary sources contributing to the bacteria Standards violations. However, urban runoff, leaking sanitary sewers, urban storm sewers, failing septic tanks, domestic animals and even wildlife can also be significant contributing sources.

Newly Added 2010 Creek Impairment Mile List

TMDL

Ivy Creek Aquatic Life Benthic-Macroinvertebrate Bioassessments 5A 5.22 2010 2020

Burton Creek Aquatic Life Benthic-Macroinvertebrate Bioassessments 5A 3.45 2010 2022

Judith Creek Aquatic Life Benthic-Macroinvertebrate Bioassessments 5A 10.54 2010 2022

Tomahawk Creek Aquatic Life Benthic-Macroinvertebrate Bioassessments 5A 5.89 2010 2022

Blackwater Creek Aquatic Life Benthic-Macroinvertebrate Bioassessments 5A 10.30 2010 2022

What Did We Expect?

1. All of our Stream are Impaired.2. We really don’t have time/resources

to help you with this problem until 2022.

3. In 2022 we will start the TMDL 5-10 year process only putting resources toward identification

4. When we finish you will need to implement solutions

Chesapeake Bay Protection

Chesapeake Bay – Kind of a Mess

Nutrients entering Bay cause excessive algae growth

Excessive algae growth shades water and growth of sea grass or SAV

SAV is critical as absorbers of nutrients, toxins and protective areas for species such as Blue Crabs

Additionally, sediment causes same problems and is at historical highs

So in 1985 to Combat this Problem

Set a 40% reduction in 1985 for year 2000

But by 2000 levels actually increased and new studies insued

EPA asserts that it must develop the Bay TMDL by December 2010 pursuant to the requirements of the Consent Decree entered in the case American Canoe Association et al. v. the United States EPA

TMDL Response Establishment of first in the Chesapeake Bay

watershed cap on nutrient loadsfrom significant point source dischargers.

Established nutrient credit exchange program that has been successful in ensuring orderly and cost-effective upgrades of sewage treatment plants.

Expansion of nutrient management on a wide variety of land uses.

Accelerated and focused agricultural cost-share program, including special emphasis given to “priority practices.”

Consolidated and strengthened stormwater management program

Improved oversight and implementation of local erosion and sediment control and Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act programs

Improved reporting of agricultural best-management programs to ensure full credit is given

Improved reporting of stormwater management practices.

Government Regulation, Expenditures and Nutrient

Focus An investment of over $1.5 billion in

implementing this program over the past five years has enabled the Commonwealth to achieve significant reductions in nutrient loads discharged to the Chesapeake Bay from Virginia’s municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities.

Ethical Need to Improve Our Local

Environment

I believe it will fail again because

No Ethical Responsibility Over reliance on government

solutions and regulation Local autonomy over land use “Land Improvements” are basis of

local tax code

What is Clearly Our Reality?

What we Think vs What is Real

Chief Joseph – Native American

I have carried a heavy load on my back ever since I was a boy. I realized then that we could not hold our own with the white men. We were like deer. They were like grizzly bears. We had small country. Their country was large. We were contented to let things remain as the Great Spirit Chief made them. They were not, and would change the rivers and mountains if they did not suit them.

Environmental Leadership Guidelines

Where there is the absence of clear guidelines on environmental priorities and ecosystem approaches to planning always favor the side of protection

Where there is clear guidance don’t change it to appease those who only profit from that change

Steps to an Ethical Revival

1. Recognize and Accept the Damage Has Been Done by us and Entities that Create Problems are Least Equipped to Fix them.

2. Recognize and Accept the Nature to Destroy

3. Demand that Preservation and Restoration must now be Greater than Taxation and Profit

4. Activate this Philosophy throughout the Community

5. Never Give Up and Thank Those Who Work!

What We are Trying to Do - Work of The Center for

Water Quality1. Emphasize Connections to the Land

and Deemphasize Government Solutions

2. Expand Watershed Planning to Adjacent Watersheds

3. Continued Research in the Watershed

4. Document Levels of Degradation5. Stream Protection, Restoration and

Mitigation

Citizens for a Clean Lynchburg

Thank You For the Work You Do