02-10729. Clean Water Act Section 303(d): Final Agency Action on 88 Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice of availability.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces final agency action on 88 TMDLs prepared by EPA Region 6 for waters listed in Louisiana's Mermentau and Vermilion/Teche river basins, under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). EPA evaluated these waters and prepared the 88 TMDLs in response to the lawsuit styled Sierra Club, et al. v. Clifford et al., No. 96-0527, (E.D. La.). Documents from the administrative record files for the final 88 TMDLs, including TMDL calculations and responses to comments, may be viewed at www.epa.gov/​region6/​water/​tmdl.htm. The administrative record files may be 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 Takes Final Agency Action on 88 TMDLs

By this notice EPA is taking a final agency action on the following 88 TMDLs for waters located within the Mermentau and Vermilion/Teche basins:

Subsegment	Waterbody name	Pollutant
060205	Bayou Teche—Headwaters at Bayou Courtableau to I-10	Salinity/TDS.
060211	West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit Canal	Salinity/TDS.
060301	Bayou Teche—I-10 to Keystone Locks and Dam	Salinity/TDS, Chlorides.
050201	Bayou Plaquemine Brule—Headwaters to Bayou Descannes	Ammonia.
050401	Mermentau River—Origin to Lake Arthur	Ammonia.
060102	Cocodrie Lake	Noxious Aquatic Plants and Ammonia, Chlorides, Sulfates.
060204	Bayou Courtableau—Origin to West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit Canal	Ammonia, Salinity/TDS.
060203	Chicot Lake	Noxious Aquatic, Plants and Nutrients.
050101	Bayou Des Cannes—Headwaters to Mermentau River	Nutrients.
050301	Bayou Nezpipque—Headwaters to Mermentau River	Nutrients.
060202	Bayou Cocodrie Bayou Boeuf—Headwaters to Bayou Courtableau	Nutrients.
060211	West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit Canal	Sulfates.
060301	Bayou Teche—I-10 to Keystone Locks and Dam	Sulfates.
050101	Bayou Des Cannes—Headwaters to Mermentau River	Total Suspended Solids (TSS).
050102	Bayou Joe Marcel	TSS.
050103	Bayou Mallet	TSS.
050201	Bayou Plaquemine Brule—Headwaters to Bayou Des Cannes	Siltation, TSS.
050301	Bayou Nezpique—Headwaters to Mermentau River	Siltation, TSS.
050302	Mermentau River Basin	Siltation, TSS.
050401	Mermentau River—Origin to Lake Arthur	TSS.
050402	Lake Arthur and Lower Mermentau	TSS.
050501	Bayou Queue de Tortue—Headwaters to Mermentau River	TSS, Siltation.
050602	Intracoastal Waterway	TSS.
050701	Grand Lake	TSS.
050702	Intracoastal Waterway	TSS.
050703	White Lake	Siltation, TSS.
050901	Bays and Gulf Waters to State 3-mile Limit	Siltation, TSS.
060101	Spring Creek—Headwaters to Cocodrie Lake (Scenic)	TSS.
060102	Cocodrie Lake	Siltation.
060201	Bayou Cocodrie—From U.S. Hwy 167 to the Bayou Boeuf Cocodrie Canal	TSS.
060202	Bayou Cocodrie—Cocodrie Diversion Canal to intersection Bayou Boeuf	TSS, Siltation.
060203	Chicot Lake	TSS.
060204	Bayou Courtableau—Origin to West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit Canal	TSS.
060205	Bayou Teche—Headwaters at Bayou Courtableau to I-10	TSS.
060207	Bayou des Glaises Diversion Canal	TSS.
060208	Bayou Boeuf—Headwaters to Bayou Courtableau	TSS.
060210	Bayou Carron	TSS.
060211	West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit Canal	TSS.
060212	Chatlin Lake Canal and Bayou Dulac	TSS, Siltation.
060301	Bayou Teche—I-10 to Keystone Locks and Dam	Turbidity, TSS.
060401	Bayou Teche—Keystone Locks and Dam to Charenton Canal	TSS.
060501	Bayou Teche—Charenton Canal to Wax Lake Outlet	TSS.
060601	Charenton Canal	TSS.
060701	Tete Bayou	TSS.
060702	Lake Fausse Point and Dauterive Lake	TSS, Siltation.
060703	Bayou du Portage	TSS.
060906	Intracoastal Waterway	TSS.
060907	Franklin Canal	TSS, Turbidity.
060801	Vermilion River—Headwaters at Bayou Fusilier-Bourbeaux Junction to New Flanders (Ambassador Caffery Bridge at Hwy 3073)	TSS.
060802	Vermilion River—From New Flanders (Ambassador Caffery Bridge) at Hwy 3073 to Intracoastal Waterway	TSS.
060803	Vermilion River Cutoff	TSS.
060804	Intracoastal Waterway	TSS.
060901	Bayou Petite Anse	TSS.
060902	Bayou Carlin (Delcambre Canal)—Lake Peigneur to Bayou Petite Anse (Estuarine)	TSS.
060903	Bayou Tigre	TSS.
060904	Vermilion River B890 Basin New Iberia Drainage Canal	TSS.
060905	New Iberia Southern Drainage Canal	TSS, Turbidity.
060909	Lake Peigneur	Siltation, TSS.
060910	Boston Canal and Associated Canals (Estuarine)	Siltation, TSS, Turbidity.
060911	Vermilion-Teche River Basin	TSS Siltation, TSS, Turbidity.
061102	Intracoastal Waterway	TSS.
061103	Freshwater Bayou Canal	TSS, Turbidity.

EPA requested the public to provide EPA with any significant data or information that may impact the 88 TMDLs at 66 FR 368 (January 03, 2001). The comments received and EPA's response to comments may be found at www.epa.gov/​region6/​water/​tmdl.htm.

Dated: April 23, 2002.

Sam Becker,

Acting Director, Water Quality Protection Division, Region 6.