No fish other than trout should be eaten from the South River. Four local environmental groups are suing the EPA over pollution levels in Virginias Shenandoah River, a major tributary to the Potomac. And many of the plans that have been in place for years have failed because they lack any enforcement or funding mechanisms and because monitoring has been inadequate. Shenandoah National Park consists of nearly 200,000 acres of protected land in Northern Virginia and boasts over 500 miles of hiking trails, the 105 mile Skyline Drive with beautiful views, and thousands of living creatures, including the endangered Shenandoah Salamander that is only found in the park. All Rights Reserved. The Environmental Integrity Project is a 19-year-old nonprofit organization, based in Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas, dedicated to enforcing environmental laws and strengthening policy to protect public health and the environment. Staff and legal interns also provide legal research on pollution permit compliance. Almost of half of the impaired waters in the Shenandoah Valley lack either the cleanup plans or implementation plans required by federal and state law. 5 *completely legal* ways to pollute the Potomac, 6 local wetlands to quench your wanderlust. Shenandoah National Park is located in Virginia's Blueridge Mountains. We will These monitoring reports are more in-depth than resource briefs and include data analysis and a discussion of our findings. Shenandoah River The famed Shenandoah River is the major waterway and drainage system of the Shenandoah Valley. There are 18 local Waterkeepers in the Chesapeake Bay region waiting for your reports. They include a descriptive narrative of what we monitor and why, our field methods, how we analyze and manage our data, and more. Cattle stand on the banks of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River in Rockingham County, VA, where a harmful algal bloom recently closed more than 52.5 miles of the waterway to recreational uses. All rights reserved. The solution is not to lower the standards so that the public is misled into thinking the river is safe for contact, but rather to enhance the standards and then act to resolve the impairment., MONITORING FOR E. COLI BACTERIA IN SHENANDOAH WATERWAYS, Number of Sites Where Bacteria Exceeded EPAs Swimming Advisory Value, Percent of Sites Over EPA Swimming Advisory Value. The report found that more than 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations where the state regularly samples the river and its tributaries detected E. coli at levels unsafe for human contact over the past two years. PRKNs EIN # is 54-1982624. However, those numbers could soon fall not because the waters are any cleaner, but because Virginia recently revised its water quality standards to tolerate higher concentrations of fecal bacteria, according to EIPs report. Learn about the threat of rising salt levels in the Potomac and its tributaries, and alternatives to traditional salt to keep both our roads and freshwater safe. Seven Things You Can Do To Protect the Shenandoah River From Future Fish Kills. Have you heard about how tree-mendous urban trees are? The legal steps being taken today are required because the political will to do anything about the algae problems we see on the Shenandoah River seems to be lacking both in Richmond and by our federal regulatory agencies, said Stephan J. Kimm, president of the Potomac River Smallmouth Club. Proposed standards are due before the end of 2023. A recent report found that 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations along the Shenandoah River and its tributaries detected fecal bacteria (E. coli) at levels unsafe for human contact between 2014-2016. Discover 11 fun facts about the mysterious, magical powers of trees and how we can help support them! They also harm native grasses and affect aquatic life. Source: Data Store Saved Search 686 (results presented are a subset). Some fish in the two rivers currently have mercury levels more than eight times the level at which the state issues health advisories. But there's one part of the country that's bucking the trend. Due to the interest and concerns expressed by public and nonprofit groups for improving the information available on inland beach water quality, VDH has made several attempts to secure funding as recently as 2018, for the 2019-2020 state fiscal budget year. Omission from the list means delay in addressing a serious and growing problem. Virginia should significantly expand its water quality monitoring program statewide, especially in freshwater areas, so that the nearly 80 percent of waterway miles that lack enough data can be evaluated for impairment decisions and cleanup plans. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children should not eat fish from these waters. . The Clean Water Act and other environmental laws allow residents to improve their local rivers and streams through citizen suits. On behalf of Potomac Riverkeeper Network members and the residents throughout the watershed, Shenandoah Riverkeeper and its attorneys routinely monitor known polluters. The Orange County Water District estimated earlier this year that treatment could cost the average home in a local district with PFAS $4 to $5 more monthly but could reach as high as $20 per . E. coli pollution is also an issue for the Potomac River. 2023 Environmental Integrity Project. Using state records, it was found that more than 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations where the state regularly samples the Shenandoah River found fecal bacteria (also known as E. coli) at levels unsafe for human contact. Once your report is submitted it will be sent to your local Waterkeeper and to a live map available on the Water Reporter Website. The warning signs could include a website or hotline that people could use to get the most recent bacteria monitoring information. Only 21 percent of the rivers and streams miles in the Shenandoah Valley, and 22 percent statewide, have been assessed by the state to determine if they are impaired with pollutants. Monitoring Program His passion for the water,combined with his people and analytical skills, honed over 25 years as a think tank seniorpolicy analyst tackling some of the most vexing issues facing our nation, make him ideallysuited to defend the Shenandoah against pollution, protect our right to clean water, andpromote the recreational use of this beautiful river. When they find that a facility is violating its pollution permit, they consider factors, such as the impact of the violations on public health, and the size and scope of the violations, before taking action. We reserve the right to edit or decline comments that do Rising salt levels in the Potomac River threaten wildlife, drinking water. It is ideal for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and observing nature. Partly in response to that report and its own follow up study, Virginia boosted its reimbursement rates for farmers who install fencing, leading to increased sign-ups for the fencing reimbursement program last year. On this episode of fishing the DMV we talk to Mark Frondorf. (For specifics, see Appendix C). Mark Frondorf, the Shenandoah Riverkeeper, said: The river and its users cannot afford the sleight-of-hand technique employed by authorities on water quality standards. Henrico County and environmental groups involved in a lawsuit over pollution from a local sewage treatment facility reached a settlement requiring the county to notify the public of overflows, ramp up system improvements and invest $1 million in environmental work. Where does that leave us now? South Fork Shenandoah River Project Title South River Mercury TMDL Number 2482-9RO95 Cooperating Agencies Virginia Department of Environmental Quality US EPA - Region III Project Chief Jack Eggleston jegglest@usgs.gov 804-261-2652 Cooperator Robert Brent mbrent@deq.virginia.gov 540-574-7848 Period of Project Jan. 2005 - Oct. 2008 * Advertising or solicitations The health department didnt respond to requests for comment about the states policies. He founded the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Integrity Project, which advocates for effective enforcement of environmental laws. Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper, (571) 969-0746) or mark@shenandoahriverkeeper.org, The James River is such an historic and iconic waterway, it is great news that this settlement agreement will help reduce sewage overflows that, About 12 hours ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, EPA has agreed to strengthen standards for the nations largest industrial source of phosphorus pollutionand second-largest industrial source of, About 13 hours ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, James Beauchamp, president of the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance, suggests that spikes in Permian Basin methane might be coming, About 2 days ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, Solar, wind, geothermal, battery and other alternative-energy businesses are adding workers from fossil fuel companies, where employment has fallen., Record winter warmth across much of the eastern US has caused spring-like conditions to arrive earlier than ever previously recorded in several, About 3 days ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, 1000 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 1100 For years, Shenandoah Riverkeeper has been pressing Virginias Department of Environmental Quality to designate the river as impaired because of the algae blooms. The Potomac Riverkeeper Network is a The Shenandoah Rive runs through Shenandoah, Page, Rockingham, and Augusta counties, which, combined, have about 159 million chickens, 16 million turkeys and 528,000 cows raised annually. If they do not, they begin legal actions by filing a mandatory 60-day letter of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act. The proposed construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline would impact the headwaters of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. That means the health of the people in the Shenandoah Valley is at risk, and a Virginia treasure -- part of our children's heritage -- is being diminished," said Michael Town, director of the Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter. When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. POLLUTION REPORT HOTLINE Shenandoah 571.969.0746 Upper Potomac 443.480.8970 Potomac 336.809. . It's great for wildlife, too. * Incorrect, fraudulent or misleading content Washington, D.C. Almost three quarters of water quality monitoring sites in Virginias scenic Shenandoah Valley had levels of fecal bacteria last year that were so high that EPA would consider them unsafe for swimming. WASHINGTON, D.C. In a victory for clean water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced its intent to publish updated water pollution control standards for slaughterhouses and animal rendering facilities by August 2025, following a lawsuit filed by community and conservation organizations late last year. In this case, Virginia would be required to develop limits on the total amount of nitrogen and phosphorus being discharged into the Shenandoah that are protective enough to prevent algae blooms and improve water quality. The Southern Environmental Law Center will be assisting in the case. Amounts listed may There are 80,000 chemicals in the US marketplace. The most important way Virginia could better implement its TMDLs would be to impose regulations that reduce the chronic over-application of manure to farm fields, especially those adjacent to waterways. The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. The main route of human exposure is through eating contaminated fish. Photo credit: Alan Lehman, Program Manager, Shenandoah Riverkeeper. Ninety-two percent of every dollardonated goes directly to efforts to reduce illegal pollution. Among the causes: nutrient pollution from fertilizers and sewage, as well as increasing problems from climate change, such as extreme wet and dry spells and warmer water temperatures. If youre out and about and see debris flowing from a construction site, cows in your stream, or a pipe discharging questionable water, use the app to report it. Under federal and state clean water laws, impaired waterways (to use the term in the Clean Water Act for waters that are so polluted they cant be safely used for swimming, drinking, fishing, or other purposes) are supposed to have cleanup plans and implementation plans. When the contamination was disclosed in 1977, the state was forced to declare a fish consumption health advisory for over 100 miles downriver of the plant. Virginia in 2019 also eliminated its fecal bacteria public health warning advisory threshold for swimming in freshwater areas called the beach action value. The Virginia Department of Health continues to use a health warning and monitoring system for saltwater beaches in the state, but has never issued warnings or posted signs to protect people in freshwater areas like those along the Shenandoah River. The study, conducted by the Environmental Integrity Project, says the pollution is because of animal waste runoff. Think about it. For more than 20 years, DuPont leaked mercury from the textile plant into the South River, eventually ending up in the Shenandoah River. Despite the years of growing evidence of impairment, EPA failed to take the action required by the Clean Water Act to limit the pollution causing these algae blooms, said Jennifer Chavez, the Earthjustice attorney representing the river groups. Xranks ! The Environmental Integrity Project analyzed hundreds of state records for the report released Wednesday. Jeremy Cox is a Bay Journal staff writer based in Maryland. Source: Data Store Saved Search 699 (results presented are a subset). As a result of high air pollution levels, atmospheric deposition is the greatest threat to protected mountain streams. Shenandoah 571.969.0746 Upper Potomac 443.480.8970 Potomac 336.809. addressing a serious and growing.... 6 local wetlands to quench your wanderlust watershed, Shenandoah Riverkeeper also an issue for report... 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