Group Memory
February 7, 2000



Agenda

1:00 Introductions and Agenda Review

1:10 State/Federal Legislation Update
        WQCC Update (Paul Frohardt)

1:30 WQF Web Site Update (Jeanne Work, Matt Cook)

1:45 EPA Ammonia Criteria (Dave Moon)

2:15 EPA Nutrient Criteria (Tom Braidich)

3:00 Break

3:15 Confined Animal Operations Permits (Dave Holm)

3:40 Year 2000 303(d) list status (Sarah Johnson)

4:00 Basic Standards Update (Sarah Johnson)

4:40 Next Steps and Next Agenda Items

5:00 Adjourn

Legislative Update

Federal

• There will be a briefing with Chuck Fox in Washington D.C. regarding an interim water quality program on tribal lands.
• Congressional hearings on TMDLs will be on February 10 &15
• President's budget includes Federal 106 (Monitoring assessment) increase of $75 million with the matching funds.

State

• Rep. Allen has introduced reuse bill (1315).
• Permit fees (1290).
• Bill to expand CWCB was killed in committee.
• 1223 (CPI/CML growth bill) has some language on water however the language is still being negotiated—language originated from Colorado Water Congress
• Other growth bills have died..
• Self-audit bill is probably dying.
• SB 033- Safe drinking water bill (corrections to last year's bill) is out of committee and moving forward
• $2.5 million allocated to Non-point Source Council last year. Management plan to EPA has been approved. Randy Ristau (agriculture expertise) and Mari Nakada (federal land agency liaison) have been hired to work on TMDL issues. Loretta Lohman, with the CSU Cooperative Extension, has been hired as a fulltime Information and Education person. The Council might consider going for state money next year. If you have a new project/idea for next year, contact Laurie Fisher at (303) 692-3570.

WQCC Update (Paul Frohardt)

• In a future WQF meeting, present and clarify the Nonpoint Source Management Plan (Greg Parsons, Laurie Fisher). The final version is on the WQCC web site.
• February 14th meeting

1. Ground water policy approach (opportunity for public input).
2. Request for emergency hearing re: state revolving intended use plan (original list with some additions).
3. ISDS workgroup update (handout available).

• Annual information briefing—March 15th at 7:30 a.m. Joint-Agricultural Committee.

1. Status of commercial swine feeding program.
2. Alaska case decision and EPA's new approach to approval of water quality standards and WQCC policy regarding disapprovals.

• WQCC appointment--only Richard Sakata is asking for a reappointment.
• MTBE update by WQCD to WQCC will be provided at the February 14th meeting

EPA Ammonia Criteria (Dave Moon—Handout available upon request)

EPA Nutrient Criteria (Tom Braidech—Handout available upon request)

• Criteria documents are available by chapter at http://www.epa.gov/ost/standard/guidance

Confined Animal Feeding Operations Permit Update (Dave Holm)

• Final national policy/strategy on confined animal feeding operation has not yet been adopted.
• Confined animal feeding industry needed guidance. Consequently, a general permit idea has begun. It includes: Zero discharge provisions (25 year, 24 hour storm vs. smaller storms that occur more chronically)
• Next meeting with Feeding Operators is on February 16, 2000 at the Livestock Association.
• Group will work to understand issues/problem, figure out what kind of monitoring will be needed, what BMPs could/would be needed, whether WQ data would be collected in low-flow event and/or storm events, what levels/standards would be acceptable and when.
• Optimistic goal of outlining discharge permit criteria by end of March 2000 but this will probably be postponed.

Year 2000 303 (d) List Update (Sarah Johnson)

• EPA has formally proposed to suspend, although there are comments for 30 days.
• EPA has indicated it-- will issue a new draft of the new 303 (d) List rules by March 15, 2000.
• Next WQF work group meeting is on March 13th at 1:30 PM in the Sabin Room:.
• Fact sheet on TMDLs will be on web site soon.
• 305 (b) deadlines have not been suspended but the 303 (d) list suspension will affect the 305(b) report timing.. Colorado is working on a strategy to deal with this issue.

Basic Standards (Sarah Johnson)

• Recreation classifications/standards—recommending E. coli as the sole pathogen indicator in the long term but using a dual standard of fecal coliform & E. coli until monitoring methods for E. Coli are agreed upon. Hot Issue: Animal sources—agricultural community concerned about the effects of grazing animals on nonattainment. EPA is reviewing its policy on this.
• New working group being proposed to deal with the EPA's new ammonia criteria.
• Still some questions on organic chemicals—workgroup still working on this.
• Other issues the work group is still working on: metal equations (work group equations are different from the EPA's), new agricultural criteria being proposed by FRICO based on "slow rate land application guideline"(developed by CDPHE in 1977 but not well know today). This issue will be discussed on February 24, 2000 at 9:00 AM at CDPHE. Information will be available on WQCC calendar on web site.

Proposed March Agenda Items

• MBTE update (Dave Holm).
• Basic Standards Update (Sarah Johnson)
• Web site update (Jeanne Work, Matt Cook)
• Legislative/WQCC update.
• Source water assessment program (Dave Holm)
• Non-point Source Management Program (Greg Parsons)

April 3rd Agenda Items

• EPA's sediment guidance document.
• Narrative sediment guidance
• Current sediment TMDLs
• Basic Standards Update