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November — December, 2002
Volume 1, Issue 1
Welcome
to the first issue of Tributary Times, our online newsletter about
Delaware's Tributary Action Teams and their activities that will
be coming to your inbox six times a year. In this issue we're introducing
ourselves to you, and telling you something about our backgrounds.
We've also got some news items that we'd like you to know about,
and would also like to invite you to join the Team that's working
in your part of the State.
Most
of the items you see on this page are linked to more detailed information,
either on our site or at another Internet resource. Please feel
free to link to those articles, and then come back here to learn
more!
If you
like what you see, why not invite your family, friends, and neighbors
to visit our site and sign up for their own copy? The more we help
build awareness of the condition of our waterways and their challenges,
the sooner we'll be able to make all of Delaware's water as clean
as it can be.
Delaware's
Tributary Action Teams, A Background — Delaware's Tributary
Action Teams were formed to make it possible for any interested
individual, business, educational institution, and government
agency representative to take part in the process of reducing
pollution in our State's waterways. Team activities include learning
about our watersheds, the risks they face, and how we can mitigate
those risks to meet the provisions of the United States government's
Clean Water Act (CWA).
With this information in hand, the Teams develop Pollution Control
Strategies to bring our waterways into full compliance.
Statewide News
DNREC
Invites Public Comment on Motiva Temporary Operating Permit
— DNREC is sponsoring a public comment session
on November 25 concerning the Motiva Delaware City
refinery's temporary operating permit. On October 19, acid-contaminated
water entered the plant's steam generators and seriously
damaged four of the boilers. The steam is used to power
many operations and production was drastically reduced.
To prevent the adverse environmental consequences of shutting
down the entire refinery, Motiva installed four portable package
boilers. DNREC issued a 90-day operating permit, during
which Motiva cannot exceed current emissions and is required to
perform strict monitoring and reporting. We invite you to
come to the public comment session November 25 to express your
opinions or concerns regarding this temporary permit. The
meeting is scheduled for 6:00 pm at the DNREC office, 391
Lukens Drive, New Castle, Delaware.
Save
This Date! --- DNREC's Watershed Assessment Section
will host the First Annual Delaware Tributary Action Team Conference
on Saturday, March 8, 2003! We invite you to come to the Virden
Center at the University of Delaware Graduate College of Marine
Studies in Lewes to learn more about the activities of our Tributary
Action Teams. We're planning to include a watershed expert who
will discuss general watershed management as well as address
your questions on more specific topics. More information will
be coming soon about this FREE conference,
so mark your calendars!
Include
Your Organization's Events in Our Calendar —
If your organizations is working on issues that involve water
and watershed quality in Delaware, we would like to invite you
to include your meetings and events in our calendar. Please
e-mail event date, time, location, and purpose to gaelwolf@gaelwolf.com with
contact information for your organization.
Appoquinimink
Tributary Action Team
A Little History — The Appoquinimink Team involves schools,
local, and state
governments, private companies, farmers and residents in a
quest for nutrient reductions in the Appoquinimink watershed.
What unique strategies will they develop next?
DNREC
Passes TMDL Responsibility to EPA — DNREC recently
shared Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) responsibility for the
Appoquinimink watershed with the Federal Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), in accordance with a July 25, 1997 Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) between DNREC and the EPA.
The MOU says that if the State needs assistance with implementing
TMDLs, it can ask the EPA to complete the TMDL requirements.
Using this approach, we can ensure that the watershed will have
effective TMDLs in place. DNREC decided to take this
action as a way to share the workload and costs of establishing
TMDLs. DNREC is faced with establishing TMDLs for most of Delaware's
waters by the end of 2006. With no intention of withdrawing
support from the Tributary Action Teams in any watershed, DNREC
remains actively engaged in developing Pollution Control Strategies
to meet the existing 1998 TMDLs, as well as future TMDLs for
the Appoquinimink that will be established by the EPA.
Inland
Bays Tributary Action Team
A Little History —
The Center for Inland Bays started Tributary Action Teams for
its sub-watersheds in 1998. We've come a long way since
then, and have a long way to go.
Inland
Bays Alternative Septic System Plan to Begin —
The Inland Bays Tributary Action Team has worked out a plan
with DNREC's Ground
Water Discharges Section to pump and inspect septic systems
that have not had maintenance during the past two years.
The program teaches owners about proper system-specific maintenance
and nutrient runoff issues as part of the effort to reduce nutrient
loading in the watershed. This cost-sharing program pays
half of the money needed for the pumping and inspection with
the assistance of Federal Coastal Nonpoint Source grants.
The owner receives a copy of the inspection report and a plot
plan of the septic system with information concerning the system's
capabilities. Assisting the system owners through this
process provides education about individual human impacts on
the Inland Bays while helping reduce the watershed's overall
nutrient loading. For more information, please
contact Brian Dotterer at (302) 856-4561.
Murderkill
Tributary Action Team
A Little History — As the youngest Tributary Action Team,
the Murderkill Team is using the experiences of their peers
to help speed development of their Pollution Control Strategy. Their
greatest challenge still lies ahead: raising awareness
of the region's residents on issues facing the watershed.
Kent County Wastewater Treatment Plant
— The Kent County Wastewater Treatment Plant is continuously
improving, taking advantage of new technologies to meet increasingly
stringent operating permit standards.
Nanticoke
Tributary Action Team
A Little History — Working with Delaware's largest watershed,
the Nanticoke Team faces many challenges. With a mission
of being fair and equitable while considering both individual
rights and the public good, they are working to clearly articulate
the purpose of their Pollution Control Strategy.
Nanticoke
Wildlife Area Additions — DNREC recently purchased
636 acres of upland forests from The
Nature Conservancy (TNC) in the Nanticoke watershed near Woodland
in Sussex County. This acquisition is contiguous to the
3,425 acre Nanticoke Wildlife Area, which is managed by the
Division of Fish and Wildlife.
The property is across the river from 450 acres of forest that
TNC helped the Division acquire in 1998. Although some of
the area has been used for timber harvests in the past, the tract
will now be allowed to regenerate its native species, including
oak and hickory. Endangered habitats, such as the Atlantic
White Cedar swamp forest also come under protection with this
purchase. Part of Delaware's Open Space Plan, this preservation
improves water quality and protects the biological function of
the river and surrounding forest lands. The area is known
for its migratory birds, exceptional ecosystem diversity, and
recreational beauty. Many people use the Nanticoke for its
canoeing, fishing and boating opportunities. For more information, please
contact Phil Carpenter at (302) 739-5296.
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