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WaterNews for December 2, 1999WaterNews is a weekly on-line publication that announces publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water. Inside this week's WaterNews:
1. EPA Announces Class V Injection Well Final RuleEPA announced new requirements to protect public health and the environment by eliminating or reducing injection of wastes from large capacity cesspools and motor vehicle waste disposal wells, regulated by EPA as Class V underground injection wells. Class V injection wells are typically shallow disposal systems that are used to place a variety of fluids below the land surface. New motor vehicle waste disposal wells and new large cesspools are now prohibited nationwide as of April 2000. Existing motor vehicle waste disposal wells, which typically receive waste fluids from vehicle maintenance and repair in un-sewered areas, will be phased out through January 2007. Existing cesspools will be phased out nationwide by April 2005. For additional information on the rule and on underground injection wells, consult http://www.epa.gov/safewater/uic.html on the Internet.
2. Guidance for Coral Reef ProtectionFor the recent Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers jointly prepared guidance to emphasize the protection afforded the nation's valuable coral reef ecosystems under the Clean Water Act Section 404 regulatory program, the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act Sections 102 and 103 provisions, Rivers and Harbors Act Section 10 requirements, and federal projects conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. For a copy, visit http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/coralNav.html on the Internet.
3. Status Report Available on the Gulf of Mexico EstuariesEPA and the U.S. Geological Survey released "The Ecological Condition of Estuaries in the Gulf of Mexico," a report that summarizes the condition, extent and geographical distribution of ecological resources in the estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the findings in the report include: wetlands loss was rated as severe throughout the Gulf; excess nutrients leading to algae blooms and oxygen depletion were found to be a moderate problem; sediments were in fair condition with respect to contaminants; commercial landings of fish and shellfish were generally stable; and gulf estuaries and wetlands support large, stable populations of waterfowl and other coastal birds. The report can be found at http://www.epa.gov/ged/ on the Internet.
4. Total Maximum Daily Load Public Forum To Be Held in New HampshireA Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Public Forum on the proposed revisions to the regulations and guidance for the TMDL Program will be held on December 14, 1999, in Manchester, NH. On August 14, 1999, President Clinton announced a proposed new rule under which EPA will work with states to better assess the health of US waterways and to develop detailed plans to make them safe for basic uses, such as fishing and swimming. The proposal would strengthen EPA's TMDL requirements to help restore polluted waterways nationwide. This forum is being hosted by EPA and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend, but space is limited so please register. For more information, http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/new.html visit on the Internet.
**************************************************************** Please forward this message to your friends and colleagues who share an interest in water-related issues and would like to hear from EPA's Office of Water. To subscribe to the WaterNews listserve:
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