[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 199 (Monday, October 15, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52403-52404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25738]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7082-1]


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

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability for comment of the 
administrative record file for forty-five TMDLs and the calculations 
for these TMDLs prepared by EPA Region 6 for waters listed in the 
Mermentau and Vermilion/Teche river basins, under section 303(d) of the 
Clean Water Act (CWA). These TMDLs were completed 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. The court 
order also requires EPA to add or delete waters to the schedule as new 
data confirms that waters are or are not meeting water quality 
standards.
    This notice also announces the availability for comment of EPA 
determinations that TMDLs are not needed for six waterbody/pollutant 
combinations in the Mermentau and Vermilion/Teche river basins because 
new data and information show that water quality standards are being 
met. This proposed action would result in the removal of six waterbody/
pollutant combinations from the Louisiana 303(d) list.

DATES: Comments must be submitted in writing to EPA on or before 
November 14, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the forty-five TMDLs and the determinations that 
TMDLs are not needed for six 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 (214) 665-7513. 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 (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 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 Seeks Comments on Forty-five TMDLs

    By this notice EPA is seeking comments on the following forty-five 
TMDLs for waters located within the Mermentau and Vermilion/Teche 
basins:

[[Page 52404]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Subsegment              Waterbody name           Pollutant
------------------------------------------------------------------------
050103......................  Bayou Mallet........  Ammonia, Nutrients,
                                                     and Organic
                                                     enrichment/low DO.
050402......................  Lake Arthur and       Ammonia, Nutrients,
                               Lower Mermentau.      and Organic
                                                     enrichment/low DO.
050602......................  Intracoastal          Organic enrichment/
                               Waterway.             low DO.
050603......................  Bayou Chene-includes  Organic enrichment/
                               Bayou Grand Marais.   low DO.
050701......................  Grand Lake..........  Nutrients, and
                                                     Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
050702......................  Intracoastal          Nutrients, and
                               Waterway.             Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
050802......................  Big Constance Lake    Organic enrichment/
                               and Associated        low DO.
                               Waterbodies
                               (Estuarine).
050901......................  Mermentau River       Nutrients, and
                               Basin Coastal Bays    Organic enrichment/
                               and Gulf Waters to    low DO.
                               State 3-mile limit.
060207......................  Bayou des Glaises     Nutrients, and
                               Diversion Channel.    Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060209......................  Irish Ditch/Big       Organic enrichment/
                               Bayou-unnamed Ditch   low DO.
                               to Irish Ditch
                               (Ditch).
060210......................  Bayou Carron........  Nutrients, and
                                                     Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060211......................  West Atchafalaya      Organic enrichment/
                               Borrow Pit Canal.     low DO.
060212......................  Chatlin Lake Canal    Organic enrichment/
                               and Bayou DuLac.      low DO.
060601......................  Charenton Canal.....  Nutrients, and
                                                     Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060701......................  Tete Bayou..........  Nutrients, and
                                                     Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060703......................  Bayou du Portage....  Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060803......................  Vermilion River       Nutrients, and
                               Cutoff.               Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060901......................  Bayou Petite Anse...  Nutrients, and
                                                     Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060903......................  Bayou Tigre.........  Nutrients, and
                                                     Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060904......................  Vermilion River B890  Nutrients, and
                               Basin New Iberia      Organic enrichment/
                               Southern Drainage     low DO.
                               Canal.
060907......................  Franklin Canal......  Nutrients, and
                                                     Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060908......................  Spanish Lake........  Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060909......................  Lake Peigneur.......  Nutrients, and
                                                     Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
060911......................  Vermilion-Teche       Nutrients, and
                               River Basin-(Dugas    Organic enrichment/
                               Canal).               low DO.
061001......................  West Cote Blanche     Organic enrichment/
                               Bay.                  low DO.
061103......................  Freshwater Bayou      Nutrients, and
                               Canal.                Organic enrichment/
                                                     low DO.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

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                  Subsegment                            Waterbody name                      Pollutant
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
050102.......................................  Bayou Joe Marcel................  Ammonia, Nutrients, and Organic
                                                                                  enrichment/low DO.
060906.......................................  Intracoastal Waterway...........  Nutrients.
061101.......................................  Bayou Petite Anse...............  Nutrients.
060204.......................................  Bayou Courtableau--origin to      Oil and Grease.
                                                West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit
                                                Canal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    EPA requests that the public provide any water quality related data 
and information that may be relevant to the calculations for these 
forty-five TMDLs, or any other comments relevant to the six 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: October 4, 2001.
Jayne Fontenot,
Acting Director, Water Quality Protection Division, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 01-25738 Filed 10-12-01; 8:45 am]
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