[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42891-42892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18410]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9982-68-Region 3]


Anacostia River Watershed: Data Solicitation in Support of 
Revising Total Maximum Daily Loads for Debris, Floatables, Trash

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Solicitation for data.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking readily 
available data and information on debris, floatables, and/or trash 
(hereafter referred to as ``trash'') in the Anacostia River watershed 
for use in the development of a total maximum daily load (TMDL). The 
Anacostia River watershed covers portions of the District of Columbia 
and Prince George's and Montgomery Counties in Maryland. A map of the 
Anacostia River watershed is available from EPA Region 3's website at: 
https://www.epa.gov/tmdl/impaired-waters-and-tmdls-region-3.

DATES: Data submissions to EPA must be received by, or postmarked on or 
before, October 23, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Data submissions should be sent to Ms. Jillian Adair, Water 
Protection Division (3WP30), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
Region 3, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029, or by 
electronic mail to [email protected]. Electronic mail submissions 
including body text and attachments are limited to 25 megabytes. In 
addition, EPA cannot receive electronic mail attachments in ZIP format 
(.zip). For additional information on submission formats, visit EPA 
Region 3's website at: https://www.epa.gov/tmdl/impaired-waters-and-tmdls-region-3.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, contact 
Jillian Adair at (215) 814-5713 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act 
requires that each State identify those waters (called ``water quality-
limited segments'') for which existing technology-based pollution 
controls are not stringent enough to attain or maintain State water 
quality standards and for which total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) must 
be prepared. A TMDL is an estimate of the maximum amount of a pollutant 
that a waterbody can assimilate without violating water quality 
standards. This total load includes pollutants that come from end-of-
pipe dischargers, stormwater runoff, surface runoff from non-permitted 
areas (i.e. agriculture, open areas, forest, etc.), as well as a 
``margin of safety'', which accounts for uncertainties in the estimated 
load. TMDLs are important because they provide a framework to achieve 
water quality standards in a watershed. TMDLs inform other federal and 
state programs of the necessary pollutant reductions needed by source 
to achieve water quality standards.
    On September 21, 2010, EPA approved a trash TMDL for the Anacostia 
River submitted jointly by the Maryland Department of the Environment 
(MDE) and the District of Columbia Department of Energy and the 
Environment (DOEE). The TMDL report can be accessed at: http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Water/TMDL/ApprovedFinalTMDLs/Pages/tmdl_final_anacostia_trash.aspx.
    On September 19, 2016, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) 
filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia 
seeking vacatur of EPA's approval [Civil Action No. 16-1861 (JDB)]. The 
Court ruled in favor of NRDC on March 30, 2018 and directed EPA to 
develop or approve replacement TMDLs. In light of the Court's Order, 
EPA is working with MDE and DOEE to determine the appropriate direction 
to take with developing new or revised TMDLs. An evaluation of data 
that has become available since approval of the original TMDLs will 
provide valuable insights into this determination.
    EPA would appreciate your assistance in obtaining all readily 
available data and other information that would benefit the development 
of TMDLs for trash impairments in the Anacostia River watershed. Please 
consider these points in responding to this solicitation:
     Any studies, surveys or other statistically significant 
information on the quantities of trash that would interfere with the 
general population's use and enjoyment of the river for purposes such 
as swimming, boating and fishing. This data call is not intended as a 
user survey, and accordingly, EPA is not seeking the subjective views 
of individuals at this time.
     Documents or datasets that provide information regarding 
water quality conditions and sources associated with quantities of 
trash in the water. Potentially relevant data sources include: trash 
monitoring data, trash clean-up data, trash remediation project data, 
municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) annual reports, etc. EPA is 
also interested in any other information data providers believe might 
be relevant.
     Trash data can be accounted for through measurements of 
weight, volume, count, or other appropriate measure. While EPA 
acknowledges that photographs may document the presence of trash, 
photographs are less useful for quantifying trash. Accordingly, EPA 
discourages submission of photographs as a method of quantifying trash 
extent and impairment.
     Please limit data submissions to only the waterbodies 
within the Anacostia River watershed for the period of August 2009 
through present. If data collection efforts are currently underway, EPA 
would also appreciate an accounting of what is being collected and when 
it may become publicly available.
     Data and reports delivered in electronic format are 
preferred, as available. Specifically, datasets in Excel

[[Page 42892]]

or a compatible spreadsheet format will facilitate ease of use.
     Information regarding sampling methodologies, design, 
conditions (i.e., time of day, weather conditions during and preceding 
the sampling), sampling locations (i.e., geographical coordinates, 
maps), peer review, and quality assurance procedures applied would also 
be very beneficial. Please include such information and citations where 
available.
     Please include names, contacts, and affiliations with your 
data submission.

    Dated: August 9, 2018.
Dominique Lueckenhoff,
Acting Director, Water Protection Division, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Region III.
[FR Doc. 2018-18410 Filed 8-23-18; 8:45 am]
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