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Newly Found Impairments Chesapeake Bay Protection and the Ethical Need to Improve Our Local Environment

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?.

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Newly Found Impairments Chesapeake Bay Protection and the Ethical Need to Improve Our Local Environment

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  1. Newly Found ImpairmentsChesapeake Bay Protection and the Ethical Need to Improve Our Local Environment

  2. Some Background

  3. Ecologically We Live in a Watershed Blackwater/Ivy Creek Watershed

  4. What do we do? • Manipulate the Natural Environment to Build the Human Environment

  5. How we Behave? With General Disregard for Natural Resources

  6. And Solutions to Environmental Problems driven mostly by Economics Combined Sewer Overflow

  7. With Out of Sight out of Mind Operational Policy Sewage Overflows in Remote Places

  8. And Inadequate Engineering and Construction Practices Even in front of us we ignore the obvious threats to the environment.

  9. Into Ecosystem Wide Problems Extreme Siltation and Pollution of a Resource

  10. To Fundamentally Change Our Environment

  11. Alter Stream Channels

  12. And Pollute with Every Rain Fall

  13. Newly Found Impairments

  14. 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

  15. What would we Expect? Impaired area in rivers and streams increased from 10,543 miles in 2008 to 12,103 miles in 2010

  16. 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.

  17. 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

  18. What Did We Expect? • All of our Stream are Impaired. • We really don’t have time/resources to help you with this problem until 2022. • In 2022 we will start the TMDL 5-10 year process only putting resources toward identification • When we finish you will need to implement solutions

  19. Chesapeake Bay Protection

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. 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.

  23. 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.

  24. Ethical Need to Improve Our Local Environment

  25. 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

  26. What is Clearly Our Reality? What we Think vs What is Real

  27. 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.

  28. 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

  29. Steps to an Ethical Revival • Recognize and Accept the Damage Has Been Done by us and Entities that Create Problems are Least Equipped to Fix them. • Recognize and Accept the Nature to Destroy • Demand that Preservation and Restoration must now be Greater than Taxation and Profit • Activate this Philosophy throughout the Community • Never Give Up and Thank Those Who Work!

  30. What We are Trying to Do - Work of The Center for Water Quality • Emphasize Connections to the Land and Deemphasize Government Solutions • Expand Watershed Planning to Adjacent Watersheds • Continued Research in the Watershed • Document Levels of Degradation • Stream Protection, Restoration and Mitigation

  31. Citizens for a Clean Lynchburg Thank You For the Work You Do

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