Chesapeake Bay TMDL Public Meeting

The U.S. EPA held a public meeting in Laurel, Delaware last night to discuss the proposed Chesapeake Bay TMDL.  Jim attended and testified on behalf of the Homebuilders Association of Delaware.  Click here to see his testimony.

The TMDL that is being developed will allocate the pollution loadings allowed by each State within the watershed (see map) and the airshed (yes, I said the airshed, see additional map below).

The States will be responsible for dividing up their allocation of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sediment to each of the discharging groups with input and suggestions from EPA.  If the States do not meet their allocation goals, there will be consequenses imposed by EPA under The Clean Water Act.

Delaware's preliminary allocations are 5.25 million pounds of Nitrogen and 0.28 million pounds of Phosphorus.  The real work now begins with developing the implementation plans to achieve these goals.