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WATER BODIES from page 1..,,,.,,.,.,..,.,,.,.,,,....,.,.,...,,.,.
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<br /> If adopted by the Board, the proposed list would impairment, water bodies may have been placed
<br /> replace a current list of impaired water bodies, in on a "Watch List" rather than on the 303(d) list.
<br /> effect since 1998. The 1998 list is now under
<br /> challenge by the California Association of Sanitation The SWRCB did not use any adopted policy to
<br /> Agencies in a lawsuit currently on appeal, review the regional board listings. Rather,
<br /> SWRCB staff assessed each proposed listing
<br /> Interested cities should review the proposed according to thirteen factors, including data
<br /> 303(d) list, which was prepared by SWRCB staff quality, type of stressor and linkage between
<br /> after reviewing the lists submitted by the nine measurements and standards.
<br /> regional water quality control boards, According to
<br /> CASA, significant aspects of the proposed list include The SWRCB will hold three public hearings on the
<br /> the following: draft list on May 23 and 24 in Sacramento and on May
<br /> 30 in Ontario. Written comments are requested to be
<br /> The SWRCB assumed that the 1998 list would submitted by May 16, but can also be submitted
<br /> "form the basis" for the 2002 list. Thus, the through the close of the public hearings. Given the
<br /> listings included on the existing list were not importance of 303(d) listing for permitting of wastewa-
<br /> subject to the same level of scrutiny as proposed tar treatment plants and the TMDL process, cities are
<br /> new listings and de-listings, The 1998 list is encouraged to review the proposed listings for their
<br /> essentially grandfathered into the proposed list. water bodies and provide comments to the State Board.
<br /> More details of the proposed listings and the hearings
<br /> Where the SWRCB staff determined that available may be found at www. swrcb.ca.gov/303dupdate.htm
<br /> data and information are insufficient to conf;irm
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<br /> STORM WATER ISSUES UPDATE
<br />This week, the League unveiled a new water improve water quality and over-intrusive state regula-
<br />quality section on its website (www, cacities.org/ tion is the subject of the May "Home Rule Watch"
<br />water), Cities may also access the new section from section of Western City Magazine. (Priority Focus
<br />the League's "Home Page", under Priority Issues - readers should note that due to a typographical error,
<br />Water 0uality, The new section is intended to provide how~,.,er, the Western City article concludes with the
<br />information and resources to cities on a broad range sta~ ~.nt that the State Board approved a partial Stay
<br />of issues, including federal and state wastewater and of the LA Storm Water Permit, As noted above, in fact,
<br />stormwater permits. If your city has information or a the Board denied the stay entirely,)
<br />resource that you think would interest other cities,
<br />please share it with Aaron Ferguson at Finally, at its April meeting, the League Board of
<br />fergusa@cacities.org. Directors approved creation of a Water Quality Task
<br /> Force. The Task Force will study the variety of waste-
<br />In an important storm water development, the water and storm water permitting issues facing cities
<br />State Water Resources Control Board last Friday, April and make recommendations on what is the appropri-
<br />26, denied the request of numerous Los Angeles ate role for the League in this increasingly important
<br />County cities to Stay the storm water permit issued by area. City officials interested in serving on the Task
<br />the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, Force should send a letter expressing their interest
<br />The cities have also appealed the permit itself to the and their background to Karen Bekeart, Executive
<br />State Board, which will take up the appeal sometime Assistant to the Executive Director, in the League's
<br />this fall. The League sent a letter in support of the Sacramento office, Because we wish to include repre-
<br />Stay request and testified at the hearing, sentation from the nine regional water quality control
<br /> board areas, please note in which water board region
<br />The various issues related to storm water program your city is located. Letters may be mailed or emailed
<br />implementation and the tug between the desire to (BekeartK@cacities.org) to the League.
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<br />Visit the League's Official Web Site--www. cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS/PAGE 3
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