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Big River Watershed Group Relevance to Community

Big River Watershed Group Relevance to Community. Government agencies will be doing something in this county soon, based on the recent ASARCO settlement: Make decisions about how lead (metals) will be removed or managed (i.e. - where/how) Plan/Implement Construction Projects

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Big River Watershed Group Relevance to Community

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  1. Big River Watershed GroupRelevance to Community Government agencies will be doing something in this county soon, based on the recent ASARCO settlement: Make decisions about how lead (metals) will be removedor managed (i.e. - where/how) Plan/Implement Construction Projects Suggest/Implement New Regulations and/or Restrictions on Use of Floodplain Resources Address lead-health issues inside/out of floodplain

  2. Big River Watershed GroupRelevance to Community • Agencies have asked for Community Input • Questions & Concerns • Outcomes & Objectives • Local knowledge; Current & Historical • Perspectives • Etc.

  3. Big River Watershed GroupRelevance to Community • Local Impacts to be considered: • Environment: How we deal with contaminants? • Natural Resources: How do we repair damages? • Economics How do the construction projects affect local: • Jobs/contracts? • New/existing recreational amenities? • Commercial operations on River/Floodplain? • Agriculture? • Public Health: How to protect our citizens?

  4. Big River Watershed GroupRelevance to Community Developing a Road Map for Long Term Management of the Watershed • Multiple Administrations • Political • Bureaucratic • Multiple Agency Interests • Multiple Funding Sources/Opportunities

  5. Big River Master Planning Process How did we get here? • U.S. EPA Superfund Actions throughout Old Leadbelt • Six Superfund Designations in St. Francois County • Successful suit against PRP (Potentially Responsible Party) • “ASARCO” - the American Smelting & Refining Company • Significant financial resources awarded in suit for clean-up and repair of natural resource damages throughout nation • $100 MM awarded to MO • $10’s MM designated for use in Old Lead Belt • Trustees: U.S. EPA; U.S. Fish/Wildlife; MO DNR

  6. Big River Master Planning Process How did we get here? • St. Francois County Big River Watershed Group • Formed by MO DNR to address lead load in Big River • Met for several years to address watershed issues • Including Active Stream Team • Helped inform and engage County Commission in Watershed Discussion with the agencies.

  7. Big River Master Planning Process How did we get here? • Commission/Agencies discussed path forward • Contemplated notion of multi-county initiative • Washington, Jefferson & St. Francois County Commissions/Council formed collaborative • Collaborative applied to EPA for funding • Superfund Cooperative Agreement Executed to develop “Master Plan” • Collaborative Issued RFQ for/hired consultant

  8. Big River Master Planning Process How did we get here? • Consultant – URS Corporation, St. Louis • Accomplished in Regional Collaborations • Previous Involvement in SEMO-specific Initiatives • Project Manager is a St. Francois County resident • Hired in December, 2010 by Counties • Scope of Work: • Create and support local Watershed Groups • Facilitate meaningful/thoughtful communications • Create Master Plan

  9. Big River Master Planning Process How did we get here? • URS met with Officials from each County • URS met with each agency – multiple programs • URS worked with each County to secure local leadership/participation for Watershed Groups • URS created a draft Master Plan Outline • Local Group Leaders provided for Watershed Group meeting logistics, outreach and facilitation (tonight)

  10. Big River Master Planning Process What are we going to do? • Create a communications network for the group • You don’t have to be present at meetings to be informed or provide input – Subcommittees may also be contemplated • Review Master Plan Outline (tonight) • Populate, refine and complete the Master Plan • Continuously share input/insights with • Local citizenry, advocacy organizations, industry associations • Elective officials • Agency representatives & officials • Media

  11. Big River Master Planning Process Draft Master Plan Outline • Executive Summary • Watershed Planning – General Issues • Big River Watershed Issues – regulatory, statutory & legal status • Big River Watershed – Defined • Stakeholder Objectives • Institutional Participation • Information/Data Summary • Information/Data Gap Summary (fluid) • Master Planning Process Defined/Memorialized • Assimilation of Plans • Plan & Implementation Schedules • Monitoring/Oversight Summaries, Follow-up, Etc.

  12. 4. Big River Watershed - Defined • Big River & its Tributaries • Physical attributes • Historical, current and anticipated future use • Known & suspected deterioration • Watershed Characterization • Legacy of Mining • Known challenges • Unknown challenges – material carried off site • Other Land Use Issues - downstream • Impacts yet to be determined • 319 Program Assistance

  13. 4. Big River Watershed – Defined (Cont’d) • Jurisdictions • Counties • Communities Legislative & Congressional Districts Local, state and federal agencies • Soil & Water Conservation Districts • Waste Water Treatment/Utility Districts • Etc.

  14. 4. Big River Watershed – Defined (Cont’d) • Stakeholders & Partners • Inhabitants (citizens) of the watershed • County residents • Transient users of the watershed (tourists, sportsman, etc.) • Environmental & Conservation Advocates • Public Health Advocates • Economic Interests • Community/Region Economic Development Organizations • Business Associations and individual commercial operators • Agricultural Associations and farmers • Labor Unions/collaboratives • Jurisdictional Interests • Other…..

  15. 5. Stakeholder Objectives, Perspectives, Etc.? • Healthy river/tributary/watershed eco-system • Mitigate known threat to populations in Big & Meramec Rivers (Mussels, etc.) • Healthy human population • Mitigate threats to citizens from heavy metal concentrations in materials in-stream as well as materials removed from the watershed (soil/gravel/etc.).

  16. 5. Stakeholder Objectives, Perspectives, Etc.? (Cont’d) • Healthy regional community/economy • Increased utility of water resources for recreation • Maximum benefit from plan implementation (planned construction) • Local contractors & labor used on construction projects • Leverage planned construction to support new infrastructure and/or amenities in/about watershed • Commercial Exploitation of Floodplain • Satisfaction of all known regulatory requirements • Creation of new and/or necessary statutory/regulatory controls in support of the Watershed

  17. Contact Information Mike Alesandrini Senior Consultant URS Corporation mike_alesandrini@urscorp.com* 314-753-2416 *Underscore between mike_alesandrini, above

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