FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 23, 2003
03-116
OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is seeking public comment on a list of polluted water bodies that tentatively have been chosen for water cleanup planning over the next year.
"We've made great progress by working with communities throughout the state to develop cleanup plans for our state's polluted lakes, rivers and streams," said Megan White, who manages Ecology's water-quality program.
"But there's much more work to be done."
More than 600 water bodies in Washington still fail to meet the standards defining good water quality. Most water pollution comes from everyday activities, such as household and garden chemicals, runoff from urban streets, agriculture, logging, discharges from cities and industries, and failing septic systems.
The federal Clean Water Act requires states to develop water cleanup plans for polluted waters. The plans (also called "total maximum daily loads," or TMDLs) determine the amount of pollution a water body can receive and still remain healthy. They also identify sources of pollutants, how much pollution needs to be reduced so the water can be healthy for fish, drinking, recreation, industries and other uses, and strategies to clean up the water.
Ecology is proposing to begin cleaning up or further studying waterways in King, Mason, Pend Oreille, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Whatcom, Whitman and Yakima counties. The list of water bodies under consideration is available online at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/303d/ or by calling 360-407-6480.
Comments on the proposed cleanup list must be received by July 25. Send comments to Ron McBride, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, Wash., 98504-7600, or via e-mail to rmcb461@ecy.wa.gov; phone, 360-407-6469; FAX, 360-407-6426.
The water cleanup list will be completed in August of this year.
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