[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 30057]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14749]


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DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION


Notice of Revised Methodology for the Delaware River and Bay 
Integrated List Water Quality Assessment

AGENCY: Delaware River Basin Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the methodology proposed to be 
used in the 2010 Delaware River and Bay Integrated List Water Quality 
Assessment is available for review and comment. The proposed 
methodology is a substantially modified version of the methodology used 
for the 2008 assessment.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing by close of business on 
August 14, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments will be accepted via e-mail to 
[email protected]; via fax to 609-883-9522; by U.S. Mail to 
DRBC, Attn: Integrated Assessment 2010, P.O. Box 7360, West Trenton, NJ 
08628-0360; via private carrier to DRBC, Attn: Integrated Assessment 
2010, 25 State Police Drive, West Trenton, NJ 08628-0360; or by hand. 
All submissions should have the phrase ``Integrated Assessment 2010'' 
in the subject line and should include the name, address (street 
address optional) and affiliation, if any, of the commenter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Yagecic, Supervisor, 
Standards and Assessment Section, DRBC Modeling, Monitoring and 
Assessment Branch, via e-mail to [email protected] or by 
telephone to 609-883-9500, ext. 271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Delaware River Basin Commission 
(``DRBC'' or ``Commission'') is an interstate and Federal compact 
agency that was created in 1961 by concurrent legislation of the States 
of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 
and the United States Government for purpose of jointly managing the 
water resources of the Delaware River Basin.
    DRBC currently is compiling data for the 2010 Delaware River and 
Bay Integrated List Water Quality Assessment (``2010 Assessment'') 
required by the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). The 2010 Assessment will 
present the extent to which waters of the Delaware River and Bay are 
attaining designated uses in accordance with Section 305(b) of the CWA 
and will identify impaired waters, which consist of waters that exceed 
surface water quality standards.
    Substantial changes from the 2008 methodology have been proposed, 
including the consideration of biological monitoring results in the 
assessment process. The assessment methodology to be used in the 2010 
Assessment is available for review at the following URL: http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/10IntegratedList-DraftMethod.htm.
    In the 2008 Assessment DRBC proposes to reduce the number of 
assessment units from the number used in 2006 by consolidating the 
units into DRBC's Water Quality Management Zones 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 2, 
3, 4, and 5, the boundaries of which are defined in DRBC's Water 
Quality Regulations (18 CFR Part 410), available on the Web at http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/regs/WQRegs_092607.pdf. The 2008 Assessment will 
continue, however, to include subunits within Zone 6 that are defined 
in part by shellfish management directives issued by the States of 
Delaware and New Jersey. The 2010 Assessment will continue this process 
and also will include consideration of biological monitoring results.

    June 17, 2009.
Pamela M. Bush,
Commission Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-14749 Filed 6-23-09; 8:45 am]
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