[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 66 (Thursday, April 5, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18087-18089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8277]



[[Page 18087]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6957-5]


Clean Water Act Section 303(d): Final Agency Action on 19 Total 
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and Final Agency Action on 54 
Determinations That TMDLs Are Not Needed

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the final agency action on 19 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). This notice also announces the final agency action removing 
54 waterbody/pollutant combinations from the Louisiana 303(d) list 
because TMDLs are not needed. EPA evaluated these waters and prepared 
the 19 TMDLs needed in response to a Court Order dated October 1, 1999, 
in the lawsuit Sierra Club, et al. v. Clifford et al., No. 96-0527, 
(E.D. La.). Under this court order, EPA is required to prepare TMDLs 
when needed for waters on the Louisiana 1998 section 303(d) list by 
December 31, 2007. Documents from the administrative record files for 
the 54 determinations that TMDLs are not needed and the final 19 TMDLs, 
TMDL calculations and responses to comments may be viewed at http://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 (214) 665-7513.

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. Discussion of the court's order may be found at 65 FR 
54032 (September 6, 2000).

EPA Takes Final Agency Action on 19 TMDLs

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Subsegment                                Waterbody name                          Pollutant
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
050201...............................  Bayou Plaquemine Brule..........................  Mercury.
050101...............................  Bayou Des Canes.................................  Mercury.
050702...............................  Seventh Ward Canal (Intracoastal Waterway)......  Mercury.
060203...............................  Chicot Lake.....................................  Mercury.
050901...............................  Coastal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Mermentau   Mercury.
                                        River Basin Coastal).
061201...............................  Coastal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Vermilion-  Mercury.
                                        Teche RB-CB & G).
050101...............................  Bayou Des Cannes................................  Fecal Coliform.
050201...............................  Bayou Plaquemine Brule..........................  Fecal Coliform.
050301...............................  Bayou Nezpique..................................  Fecal Coliform.
050501...............................  Bayou Queue de Tortue...........................  Turbidity.
060208...............................  Bayou Boeuf.....................................  Fecal Coliform.
060301...............................  Bayou Teche.....................................  Fecal Coliform.
060401...............................  Bayou Teche.....................................  Fecal Coliform.
060801...............................  Vermilion River.................................  Fecal Coliform,
                                                                                          Dissolved Oxygen,
                                                                                          Nitrogen.
060802...............................  Vermilion River.................................  Fecal Coliform,
                                                                                          Dissolved Oxygen,
                                                                                          Nitrogen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    EPA requested the public to provide EPA with any significant data 
or information that may impact the 19 TMDLs in 65 FR 19762 (April 12, 
2000). The comments received and EPA's response to comments may be 
found at http://www.epa.gov/region6/water/tmdl.htm.

  Final Agency Action Removing 54 Waterbody/Pollutant Combinations From the Louisiana 303(d) List Because TMDLs
                                                Are Not Necessary
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Suspected
            Waterbody              Waterbody description        pollutant             Reason for delisting
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
050101..........................  Bayou Des Cannes--       Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   Headwaters to                                information shows it Is meeting
                                   Mermentau.                                   Water Quality Standards (WQS).
050102..........................  Bayou Joe Marcel.......  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information show it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
050103..........................  Bayou Mallet...........  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information show it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
050201..........................  Bayou Plaquemine Brule   Chlorides,          Assessment of new data and
                                   Headwaters to Bayou      Sulfates.           information show it is meeting
                                   Des Cannes.                                  WQS.
050301..........................  Bayou Nezpique--         Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   Headwaters to                                information show it is meeting
                                   Mermentau River.                             WQS.
050401..........................  Mermentau River--Origin  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   To Lake Arthur.                              information show it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
050402..........................  Lake Arthur and Lower    Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   Mermentau.                                   information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.

[[Page 18088]]

 
050501..........................  Bayou Que de Tortue--    Chlorides,          Assessment of new data and
                                   Headwaters to            Sulfates,           information shows it is it
                                   Mermentau River.         Phosphorus.         meeting WQS.
050602..........................  Intracoastal Waterway..  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
050701..........................  Grand Lake.............  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
050702..........................  Intracoastal Waterway..  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
050703..........................  White Lake.............  Sulfates..........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
050901..........................  Bays and Gulf Waters to  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   State 3-mile Limit.                          information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060202..........................  Bayou Cocodrie.........  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060203..........................  Chicot Lake............  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060204..........................  Bayou Courtableau--      Chlorides           Assessment of new data and
                                   Origin to West           Turbidity.          information shows it is meeting
                                   Atchafalaya Borrow Pit                       WQS.
                                   Canal.
060205..........................  Bayou Teche--Headwaters  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   at Bayou Courtableau                         information shows it is meeting
                                   to I-10.                                     WQS.
060207..........................  Bayou des Glaises        Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   Diversion Channel.                           information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060208..........................  Bayou Boeuf--Headwaters  Chlorides,          Assessment of new data and
                                   to Bayou Courtableau.    Sulfates,           information shows it is meeting
                                                            Turbidity.          WQS.
060209..........................  Irish Ditch/Big Bayou--  Salinity/TDS,       Assessment of new data and
                                   Unnamed Ditch to Irish   Chlorides,          information shows it is meeting
                                   Ditch.                   Sulfates.           WQS.
060210..........................  Bayou Carron...........  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060211..........................  West Atchafalaya Borrow  Chlorides           Assessment of new data and
                                   Pit Canal.               Turbidity.          information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060212..........................  Chatlin Lake Canal and   Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   Bayou DuLac.                                 information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060401..........................  Bayou Teche--Keystone    Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   Locks and Dam to                             information shows it is meeting
                                   Charenton Canal.                             WQS.
060501..........................  Bayou Teche--Charenton   Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   Canal to Wax Lake                            information shows it is meeting
                                   Outlet.                                      WQS.
060601..........................  Charenton Canal........  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060701..........................  Tete Bayou.............  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060702..........................  Lake Fausse Point and    Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   Dauterive Lake.                              information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060703..........................  Bayou du Portage.......  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060801..........................  Vermilion River--Head-   Chlorides,          Assessment of new data and
                                   waters at Bayou          Salinity/TDS,       information shows it is meeting
                                   Fusilier-Bourbeaux       Turbidity.          WQS.
                                   Junction to New
                                   Flanders (Ambassador
                                   Caffery Bridge at Hwy
                                   3073).
060802..........................  Vermilion River--From    Salinity/TDS,       Assessment of new data and
                                   New Flanders             Chlorides, Temp.,   information shows it is meeting
                                   (Ambassador Caffery      Turbidity.          WQS.
                                   Bridge at Hwy 3073) To
                                   Intracoastal Waterway.
060803..........................  Vermilion River Cutoff.  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060804..........................  Intracoastal Waterway..  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060901..........................  Bayou Petite Anse......  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
 060902.........................  Bayou Carlin (Delcambre  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   Canal)--Lake Peigneur                        information shows it is meeting
                                   to Bayou Petite Anse                         WQS.
                                   (Estuarine).
060903..........................  Bayou Tigre............  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060904..........................  Vermilion River B890     Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                   Basin New Iberia                             information shows it is meeting
                                   Southern Drainage                            WQS.
                                   Canal.
060906..........................  Intracoastal Waterway..  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
060909..........................  Lake Peigneur..........  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.

[[Page 18089]]

 
061102..........................  Intracoastal Waterway..  Turbidity.........  Assessment of new data and
                                                                                information shows it is meeting
                                                                                WQS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    EPA requested the public to provide to EPA any significant data or 
information that may impact the determination that 54 TMDLs are not 
necessary in 65 FR 79100 (December 18, 2000). No comments were 
received.

    Dated: March 1, 2001.
Sam Becker,
Acting Director, Water Quality Protection Division, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 01-8277 Filed 4-4-01; 8:45 am]
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