[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 66 (Thursday, April 5, 2001)] [Notices] [Pages 18087-18089] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 01-8277] [[Page 18087]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-6957-5] Clean Water Act Section 303(d): Final Agency Action on 19 Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and Final Agency Action on 54 Determinations That TMDLs Are Not Needed AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice announces the final agency action on 19 TMDLs prepared by EPA Region 6 for waters listed in Louisiana's Mermentau and Vermilion/Teche river basins, under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). This notice also announces the final agency action removing 54 waterbody/pollutant combinations from the Louisiana 303(d) list because TMDLs are not needed. EPA evaluated these waters and prepared the 19 TMDLs needed in response to a Court Order dated October 1, 1999, in the lawsuit Sierra Club, et al. v. Clifford et al., No. 96-0527, (E.D. La.). Under this court order, EPA is required to prepare TMDLs when needed for waters on the Louisiana 1998 section 303(d) list by December 31, 2007. Documents from the administrative record files for the 54 determinations that TMDLs are not needed and the final 19 TMDLs, TMDL calculations and responses to comments may be viewed at http://www.epa.gov/region6/water/tmdl.htm. The administrative record files may be obtained by calling or writing Ms. Caldwell at the above address. Please contact Ms. Caldwell to schedule an inspection. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Caldwell at (214) 665-7513. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1996, two Louisiana environmental groups, the Sierra Club and Louisiana Environmental Action Network (plaintiffs), filed a lawsuit in Federal Court against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), styled Sierra Club, et al. v. Clifford et al., No. 96-0527, (E.D. La.). Among other claims, plaintiffs alleged that EPA failed to establish Louisiana TMDLs in a timely manner. Discussion of the court's order may be found at 65 FR 54032 (September 6, 2000). EPA Takes Final Agency Action on 19 TMDLs By this notice EPA is taking a final agency action on the following 19 TMDLs for waters located within the Mermentau and Vermilion/Teche basins: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subsegment Waterbody name Pollutant ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 050201............................... Bayou Plaquemine Brule.......................... Mercury. 050101............................... Bayou Des Canes................................. Mercury. 050702............................... Seventh Ward Canal (Intracoastal Waterway)...... Mercury. 060203............................... Chicot Lake..................................... Mercury. 050901............................... Coastal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Mermentau Mercury. River Basin Coastal). 061201............................... Coastal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Vermilion- Mercury. Teche RB-CB & G). 050101............................... Bayou Des Cannes................................ Fecal Coliform. 050201............................... Bayou Plaquemine Brule.......................... Fecal Coliform. 050301............................... Bayou Nezpique.................................. Fecal Coliform. 050501............................... Bayou Queue de Tortue........................... Turbidity. 060208............................... Bayou Boeuf..................................... Fecal Coliform. 060301............................... Bayou Teche..................................... Fecal Coliform. 060401............................... Bayou Teche..................................... Fecal Coliform. 060801............................... Vermilion River................................. Fecal Coliform, Dissolved Oxygen, Nitrogen. 060802............................... Vermilion River................................. Fecal Coliform, Dissolved Oxygen, Nitrogen. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EPA requested the public to provide EPA with any significant data or information that may impact the 19 TMDLs in 65 FR 19762 (April 12, 2000). The comments received and EPA's response to comments may be found at http://www.epa.gov/region6/water/tmdl.htm. Final Agency Action Removing 54 Waterbody/Pollutant Combinations From the Louisiana 303(d) List Because TMDLs Are Not Necessary ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Suspected Waterbody Waterbody description pollutant Reason for delisting ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 050101.......................... Bayou Des Cannes-- Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and Headwaters to information shows it Is meeting Mermentau. Water Quality Standards (WQS). 050102.......................... Bayou Joe Marcel....... Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information show it is meeting WQS. 050103.......................... Bayou Mallet........... Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information show it is meeting WQS. 050201.......................... Bayou Plaquemine Brule Chlorides, Assessment of new data and Headwaters to Bayou Sulfates. information show it is meeting Des Cannes. WQS. 050301.......................... Bayou Nezpique-- Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and Headwaters to information show it is meeting Mermentau River. WQS. 050401.......................... Mermentau River--Origin Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and To Lake Arthur. information show it is meeting WQS. 050402.......................... Lake Arthur and Lower Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and Mermentau. information shows it is meeting WQS. [[Page 18088]] 050501.......................... Bayou Que de Tortue-- Chlorides, Assessment of new data and Headwaters to Sulfates, information shows it is it Mermentau River. Phosphorus. meeting WQS. 050602.......................... Intracoastal Waterway.. Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 050701.......................... Grand Lake............. Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 050702.......................... Intracoastal Waterway.. Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 050703.......................... White Lake............. Sulfates.......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 050901.......................... Bays and Gulf Waters to Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and State 3-mile Limit. information shows it is meeting WQS. 060202.......................... Bayou Cocodrie......... Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060203.......................... Chicot Lake............ Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060204.......................... Bayou Courtableau-- Chlorides Assessment of new data and Origin to West Turbidity. information shows it is meeting Atchafalaya Borrow Pit WQS. Canal. 060205.......................... Bayou Teche--Headwaters Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and at Bayou Courtableau information shows it is meeting to I-10. WQS. 060207.......................... Bayou des Glaises Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and Diversion Channel. information shows it is meeting WQS. 060208.......................... Bayou Boeuf--Headwaters Chlorides, Assessment of new data and to Bayou Courtableau. Sulfates, information shows it is meeting Turbidity. WQS. 060209.......................... Irish Ditch/Big Bayou-- Salinity/TDS, Assessment of new data and Unnamed Ditch to Irish Chlorides, information shows it is meeting Ditch. Sulfates. WQS. 060210.......................... Bayou Carron........... Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060211.......................... West Atchafalaya Borrow Chlorides Assessment of new data and Pit Canal. Turbidity. information shows it is meeting WQS. 060212.......................... Chatlin Lake Canal and Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and Bayou DuLac. information shows it is meeting WQS. 060401.......................... Bayou Teche--Keystone Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and Locks and Dam to information shows it is meeting Charenton Canal. WQS. 060501.......................... Bayou Teche--Charenton Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and Canal to Wax Lake information shows it is meeting Outlet. WQS. 060601.......................... Charenton Canal........ Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060701.......................... Tete Bayou............. Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060702.......................... Lake Fausse Point and Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and Dauterive Lake. information shows it is meeting WQS. 060703.......................... Bayou du Portage....... Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060801.......................... Vermilion River--Head- Chlorides, Assessment of new data and waters at Bayou Salinity/TDS, information shows it is meeting Fusilier-Bourbeaux Turbidity. WQS. Junction to New Flanders (Ambassador Caffery Bridge at Hwy 3073). 060802.......................... Vermilion River--From Salinity/TDS, Assessment of new data and New Flanders Chlorides, Temp., information shows it is meeting (Ambassador Caffery Turbidity. WQS. Bridge at Hwy 3073) To Intracoastal Waterway. 060803.......................... Vermilion River Cutoff. Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060804.......................... Intracoastal Waterway.. Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060901.......................... Bayou Petite Anse...... Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060902......................... Bayou Carlin (Delcambre Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and Canal)--Lake Peigneur information shows it is meeting to Bayou Petite Anse WQS. (Estuarine). 060903.......................... Bayou Tigre............ Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060904.......................... Vermilion River B890 Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and Basin New Iberia information shows it is meeting Southern Drainage WQS. Canal. 060906.......................... Intracoastal Waterway.. Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. 060909.......................... Lake Peigneur.......... Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. [[Page 18089]] 061102.......................... Intracoastal Waterway.. Turbidity......... Assessment of new data and information shows it is meeting WQS. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EPA requested the public to provide to EPA any significant data or information that may impact the determination that 54 TMDLs are not necessary in 65 FR 79100 (December 18, 2000). No comments were received. Dated: March 1, 2001. Sam Becker, Acting Director, Water Quality Protection Division, Region 6. [FR Doc. 01-8277 Filed 4-4-01; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-U