March 10, 2009
Time: 2:00pm and 6:00pm

Program: final public meetings for the Bacterial Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study for the “Total Maximum Daily Load Development for the James River and Tributaries – City of Richmond”
Host: Margaret Smigo

Location: VCU Monroe Campus - Trani Life Sciences Building Room #151, 1000 West Cary Street Richmond VA.

Contact: Office (804) 527-5124, mjsmigo@deq.virginia.gov

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is hosting the final public meetings for the Bacterial Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study for the “Total Maximum Daily Load Development for the James River and Tributaries – City of Richmond”, on Tuesday March 10th, 2009. A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a stream clean-up program aimed at reducing pollution levels in impaired waters so that they meet state water quality standards.

The meeting will be held at the VCU Monroe Campus, Trani Life Sciences Building Room #151, 1000 West Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23284. There will be an afternoon meeting at 2pm and an evening meeting at 6pm. Both meetings are open to the public. For directions and parking locations please visit: http://www.vcu.edu/maps/acmap/trani/lifescfifuture.htm. In the case of inclement weather, please visit the DEQ website www.deq.virginia.gov for a rescheduled date.

These watersheds are listed as impaired for recreational use due to bacterial standard exceedances. The purpose of the final meeting is to present a summary of the draft report, to explain the overall reductions of bacterial loading to the impaired portions of the James River and tributaries which must be made in order to achieve water quality standards (WQS) for recreational use, and to discuss the next steps of the TMDL process for achieving the water quality standard goals for these creeks.

The final draft report will be made available on the DEQ website on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 – one week prior to the meeting - for your review at:

https://www.deq.virginia.gov/TMDLDataSearch/DraftReports.jspx

(You will need to enter “James River” in the space beside “Water Body Name” and click search)

DEQ wishes to invite you or your representative to either meeting. Please feel free to advertise the meetings to other stakeholders, interested citizens, and government officials. I have attached the public notice for the meetings, which will be published in the Virginia Register on February 16th. An announcement will also run in the Richmond Times Dispatch on February 16th.

There will be a public comment period beginning on March 10th, 2009 and ending on April 10th, 2009. Comments may be verbal, mailed, faxed, or emailed and should include the name, address, and telephone number of the person submitting comments.

Send comments to:

Margaret Smigo

Piedmont Regional Office – VDEQ

4949-A Cox Road

Glen Allen, VA 23060.

You may also send comments via email mjsmigo@deq.virginia.gov or Fax them to the attention of Margaret Smigo at (804)527-5106.