Lynn Langer, Chief, Division of Watershed Protection, opened the meeting and
introductions followed. There was a good representation from all the organizations
and agencies that are part of the NPS management program. Lynn gave a brief
overview of why the group was meeting and what was expected.
New Water Resource Legislation Issues - Stuart Gansell
The current legislation, General Assembly Water Rights Act of 1939 only regulates
surface water supplies. Brochures summarizing water resource issues gathered
through the series of Water Forums were provided to all. Stu then presented
highlights of the proposed Water Resource legislation issues including the following:
More watershed planning at a regional level is needed
Water use/well drilling better planning and standards needed
Critical water planning areas SWPA will be established - via public petition
Update State Water Plan within 3 years of adoption of Act
Update every 5 years
Set up advisory committee
Plans will assure water will be available in future
Voluntary implementation of water use reduction
Water Resources Technical Assistance Center
PennVEST priority funding
Water wells - standards will be set - drilling, sampling, report, water
quality, etc.
Water conservation account - fines and penalty money will be put in here
Goal to protect our PA water resources
Bill will be presented this fall
TMDL implementation strategy - Lynn Langer
Priority funding to 303(d) list TMDL streams (G2 and 319)
Lynn and Glenn will develop a NPS TMDL implementation strategy - new DEP
committee set up
What else needed to help local groups to get streams off 303(d) list
Who outside DEP will help flesh out strategy
Glenn needs to get TMDLs into meaningful numbers
We need help - at least one person from each NPS category - Liaison Committee
Workgroup
Change to Federal TMDL Rule would require an implementation plan
Support EPCAMR and WPCAMR, and watershed restoration coalitions
Citizens volunteer monitoring
Mini-grant League of Women Voters and PACD
3 National Monitoring Sites - Pequea-Mill/Swatara/Stroud
USGS/Canaan Valley Regional curves/FGM process
Getting FY 2003 process
Coordinating with G2 workshops in each DEP region in December
Field tour August 1 and 2 with EPA will include stream restoration sites
in York, Adams and Cumberland Counties
Quad-Region Conference in Delaware in October includes 2 PA speakers - Lititz
Run - Warwick Township and Philadelphia Water Company
319 Fact Sheet being developed
NPS success stories - we need to know these, want to produce a publication
for the public promoting PA's NPS efforts and some NPS-funded projects.
Federal Clean Water Act - 2002 - 30th anniversary - media campaign here
on that?
EPA Perspective - Hank Zygmunt
Congratulated Liaison Committee on developing Management Plan and continuing
with meetings after plan completed
Management Plan approval by EPA - they recognized committee on measuring
milestones in future
EPA will use our management plan to gauge our success ·
What are plans for upcoming year
What milestone priorities in each category and activities
Funding FY02 - EPA instructed to still plan on receiving $7 million for
PA - but will likely be cutbacks later - reductions likely for FY 03 grant
Farm Bill - EPA in support of EQIP - should be more $ to states - TMDL implementation
- critical
Watershed incentives program to protect drinking water
Better way to tie in BMPs and watershed management plans - rationale to
funding BMPs in a plan
AG - phosphorus (P) - PSU research/NRCS nutrient management standards developed
by NRCS
Many states have developed a P (reduction) strategy; PA received a 1 year
extension
CAFO reg. next December will rely on nutrient management standard dev. by
each state CAFO proposed rule received over 12,000 comments, will release
a NODA soon - will include livestock industry information received
Workgroups critical to show program successes not just from 319 money
Link between BMPs - local groups - want to enhance abilities of local group
and connect better with habitat and water quality successes more effective
BMPs
Work Group Break Out Sessions:
Asked to focus on a couple of main issues:
Milestones - method of reporting accomplishments this year, and Challenges /
Resource Needs - whatever the work group felt important.
NPS Success stories are also needed, both for the annual report and for a new
publication. Each workgroup reviewed their Action Plan and gathered the accomplishments
of all the partners. This information was compiled into PA's Annual Report to
EPA for 2001.
Lynn Langer and Doug Brennan gave an update on the Environmental Futures Planning
Process (EFP2) and handed out the Bureau of Watershed Management proposed priority
objectives. Volunteers from each work group agreed to join the TMDL Workgroup.
NPS Liaison workgroup scheduled the 2002 meetings for June 4 and October 22,
in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson State Office Building. Meetings will begin
at 10:00 a.m. and conclude at 2:30 p.m.