Available online at www.crcpo.org 
|
Cuyahoga River RAP-Up |
|
|
Cuyahoga River RAP-Up |
|
To the Cuyahoga River RAP Coordinating Committee
From Kelvin Rogers, OEPA RAP Coordinator kelvin.rogers@epa.state.oh.us 330-963-1117 |
May 2007 |
|
To the Cuyahoga River RAP Coordinating Committee
From Kelvin Rogers, OEPA RAP Coordinator kelvin.rogers@epa.state.oh.us 330-963-1117 |
May 2007 |
GREAT LAKES AREAS OF CONCERN: ACHIEVING RESTORATION TARGETS AND SUSTAINING STEWARDSHIP CONFERENCE
June 28-29, 2007
Hilton Garden Inn
Cleveland, Ohio
Overview
This conference will convene participants from the 30 U.S. Areas of Concern to review recent developments affecting the AOC program; assess the status of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration's AOC recommendations; identify opportunities to expedite progress on key AOC tasks; improve linkages between the AOCs, Lakewide Management Plans and other programs; and consider actions that will strengthen the regional U.S. AOC program.
Agenda Highlights
The following are key topics that will be addressed at the conference:
* Current status and the future direction of the U.S. AOC program
* Great Lakes Legacy Act and contaminated sediment cleanups in the
AOCs
* Progress in establishing restoration targets and delisting the AOCs
* Fish and wildlife restoration efforts in the AOCs
* Fundraising and capacity building for local RAP groups
* Public involvement, communications and advocacy
Who Should Attend
The conference is intended for all stakeholders working to restore environmental quality in the U.S. Areas of Concern, including federal, state and local agency staff; members of local stakeholder groups; elected officials; citizens organizations; contractors and consultants involved in restoration activities; and other parties.
Registration
Registration materials will be distributed in May to members of local stakeholder groups in the U.S. AOCs. They also will be posted online at
www.glc.org/rap/aocconference.
Travel Funding
Funding is available to support participation in the conference from representatives from the U.S. Areas of Concern. The chair of each stakeholder group will be invited to designate one representative who will be eligible for travel funding.
Lodging
Lodging for conference participants is available at the Hilton Garden Inn located at 1100 Carnegie Ave. in downtown Cleveland. Contact the hotel at
216-658-6400 and request a room in the block reserved for the Great Lakes Commission. Rooms are available at a rate of $98.
Sponsors
The conference is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office; the Great Lakes Commission; the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan.
Contacts
For more information, contact Matt Doss, Great Lakes Commission,
734-971-9135, mdoss@glc.org
icepack on March 9, 2007
Ohio EPA Proposes Changes to Ohio Water Quality Certifications Both the U.S. Army Corps
Engineers and Ohio EPA are revising the terms for nationwipermits and the related water quality certifications that regulaactivities that can affect Ohio's water quality. Public input is being requested through May2007. Ohio EPA will hold a public
information session and heaon Monday, May 21, 2007 at 6:30p.m. at the Ohio Department of Transportation Auditorium, 1980East Broad Street, Columbus. The public hearing will end wheall interested parties have had a chance to testify on information related to the conditions for statecertification.
activities these permits affinclude construction, dewaterinboat ramps, cleaning up hazardous and toxic wastcommercial and industrial development, reshaping drditches, mining activities and several others. There are 50 nationwide permits altogethercomplete list can be found in the public notice at the bottom of Ohio EPA's nationwide permitpage (clickable Web address below).
in lowering of water quality of surface waters of the state, including lakes, wetlands anstreams. In order to receive a nationwide permit, the applicanmust demonstrate activities will not violate Ohio's water quality standards or create adverse impacts to water quality as required in the federal CleanWater Act. Anyone who discharges dredged or filinto Ohio waters is required to obtain a Section 401 water quacertification from Ohio EPA and then a Section 404 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers.
generalized to authorizecategories of dredge or fill activities without reviewing individually. Once authorizepermit is valid throughout the country. Ohio EPA evaluates nationwide permits to determinthey meet state water quality standards. The nationwide perremains in effect for 5 years. Ohio EPA inspectors will be
authorized through the certification to oversee ato ensure they are progressing according to terms and conditionin the water quality certification. A draft of the proposed terms and conditions is available for reviewby linking to the main nationwide Web page (link below). Ohio EPA will accept written
comments on the draft section401 certifications through closebusiness May 25. Written comments can be sent to OEPA-DSW, Attention: Permits Processing Unit, P.O. Box 1049Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049. Comments can be e-mailed to: randy.bournique@epa.state.oh.s , or faxed to: (614) 644-2745.
proposals outlined in the Federal Register are available at the Web site listed below or from Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Wate50 West Town Street, Suite 700, Columbus. The same information can be made available at any district office by calling the samnumber. An appointment or document request can be maby calling (614) 644-2001.
OHIO LAKE ERIE COMMISSION AWARDS MORE THAN $38,000 IN GRANTS A total of $38,674awarded to four research prothat will benefit Lake Erie and its environmental and economic resources, according to the OhLake Erie Commission.
Health District will receive $8,700 to design and install distribution sewage treatment system on county-owned propethat will serve as a host site for training installers; sanitarians; and others associated with homsewage disposal systems. New system technologies will be usedto show how local organizations can meet the new regulations recently adopted by the Ohio Department of Health.
The Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization will receive $9,974 for a project to inventory the land use ordinances of the Cuyahoga River watershed. The project will catalogue land use ordinances and related stormwater measures in the region into a central database. This database will help the partnership more effectively project watershed protection in the area.
The U.S. Geological Survey will receive $10,000 for a project to improve the predictability of E.coli levels in lakefront beaches, using Huntington Beach in Bay Village as a model Results of the project will provide for more accurate and timely water quality advisories along the lake for swimmers.
Bowling Green State University will receive $10,000 to research the possible detoxification of heavy metals in Lake Erie sediment, using microbial communities as a new tool.
These quarterly grants are limited to $10,000 or less each and are generally awarded for one year unless the specific nature of the project warrants a longer time period. Small grants may be used as seed money to test the feasibility of larger research projects or to support other small projects. Small grant proposals are reviewed and selected at each quarterly meeting of the Ohio Lake Erie Commission.
The Commission was created to preserve Lake Erie's natural resources, enhance its water quality and promote economic development in the region. The director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources serves as the commission's chairman. Additional members include the directors of the departments of transportation, development, health, agriculture and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The commission oversees the Ohio Lake Erie Protection Fund, which is the source of grant funding. This fund is supported by Ohioans each time they purchase a Lake Erie license plate displaying the Marblehead Lighthouse as designed by Ohio artist Ben Richmond.
DELISTING IMPAIRMENTS TO CUYAHOGA FISH COMMUNITIES
AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THE BRECKSVILLE STATION ROAD (S.R. 82) CANAL DIVERSION DAM
At the April RAP Coordinating Committee meeting it was reported that progress is being made towards modification/removal of the Station Road (S.R. 82) Dam. This dam is the first one located upstream of the mouth of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland. It impacts aquatic communities by restricting fish passage to the southern portion of the area of concern.
The dam is located within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and provides water to the Ohio and Erie Canal that runs through Cleveland Metroparks. The actual dam owner is the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Ohio EPA is taking the lead in facilitating the project and in preparing documents.
Public meetings held in 2005 identified three possible actions for the dam – no action; remove dam/provide water to canal; modify or keep dam while maintaining water in the canal/add recreational/fish passage structures.
The Friends of the Crooked River received $120,000 from an environmental fine from a USEPA enforcement case to pay for background studies of the dam that will allow the drafting of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the project.
First, a historical eligibility determination was conducted by a consultant that determined that the dam is not eligible. Second, a HEC-RAS model was prepared that determined that dam removal would not significantly alter river flows. Third, a preliminary estimate of pump operation costs was prepared by the University of Akron.
The next steps are to prepare a draft EIS over the next year with the process beginning in 2008. The EIS may be possibly approved in 2009. Funding for the final design and construction costs will be pursued in 2008 and 2009 with construction expected to begin in late 2009-2010.
For more information on the project, contact Bill Zawiski, Ohio EPA, at 330-963-1134 or bill.zawiski@epa.state.oh.us .
Upcoming Meetings
Several meetings and events that may be of interest include:
http://www.epa.state.oh.us/oleo/bg1/index.html
If you have any items or meeting notices for the next RAP-Up newsletter – please contact me at 330-963-1117 or email at kelvin.rogers@epa.state.oh.us