02-7771. Clean Water Act Section 303(d): Availability of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and Determinations That TMDLs Are Not Needed

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice of availability.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces the availability for comment of the administrative record file for 98 TMDLs and the calculations for these TMDLs prepared by EPA Region 6 for waters listed in the Calcasieu and Ouachita river basins, under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). These TMDLs were completed in response to a court order in the lawsuit Sierra Club, et al. v. Clifford et al., No. 96-0527, (E.D. La.).

This notice also announces the availability for comment of EPA determinations that TMDLs are not needed for 20 waterbody/pollutant combinations in the Calcasieu and Ouachita river basins because new data and information show that water quality standards are being met. This proposed action would result in the removal of 20 waterbody/pollutant combinations from the Louisiana 303(d) list.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted in writing to EPA on or before April 29, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Comments on the 98 TMDLs and the determinations that TMDLs are not needed for 20 waterbody/pollutant combinations should be sent to Ellen Caldwell, Environmental Protection Specialist, Water Quality Protection Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6, 1445 Ross Ave., Dallas, TX 75202-2733. For further information, contact Ellen Caldwell at [phone]. The administrative record file for these TMDLs and the determinations that TMDLs are not needed are available for public inspection at this address as well. Documents from the administrative record file may be viewed at www.epa.gov/​region6/​water/​tmdl.htm,, or obtained by calling or writing Ms. Caldwell at the above address. Please contact Ms. Caldwell to schedule an inspection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ellen Caldwell at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In 1996, two Louisiana environmental groups, the Sierra Club and Louisiana Environmental Action Network (plaintiffs), filed a lawsuit in Federal Court against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), styled Sierra Club, et al. v. Clifford et al., No. 96-0527, (E.D. La.). Among other claims, plaintiffs alleged that EPA failed to establish Louisiana TMDLs in a timely manner.

EPA Seeks Comments on 98 TMDLs

By this notice EPA is seeking comment on the following 98 TMDLs for waters located within the Calcasieu and Ouachita river basins:

Subsegment	Waterbody name	Pollutant
030301	Calcasieu River & Ship Channel—Saltwater Barrier to Moss Lake (Estuarine) (Includes Coon Island and Clooney Island Loops).	Contaminated sediments (Mercury, PAHs, and toxicity).
030306	Bayou Verdine (Estuarine)	Contaminated sediments (4,4′-DDT, Methoxychlor, PAHs, Zinc, Calcium, and toxicity).
030901	Bayou D'Inde—Headwaters to Calcasieu River (Estuarine)	Contaminated sediments (Mercury, toxicity,and organics).
030305	Contraband Bayou (Estuarine)	Copper.
031201	Calcasieu River Basin—Coastal Bays and Gulf Waters to State 3 mile limit.	Mercury.
030301	Calcasieu River and Ship Channel—Saltwater Barrier to Moss Lake (Estuarine) (Includes Coon Island and Clooney Island Loops).	Metals (Copper, Lead, and Mercury).
030304	Moss Lake (Estuarine)	Metals (Copper, Mercury).
030306	Bayou Verdine (Estuarine)	Metals (Mercury, Nickel).
030901	Bayou D'Inde—Headwaters to Calcasieu River (Estuarine)	Metals (Copper, Nickel, and Mercury).
030305	Contraband Bayou (Estuarine)	Pathogen indicators.
030701	Bayou Serpent	Pesticides (Fipronil).
030301	Calcasieu River and Ship Channel—Saltwater Barrier to Moss Lake (Estuarine) (Includes Coon Island and Clooney Island Loops).	Priority organics (PAHs).
030306	Bayou Verdine (Estuarine)	Priority organics (Phenols, and 1,2-Dichloroethane).
030901	Bayou D'Inde—Headwaters to Calcasieu River (Estuarine)	Priority organics (PCBs, Tetrachloroethane, Hexachlorobenzene, Hexachlorobutadiene, and Bromoform).
030702	English Bayou—Headwaters to Calcasieu River	Suspended solids.
030702	English Bayou—Headwaters to Calcasieu River	Turbidity.
081501	Castor Creek—Headwaters to Little River	Chlorides.
0809(04)	Little Bayou Boeuf/Wham Brake (within segment 0809)	Dioxins.
080912	Tisdale Brake/Staulkinghead Creek from origin to Little Bayou Boeuf.	Dioxins.
080101	Ouachita River—Arkansas State Line to Columbia Lock and Dam (Scenic from the Arkansas State Line to intersection with Bayou Bartholomew—22 miles).	Mercury.
080902	Bayou Bonne Idee—Headwaters to Boeuf River	Nitrogen.
080102	Bayou Chauvin	Noxious aquatic plants.
080201	Ouachita River—Columbia Lock and Dam to Jonesville	Nutrients.
080302	Black River—Corps of Engineers Control Structure to Red River.	Nutrients.
080902	Bayou Bonne Idee—Headwaters to Boeuf River	Nutrients.
080904	Bayou Lafourche—near Oakridge to Boeuf River near Columbia.	Nutrients.
080910	Clear Lake	Nutrients.
081002	Joe's Bayou—Headwaters to Bayou Macon	Nutrients.
081201	Tensas River—Headwaters to Jonesville (including Tensas Bayou).	Nutrients.
081202	Lake St. Joseph (Oxbow Lake) Nutrients.
080201	Ouachita River—Columbia Lock	Organic enrichment/low DO.
080501	Bayou de L'Outre—Arkansas State to Ouachita River (Scenic).	Organic enrichment/low DO.
080607	Corney Bayou—from Arkansas State Line to Corney Lake (Scenic).	Organic enrichment/low DO.
080902	Bayou Bonne Idee—Headwaters to Boeuf River	Organic enrichment/low DO.
080904	Bayou Lafourche—near Oakridge to Boeuf River near Columbia	Organic enrichment/low DO.
080910	Clear Lake	Organic enrichment/low DO.
081002	Joe's Bayou—Headwaters to Bayou Macon	Organic enrichment/low DO.
081201	Tensas River—Headwaters to Jonesville (including Tensas Bayou)	Organic enrichment/low DO.
081202	Lake St. Joseph (Oxbow Lake)	Organic enrichment/low DO.
080102	Bayou Chauvin—Headwaters to the Ouachita River	Pathogen indicators.
080610	Middle Fork of Bayou D'Arbonne—From origin to Bayou D'Arbonne Lake (Scenic)	Pathogen indicators.
080905	Turkey Creek—Headwaters to Turkey Creek Cutoff and Turkey Creek Cutoff to Big Creek including Glade Slough	Pathogen indicators.
080910	Clear Lake	Pathogen indicators.
081001	Bayou Macon	Pathogen indicators.
081602	Little River—From Bear Creek to Catahoula Lake (Scenic)	Pathogen indicators.
080901	Boeuf River—Arkansas State Line to Ouachita River	Pesticides (Carbofuran, DDT, and Toxaphene).
080903	Big Creek—Headwaters to Boeuf	Pesticides (Carbofuran, Atrazine, DDT, and Methyl Parathion).
081001	Bayou Macon	Pesticides (DDT).
081002	Joe's Bayou—Headwaters to Bayou Macon	Pesticides (Carbofuran, and DDT).
081201	Tensas River—Headwaters to Jonesville including Tensas Bayou	Pesticides (Carbofuran, Toxaphene, and DDT).
080902	Bayou Bonne Idee—Headwaters to Boeuf River	Phosphorus.
080904	Bayou Lafourche—near Oakridge to Boeuf River near Columbia	Priority organics (Dioxins).
081501	Castor Creek—Headwaters to Little River	Salinity/TDS.
080202	Bayou Louis	Siltation.
080901	Boeuf River—Arkansas State Line to Ouachita River	Siltation.
080102	Bayou Chauvin	Suspended solids.
080901	Boeuf River—Arkansas State Line to Ouachita River	Suspended solids.
080903	Big Creek—Headwaters to Boeuf River (including Big Colewa Bayou)	Suspended solids.
080904	Bayou Lafourche—near Oakridge to Boeuf River near Columbia	Suspended solids.
080910	Clear Lake	Suspended solids.
081001	Bayou Macon—Arkansas State Line to Tensas River	Suspended solids.
081002	Joe's Bayou—Headwaters to Bayou Macon	Suspended solids.
081201	Tensas River—Headwaters to Jonesville (including Tensas Bayou)	Suspended solids.
081202	Lake St. Joseph (Oxbow Lake)	Suspended solids.
080102	Bayou Chauvin	Turbidity.
080901	Boeuf River—Arkansas State Line to Ouachita River	Turbidity.
080903	Big Creek—Headwaters to Boeuf River (including Big Colewa Bayou)	Turbidity.
080904	Bayou Lafourche—near Oakridge to Boeuf River near Columbia	Turbidity.
081001	Bayou Macon—Arkansas State Line to Tensas River	Turbidity.
081201	Tensas River—Headwaters to Jonesville (including Tensas Bayou)	Turbidity.

 

EPA Seeks Comments on Proposed Determinations That 20 TMDLs for Waterbody/Pollutant Combinations Are Not Needed Due to Assesssment of New Data and Information That Shows They Are Meeting WQS

Subsegment	Waterbody name	Pollutant
030301	Calcasieu River and Ship Channel—Saltwater Barrier to Moss Lake (Estuarine) (includes Coon Island and Clooney Island Loops)	Ammonia
030302	Lake Charles (Estuarine)	Non-priority organics
030306	Bayou Verdine	Non-priority organics
030901	Bayou D'Inde—Headwaters to Calcasieu River (Estuarine)	Non-priority organics
030901	Bayou D'Inde—Headwaters to Calcasieu River (Estuarine)	Other inorganics
030302	Lake Charles (Estuarine)	Priority organics
030303	Prien Lake	Priority organics
030304	Moss Lake (Estuarine)	Priority organics
030305	Contraband Bayou (Estuarine)	Priority organics
030401	Calcasieu River—Calcasieu Ship Channel Below Moss Lake to the Gulf of Mexico (Estuarine) (Includes Monkey Island Loop).	Priority organics
030402	Calcasieu Lake (Estuarine)	Priority organics
080102	Bayou Chauvin—Headwaters to the Ouachita River	Ammonia
080901	Boeuf River—Arkansas State Line to Ouachita River	Ammonia
080905	Turkey Creek—Headwaters to Turkey Creek Cutoff and Turkey Creek Cutoff to Big Creek including Glade Slough.	Ammonia
081401	Dugdemona River—Headwaters to junction with Big Creek	Dioxins
081001	Bayou Macon—Arkansas State Line to Tensas River	Nutrients
081402	Dugdemona River—From Big Creek to Little River	Organic enrichment/low DO
081609	Hemphill Creek—Headwaters to Catahoula Lake (includes Hair Creek).	Organic enrichment/low DO
080901	Boeuf River—Arkansas State Line to Ouachita River	Phosphorus
080903	Big Creek—Headwaters to Boeuf River (including Big Colewa Bayou).	Phosphorus

EPA requests that the public provide any water quality related data and information that may be relevant to the calculations for these 98 TMDLs, or any other comments relevant to the 20 proposed determinations that TMDLs are not needed. EPA will review all data and information submitted during the public comment period and revise the TMDLs and determinations where appropriate. EPA will then forward the TMDLs to the Court and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). LDEQ will incorporate the TMDLs into its current water quality management plan. EPA also will revise the Louisiana 303(d) list as appropriate.

Dated: March 21, 2002.

Jayne Fontenot,

Acting Director, Water Quality Protection Division, Region 6.