v>%
A Five-Year
Water Quality
Management
Program
1978-1983
AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN
NEW YORK STATE
THE UNITED STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY
S *
^ /
y*." • '•%
B&sJ^SflSWft".
EF-*-" >
' - - •
PROTECTION AGENCY, REGION II
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
-------
Tabie of Content*
• Introduction «
A Perspective on Water Quality ..
• The Majjor'Concerns ' • :
.'-'-' -' in'NewYorfcState. ..,,,.,,,.,
- Industry and Toxics
.: Municipal Waste'Treatmerit
. Combined Sewer Overflows..,.,
' Urban Storm Runoff' ...........
.. feidual'Waste Management
and Resource Recovery .,.-..
•.'•Man-Made Modifications •
--.--.,• • to Waterways'.... —•.....-,
• •Nonpoint-So.urce Pollution
';0ther"\fater Quality Mangement.
;..;•.•. Concerns ,.;, ,,
-------
To the Citizens of New York State:
An abundance of water is one of the great natural assets which the northeastern States
have to offer.
As one of these water-rich States, New York has led the way in development of its
water resources, its water-based industries, and in the cleanup of water pollution
which has blighted many of our lakes, rivers and creeks, and much of our seashore.
Progress is evident in controlling water pollution from raw sewage and easily discernible
industrial wastes, but other problems, such as toxics, land runoff, and residual wastes
must still be solved. A number of "second generation" steps must now be taken to
meet our goals for water quality and solve those problems whose seriousness we are
only now just beginning to grasp.
This booklet summarizes the draft Agreement between the State of New York and the
Environmental Protection Agency, Region II. The Agreement represents a joint effort
to bridge the gaps which now exist both between programs and between levels of
jurisdiction, responsibility, and interest. It will provide the necessary vehicle to inte-
grate diverse water programs, to relate planning efforts directly to operational pro-
grams and will assure the continued development and implementation of the State's
Water Quality Management Program.
It is intended not only to guide State and Federal programs, but also to serve as a di-
rect statement to you, the involved citizens, about the dynamics of Water Quality
Management. It is your opportunity to assist us in this open process of making choices
to determine the future course of our programs. We need your expertise, your com-
ments, your suggestions. We hope that you will become actively involved in helping
us.
PeterA. A. Eerie Eckardt C. Beck
Commissioner Regional Administrator
New York State Department of Environmental Protection Agency, Region II
Environmental Conservation
-------
Introduction
This Booklet . . .
This booklet provides a brief synopsis of
some of the key strategies contained in
the draft State-EPA Agreement, and de-
scribes how more detailed information
can be obtained. The purpose of the book-
let is to provide information and stimulate
public input to the Agreement.
The Agreement. . .
The State-EPA Agreement outlines
strategies covering a five-year period for
meeting public goals for water quality in
New York State. It sets priorities and mile-
stones for accomplishment of manage-
ment objectives. This booklet describes
some of the major features of the Agree-
ment.
The Agreement is a management tool for
DEC, EPA, and other agencies participat-
ing in the State's water quality program.
As such, future Federal program support
funds which become available to New
York under the Clean Water Act, Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, and Safe
Drinking Water Act will be used to ad-
vance the work indicated in the Agree-
ment.
What's New . . .
The Agreement is more than just a de-
scription of the State's water quality man-
agement program. It reflects a "second
generation" of strategies to carry forward
the State's program. For example, the
Agreement reflects new emphasis on:
— water management from "source to
sink," relating water supply and water
quality,
— broader approach to water resource
management through greater attention to
such activities as groundwater manage-
ment and flow regulation,
-------
— new emphasis on protection of public
water supplies,
— water conservation and reuse,
— recognition that DEC is in a period of
extensive program development for
newer water quality concerns related to
toxics, residual wastes, nonpoint sources,
multiple use, best management practices,
and other nonstructural approaches,
— greater attention to coordination with
environmental resource protection.
Issues ...
The Agreement contains many important
issues which affect the environmental, so-
cial, and economic well-being of the State.
Where do you stand on such issues as:
— should control of toxic substances be
the highest water quality management
priority in New York State?
— should Federal funds be made avail-
able for control of stormwater runoff?
— how should State and Federal pro-
grams for water supply and water quality
be better coordinated?
— what role should nonpoint-source con-
trol play in an overall water quality man-
agement program?
It is important that the Commissioner and
the Regional Administrator are aware of
public attitudes related to these and the
many other issues contained in the
Agreement.
Assuming . . .
The Agreement is predicated on assump-
tions that the level of public funding avail-
able to New York for water quality man-
agement will not only continue, but in-
crease, particularly to develop and im-
plement new program elements.
Hopeful signs for this include passage of
the Clean Water Act Amendments of
1977 which includes several important
new funding opportunities and new au-
thorizations. Among these are:
— five-year extension of construction
grants, totaling $24.5 billion nationally,
— new financial assistance to rural land-
owners for nonpoint-source control, total-
ing $600 million,
— new "set-aside" for State management
of construction grant program,
— new eligibility for use of construction
funds for broader project planning and
development,
— renewal of authorization for State plan-
ning and program grants.
The Safe Drinking Water Act and the Re-
source Conservation and Recovery Act
also provide substantial funding authori-
zations. However, these authorizations
and those from other Federal Acts, includ-
ing the Clean Water Act, require sub-
sequent appropriations by Congress if the
promise of increased program support is
to be realized. In addition, State appropri-
ations for these and related areas of water
quality are vital for program continuation.
Beyond State and Federal funds, im-
plementation of the Agreement is also
dependent on timely and favorable Fed-
eral action on necessary standards, regu-
lations, and national policies for water
quality management.
Finally, the Agreement is dependent upon
broad public support as well as continued
and improved cooperation between
agencies of government at all levels in
New York, along with designated areawide
planning agencies.
-------
A Perspective
On Water
Quality
We live in a Nation that is blessed with
riches. We have more space, more
money, more opportunities, more natural
resources than almost any other land on
earth. It seemed that things could never
run out, that we could afford to be both
careless and wasteful.
Yet now we are faced with the fruits of that
careless attitude. The seemingly limitless
natural resources which helped us to be-
come the most industrialized Nation in the
world are threatened. In many parts of the
United States, drinking water sources
have been contaminated by infectious
bacteria and toxic chemicals that threaten
human health. Fishing has been restricted
in some locations, and beaches closed.
The quality of water has become a na-
tional concern equal to the need for suffi-
cient quantity.
To help protect the quality of the Nation's
waters, Congress has passed a far-
reaching piece of legislation known as the
Clean Water Act. * Essentially the Act chal-
lenged America to take the steps neces-
sary to achieve and maintain "clean"
water in its lakes, rivers, and streams by
the year 1983. Some of these steps are dif-
ficult, as they ask much from cities and
industries, from builders and conser-
vationists, from farmers and workers,
from urban dwellers and vacationists,
from all of us. But a firm commitment to
clean up our precious water resources
was made.
This national resolve has long been
exemplified in the State of New York. For
the past 19 years, New York State has led
the Nation in water pollution control.
Since passage of the billion-dollar Pure
Waters Bond Act of 1965 and the En-
vironmental Quality Bond Act of 1972,
many waste treatment plants have been
built Although much remains to be done,
the State has greatly reduced the threat of
pollution from the "conventional" types of
oxygen-consumina and bacterial wastes.
The mid-1970's, however, uncovered a
more complex set of problems related to
the presence of toxic substances in the
environment. These include the problems
* The Federal Water Pollution Control Act
Amendments of 1972, as amended by
the Clean Water Act of 1977.
-------
associated with residual waste, such as
sludges from municipal and industrial
treatment plants, hazardous wastes gen-
erated by industry, air pollution control
wastes, and others. Even though these
wastes may be treated to the degree that
they cannot be easily seen, they still have
damaging effects on both surface and
groundwaters.
Thus, while Mew York and other States
have made great strides in controlling
water pollution from raw sewage and eas-
ily discernable industrial wastes, problems
associated with the menacing and elusive
toxics and residual wastes must still be
solved. During the next five years, Mew
York's Water Quality Management Pro-
gram strategy will greatly expand em-
phasis in these areas.
Already, New York State and six areawide
agencies have water quality planning ef-
forts underway. Initial plans, to be com-
pleted in 1978, are addressing such critical
problems as groundwater pollution,
combined sewer overflows, sewage
sludge disposal, and nonpoint sources of
pollution. The initial plans and the con-
tinuing water quality management plan-
ning process will provide the major ele-
ments of Mew York State's water quality
management strategy.
The overriding concern throughout the
State's program is the protection of the
public health, especially where drinking
water resources may be affected. This is a
challenge that is not likely to present sim-
ple solutions. It will not be solved without
the help of citizens who are willing to de-
fend the environment—for themselves,
for their children, and for the health and
welfare of future generations.
The Major
Concerns In
New York
Store
Water pollution control programs came
into existence as we discovered we could
no longer meet the demand for clean wa-
ter. Solutions were sought and many were
found. In many cases, pollutants could be
removed and waters were purified to meet
water quality standards.
The water quality standards of today are
not so easily attained, however. Mew ana-
lytical techniques have enabled us to de-
tect toxic substances which we never even
knew existed. Mew Federal and State laws
call for strict limits to be set on the types
and amounts of toxics which may be dis-
charged. Emphasis in this Agreement is
on preventing pollution, rather than after-
the-fact cures.
The Department of Environmental Con-
servation's studies of the State's major
lakes, rivers, and streams identified 26 ac-
tivities which cause serious water quality
problems in the State. As shown in the
table on page 14, EPA and the State have
evaluated these activities, and have
agreed that six are statewide priorities:
— Industrial Discharges
— Municipal Discharges
— Combined Sewer Overflows
— Urban Storm Runoff
— Residual Wastes
— Man-Made Modifications to Waterways
The following pages briefly describe the
State's water quality management prob-
lems and the proposed strategies for deal-
ing with them. The emphasis is on the six
statewide priorities.
-------
Industry And
Toxics
Industrial discharges are wastes dis-
charged directly into the water by indus-
tries, or sent through municipal sewage
treatment plants to be discharged "indi-
rectly" through municipal systems. Most
of the industrial waste generated in New
York State is treated to some degree be-
fore being discharged.
Between 1978-1983 EPA will establish
strict new tolerance limits for 65 high-
priority pollutants. All of these substances,
and possibly additional ones, will require
the application of the "Best Available
Technology Economically Achievable"
(BATEA) in order to meet new national
effluent limitations which will be enforced
by July 1, 1984.
New York State is identifying industries in
the State which are discharging the 65
high-priority pollutants, in addition to
other substances of concern in the State.
As the BATEA guidelines are promul-
gated by EPA, the State will enforce them
through industrial discharge permits.
During the next five years, New York State
will continue to expand research and
data-gathering activities, such as the
statewide Industrial Chemical Survey, to
fill in critical knowledge gaps about toxics.
In its permit and monitoring programs the
State will give priority to toxic substance
control.
While enforcement of BATEA will be a
major step forward in controlling industr-
ial discharges, even more stringent con-
trols may be necessary in some cases to
protect public water supplies and en-
vironmentally sensitive areas. New York
State will identify such areas during the
next five years and develop appropriate
water quality standards, and possibly re-
classify uses, as necessary. These new
standards and use classifications will be
incorporated into industrial discharge
permits.
Municipal treatment plants are designed
primarily for domestic wastes and are not
usually equipped to treat the complex
toxic substances contributed by industry.
After promulgation of pretreatment regu-
lations by EPA, DEC will develop a com-
prehensive State pretreatment strategy.
All indirect dischargers would be required
to comply with pretreatment regulations
being developed now by EPA. As part of a
toxic strategy New York State is tracking
down some 6000 industrial dischargers
some of which discharge through mu-
nicipal systems.
-------
Municipal discharges are domestic sew-
age and wastes from businesses and in-
dustries which pass through a municipal
treatment system before being dis-
charged into the State's waterways. In
New York State, most of the municipal
sewage flows are, or will be, treated in sec-
ondary sewage treatment plants con-
structed with funds made available from
State bond acts approved in 1965 and
1972, and the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act. By traditional standards used
to measure organic oxygen-consuming
wastes and infectious agents in municipal
wastes, the overall level of water quality
has definitely improved over the past 15
years.
Federally sponsored municipal sewer-
needs surveys in 1974 and 1976 identified
about $38 billion of needs for collection
systems, advanced wastewater treatment,
management of combined sewer over-
flow and urban runoff problems. Through
the State's Continuing Planning Process
New York State will refine its 20-year pro-
jected wastewater treatment needs in
communities throughout the State. Waste
loads will be estimated according to cur-
rent population projections and land-use
concerns.
Through the new Clean Water Act and
EPA policy directives front-end environ-
mental planning is emphasized. In the
project development phase of the facility
planning process, greater emphasis will
be placed on coordination with environ-
mental resource protection, land de-
velopment, and related growth decisions,
pretreatment, water conservation and re-
use, related public water supply consid-
erations, multiple use for recreation, and
innovative and alternative technologies.
Municipal Waste
Treatment
The large public investment in municipal
treatment plants is of no benefit if not ac-
companied by adequate operation and
maintenance. Through its operation and
maintenance grant program, the State will
continue to define what is needed in terms
of municipal manpower and funding. The
State has the authority to withhold funds
and assess penalties for facilities that are
not adequately operated and maintained.
As indicated in the Industry and Toxics
Section, a major problem is the lack of
pretreatment requirements to handle
toxic wastes discharged into municipal
systems. EPA is currently developing na-
tional pretreatment requirements. Prior to
the promulgation of these new pretreat-
ment requirements, DEC will continue to
collect information on indirect dischar-
gers and review municipal sewer-use or-
dinances to determine whether they need
to be upgraded. Subsequent to EPA's de-
velopment of pretreatment requirements,
DEC will develop a statewide pretreat-
ment strategy.
«_.
«'•*-
-------
Combined
Sewer Overflows
Combined sewer overflows are a major
problem in many major urban com-
munities in New York State. In these sys-
tems, the same sewers collect and trans-
port sanitary sewage and stormwater
runoff to the municipal treatment plant.
When it rains, the capacity of the system
can be exceeded with the excess flow
bypassing the treatment plant. This re-
sults in discharge of untreated sewage
into the receiving water. Cnder the
Agreement the State will develop a
strategy to contend with this problem.
Federal funds, however, for constructing
new systems and upgrading existing sys-
tems are essential. Presently, the Clean
Water Act of 1977 may not allow the fund-
ing of the stormwater portion of these
projects.
Unfortunately, a total solution to the prob-
lem of combined sewer overflows is ex-
tremely expensive since it involves major
changes in the sewer system or the treat-
ment plant. Large holding tanks or under-
ground storage systems could be built to
hold excess wastewater for later treatment
or dual drainage systems for sewage and
stormwater could be constructed to al-
leviate the load on the treatment plant.
The State is identifying the combined
sewer systems where improvements are
most urgently needed to meet both pres-
ent and future community needs.
Also recognizing the high costs of solving
the combined sewer problem, the State
and EPA will continue to investigate alter-
native solutions. These will include Best
Management Practices (BMPs) which can
reduce the amount of dangerous pollut-
ants which otherwise are washed off from
the land into the sewer systems when it
rains.
-------
Urban Srorm
Runoff
Urban storm runoff includes overland
runoff that runs directly into streams, and
runoff which is collected by storm sewers
and then discharged directly to streams.
In densely populated areas, urban storm
runoff picks up contaminated materials
from industrial sites, streets, parking lots,
and other locations where garbage and
debris accumulate.
DEC will develop a comprehensive
strategy to deal directly with urban storm
runoff problems. This strategy will evalu-
ate both structural and nonstructural
"best management" approaches, and it
may include recommendations for
amendment of the Clean Water Act of
1977 which has curtailed Federal funds
for construction of stormwater treatment
facilities.
DEC will utilize the water quality man-
agement planning process (including
existing work being done under the
Statewide 208 Urban Runoff Study) to
identify and map urban runoff problem
areas and to quantify the effects of this
source type relative to other sources.
The DEC, the State Department of Health,
and other monitoring agencies in New
York, will exchange water quality informa-
tion regularly to help make sure that all
concerned parties are aware of existing
runoff problems and the corrective ac-
tions which might be taken.
-------
Residual Waste
Management
And Resource
Recovery
Residual wastes include industrial and
municipal treatment plant sludges, haz-
ardous process wastes generated by in-
dustry, garbage and trash, septic tank
pumpings, dredge spoil, air pollution con-
trol wastes, and semisolids and liquids
stored in surface impoundments.
In an ironic way, some residual wastes are
the disagreeable product of successes in
other areas of water pollution control. For
example, the widespread treatment of raw
sewage and heavy industrial wastes pro-
duces a great quantity of sludge contain-
ing toxic substances and other pollutants.
New York City metropolitan area sewage
sludge has been dumped into the Atlantic
Ocean for years. But all ocean dumping
will be prohibited by law after 1981, and
new alternatives are being sought.
Modern technology has devised methods
for removing dangerous pollutants from
the air, but the air pollution control wastes
are not always disposed of properly.
Likewise, harbors and rivers are dredged
regularly to clear navigation channels, but
problems arise in the proper disposal of
the dredge spoil.
Great quantities of garbage and trash are
buried between layers of earth in landfill
disposal sites. If these landfills are not
10
-------
properly designed and operated, water
leaching down through the waste picks up
pollutants and carries them off to
groundwater and some surface waters. It
is currently estimated that 146 landfill
sites in New York State produce observa-
ble leachate. Since more than four million
people in New York State use groundwa-
ter as their main source of drinking water,
the leaching of contaminants from land-
fills can create an extremely hazardous
situation.
In the Agreement, New York State and
EPA have set forth two major strategies to
help solve the problems associated with
residual wastes. One strategy recognizes
that valuable energy and usable resources
can be recovered from residual wastes.
The second strategy deals with the proper
disposal of any remaining residual wastes.
New York State is in the midst of develop-
ing its resource recovery program.
Sources of residual wastes have been
identified and the amount of usable mate-
rials determined. DEC has developed
projections of all types of residual wastes,
and defined areas of the State which gen-
erate enough waste to support a resource
recovery program. A comprehensive re-
sidual management plan has been pre-
pared for the Governor's and Legislature's
approval. Provisions will be made for the
management of area residual waste oper-
ations by local governments or combi-
nations of local governments. Funds will
be sought to construct processing plants,
and markets will be developed for the sale
of recovered resources.
Groundwater information collected by the
DEC, Department of Health, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, EPA, U.S. Geological
Survey, and others will be coordinated to
get a clearer idea of the amount and type
of groundwater contamination, especially
regarding toxics from disposal sites. All
662 landfill disposal sites in the State are
required to have permits, and these sites
will be upgraded as necessary to meet the
criteria required by these permits—or they
will face closure. Landfill disposal sites will
be monitored regularly.
Pending State legislation would set in mo-
tion a new system for monitoring and con-
trolling generators of hazardous wastes.
Municipal and industrial sludges will be
analyzed for toxics before land disposal.
11
-------
Man-Mode
Modifications To
Waterways
Throughout its history, New York's abun-
dant water resources have been de-
veloped to meet commercial and industr-
ial objectives. Major rivers have been regu-
lated by upstream lakes, and many reser-
voirs have been constructed for public
water supplies, hydroelectric power gen-
eration, flood control and navigation, with
little consideration for water quality. Water
quality problems can be either caused or
helped by existing water management
projects affecting channel modifications,
impoundments, withdrawal and recharge
of water, and other activities which regu-
late or alter water flow.
For example, streams and rivers might be
dammed or diverted from their natural
paths to control flooding. While flooding is
prevented, the river flow is often insuffi-
cient to carry away suspended solids, and
fishing waters and harbor areas can be
damaged by vast accumulations of sedi-
ment. Inadequate or widely fluctuating re-
leases from reservoirs can impair down-
stream fish and wildlife, recreation, and
aesthetic values.
hew York State will continue its program
to increase the beneficial environmental
effects of man-made modifications. Dur-
ing the next three years, the State will con-
tinue its flow regulation studies. As a result
of past studies conducted by DEC in the
Delaware River Basin, new reservoir re-
lease strategies have already been de-
veloped for some reservoirs to reduce en-
vironmental damage.
12
-------
Nonpoint-Source
Pollution
There are two broad categories of pollu-
tion sources: "point" and "nonpoint."
Point sources are end-of-the-pipe dis-
charges such as those coming from in-
dustrial operations and municipal treat-
ment plants. Pollution from point-source
discharges can be measured and ulti-
mately controlled.
Pollution from nonpoint sources presents
a much more difficult set of problems be-
cause it enters waterways through over-
land runoff or gradual seepage through
the soil and into groundwaters. In agricul-
tural areas, for example, rain can wash nu-
trients, herbicides, pesticides, and topsoil
into nearby waters. Where construction,
mining, or land development activities are
underway, contaminated residue and sed-
iments can be washed into the water. For-
estry activities, such as timber harvesting,
can result in severe localized erosion and
sedimentation problems.
Nonpoint-source pollution also can come
from septic tank systems and poorly de-
signed or improperly managed landfills,
where water picks up pollutants as it seeps
through the soil and carries them into
groundwater supplies.
Nonpoint-source pollution generally can-
not be collected and treated like mu-
nicipal or industrial waste discharges. One
way to reduce this type of pollution is
through better management of the ac-
tivities which are causing the pollution.
For example, farmers may use such famil-
iar conservation practices as terracing,
contour strip planting, minimum tillage
and other new techniques being de-
veloped. Studies have shown that good
conservation practices such as these can
substantially reduce sediment pollution.
The 1977 Amendments to the Clean
Water Act include a major new Federal
grant program to assist rural land users in
installing Best Management Practices for
nonpoint-source pollution control. Maxi-
mum use of this program will be made in
Mew York.
DEC is presently developing a nonpoint-
source management program with the
assistance of the State Soil and Water
Conservation Committee and other
agencies drawing upon and coordinating
many related programs already in effect in
the State. Initial focus of the new man-
agement program will be in the areas of
agriculture, forestry, mining, and con-
struction.
A statewide assessment of the magnitude
and geographic extent of nonpoint-
source pollution problems is underway.
Appropriate Best Management Practices
will be evaluated and adopted. Voluntary
land-use management tied to specific
schedules and objectives will be em-
phasized during the next five years, but
regulatory alternatives will be considered
where experience demonstrates the need.
13
-------
Summary of Water Quality Management Problems
by Six Designated and Eight Non-Designated 208 Planning Areas
Water Quality Management Problem by Gate;
Municipal Discharges
Industrial Discharges
Residual Wastes
Combined Sewer Overflows
Urban Storm Runoff
Man-Made Modifications to Waterways
Accumulated Bottom Pollutants
Excessive Water Use
Oil and Hazardous Material Spills
lentally (Jnsound Development
On-Lot Septic Disposal
Landfill Leachate
iculture and Irrigated Agriculture
Dredging Operations and Spoil Disposal
Complex Surface/Ground and
Salt Water Intrusion
Animal FeedJots
Other Nonpoint-Sources
Radioactive Wastes
Snow Removal and Deicing
Air Pollution Residuals and
Acid Rain
Inadequate Quantity of Water Supplies*
Designated Are
c •
c o
c o
Non-Designated Are
s New York State
c •
c •
c •
€>•
€>•
e o
c o
c o
o •
o c
-------
Other Water
Quality
Management
Concerns
In addition to those already discussed,
there are many other serious water quality
management problems in New York
State. Some of them occur in localized
areas and do not affect a large percentage
of the State's population, but they are still
of critical concern. The State Water Qual-
ity Management Program will work to-
wards solutions to all of these problems
during the next five years, and the Agree-
ment details many strategies which will be
used to reach these solutions.
Some water quality management prob-
lems occur only periodically, but have ex-
tremely severe effects. A prime example of
this type of "episodic" problem is the oc-
casional spills of oil and other hazardous
substances along the coastal zones and in
streams, rivers, and lakes. During 1976,
the DEC received reports of 994 spills, of
which about 25 percent were hazardous
substances other than oil. Additional
complications arise when the spiller does
not assume responsibility immediately,
especially when spilled contaminants
seep into groundwater.
Another water quality management prob-
lem encountered increasingly around the
State is "thermal discharges" connected
with the operation of power plants and
some industrial cooling facilities. At the
present time, about 10 billion gallons of
thermal discharges are made daily into
State waters. While thermal discharges
have not brought widespread problems to
date, new power plant developments ex-
pected to occur in response to increasing
energy demands expands the likelihood
of associated water quality problems in
the future. On smaller tributary streams
thermal problems can also result from
unwise removal of trees and other
15
-------
streambank vegetation. In either case, ris-
ing water temperature can disrupt the na-
tural environment, having serious biologi-
cal effects on certain aquatic species.
In a similar manner, natural stream envi-
ronments are adversely affected by high
salinity resulting from excessive winter
use of road salt and inadequate storage of
salt supplies.
Qroundwater management is identified in
the Agreement as a major concern, with
more than four million New York residents
dependent on underground aquifers as
their source of water supply. Major efforts
under the Section 208 Program have in-
cluded extensive analysis of groundwater
systems on Long Island, and upstate in
the Cortland and Elmira-Corning areas.
Presently DEC is modifying its groundwa-
ter standards to provide protection for
drinking water supplies. The State will de-
velop a comprehensive program for
groundwater conservation with effective
monitoring and regulatory measures.
The problem of failing on-lot septic dis-
posal systems is also of concern both for
surface and groundwaters. More effective
maintenance of these systems which
serve several million residents in unse-
wered areas is a continuing concern. Cur-
rent Section 208 studies include site-
specific analyses of rural hamlets which
have septic problems and which cannot
be expected to afford sewers. Under the
Clean Water Act of 1977, new funding al-
ternatives are becoming available which
may provide solutions to such com-
munities.
Water conservation and reuse is rapidly
becoming recognized as an important
aspect of water quality management.
Elimination of excessive water use will re-
duce the quantities of sewage to be
treated. Conservation is often more cost-
effective than development of new
sources of water supply. Industrial water
conservation and reuse is expected to in-
crease as industries improve the level of
on-site treatment, particularly to remove
toxic wastes. The 1977 Amendments to
the Clean Water Act offer additional incen-
tives to municipalities for water conserva-
tion. In addition, DEC has proposed a
comprehensive State legislative program
for water conservation. Along with this,
DEC is proposing in the Agreement a
broad-based public education program
for water conservation.
With our over 4000 freshwater lakes, lake
restoration and management is an impor-
tant objective of water quality manage-
ment in New York. Eutrophication, or the
natural "aging" process of our important
lake resources, can be speeded up by
man's land-use activities around the
lakeshore and within the lake drainage
basin resulting in undesirable changes in
aquatic ecology. The present very limited
program for lake management and resto-
ration needs to be expanded.
Many streams and lakes in the Adiron-
dacks are adversely affected by acid rain
precipitation, some of which originates
outside of the State's borders. Airborne
pollutants, especially sulphur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, hy-
drocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons and
some toxics generated by sources both
within and outside the State, are believed
to be contributing to water pollution in
some areas of the State especially in the
Niagara Frontier and New York metropoli-
tan areas.
16
-------
Throughout the Agreement is the recog-
nition that the future holds a major em-
phasis on land resources management as
a means of meeting water quality objec-
tives. While the remedial approach of the
past is still viable for solving certain prob-
lems, the key to more efficient and less
expensive resource management is pre-
vention of the problems through more ef-
fective consideration of the water quality
impact of our activities on the land. As
previously indicated, Best Management
Practices are one approach for such di-
verse problems as those associated with
nonpoint sources including forestry, ag-
riculture, mining, and construction activ-
ity, as well as urban runoff from industrial
sites and city streets.
Groundwater quality often is linked di-
rectly to improvements in land use
through both the type of use and the per-
formance characteristics of particular
uses. Preservation of wetlands, required
under State and Federal laws can play an
important role in filtering nutrients and
wastes from upland runoff.
It is recognized that local government de-
cisions being made in New York State
must increasingly reflect concern for re-
source management. In particular, local
land-use plans should include water qual-
ity implications for future growth and de-
velopment, be it runoff from a shopping
center, a new subdivision, or treatment of
industrial sewage and residual wastes.
In addition to local planning activities,
local government management activities
are clearly required to carry out the
strategies outlined in the Agreement.
Local operation of the sewage treatment
plant, maintenance of sewer and water
systems, adequate provision for street
sweeping, road bank maintenance, and
solid waste management are just a few
examples.
A major concern recognized in the
Agreement is the ability to afford—partic-
ularly by local government—the many
strategies required to meet water quality
standards. DEC will build upon ongoing
analyses of this important "ability to af-
ford" issue to ensure that cost-effective
and implementable solutions are found.
The strategies in the Agreement increase
the challenge to local government for ef-
fective management for water quality, as
well as residuals management and re-
source recovery. During 1978 local offi-
cials will be recommending the designa-
tion of management agencies for these
activities.
17
-------
CENTRAL NEW YORK
REGIONAL PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT BOARD
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
ERIE-NIAGARA COUNTIES REGIONAL SOUTHERN TIER CENTRAL
PLANNING BOARD REGIONAL PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT BOARD
I I DESIGNATED 208 AREAS
I 3 I STATE PLANNING AREAS (Non-Designated)
New York State Designated Areas and Agencies Funded Under the Federal Clean Water Act
18
-------
There is no way "not" to be involved in the
subject of water. It is the most basic and
indispensable commodity that people
use. The public involvement structure and
process is already in place. It needs to be
strengthened and expanded, however.
Many Federal and State water pollution
control laws require public participation,
and the State and EPA are determined
that this participation be active and mean-
ingful rather than the perfunctory fulfill-
ment of a legislative mandate. Although
there are more than 4000 volunteers in
New York State who are today giving their
time and talents as advisors on various
environmental issues, the State and EPA
Region II will work to increase this number
substantially and make the public's in-
volvement even more meaningful than it
has ever been in the past.
The DEC Commissioner has a statewide
advisory council of about 100 citizens rep-
resenting a broad range of interests. En-
vironmental management councils are
established in 47 counties and in about
270 communities. The advisory groups
developed across the State to work on
Section 208 of the Clean Water Act con-
sist of over 1000 individuals representing
industry, labor, farm, and civic groups
who have trained themselves in all facets
of water quality management. They will be
instrumental in reviewing and following
up on the proposed Agreement.
During 1974 and 1975, six urban areas
were designated by the Governor to put
together an areawide waste treatment
management plan under this Section
208. Each of these designated areas has
its own public advisory structure, includ-
ing elected and appointed officials and
citizen representatives. Each area has a
Section 208 newsletter. Detailed plans,
including documentation of public in-
volvement in the planning process are
now being submitted to EPA for approval.
In the rest of the State (see map), DEC has
established eight planning regions within
which section 208 advisory committees
have been formed. The committees have
been functioning for about one year. They
advise the Department on priority prob-
lems in their area and review and com-
ment on statewide studies being con-
ducted on a variety of water management
issues.
In four of the regions (5, 6, 6A, and 7) the
Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) is the
existing Regional Planning Board. The
PAC members in each of the other four
regions (3, 4, 8, and 9) were appointed by
the Commissioner on the recommenda-
tion of local governments, citizen groups,
and the DEC Regional Directors. In all
cases, a majority of the PAC members are
locally elected or appointed officials.
Technical Advisory Committees (TACs)
The Public s
Opportunity
19
-------
and Citizen Advisory Committees (CACs)
or some combination thereof are active in
each region. The organizational structure
varies to suit local conditions and prefer-
ences. For example, some areas have de-
veloped advisory groups in each county;
others meet on an areawide basis. Some
have strong subcommittees to track each
aspect of the complex planning process.
All of the CACs are open-ended as far as
membership goes, although steering
committees have been elected by some
groups. With organizational problems
now behind them, the advisory commit-
tees are beginning to reach out to the
larger community through regional 208
newsletters, slide shows, public meetings,
and seminars.
The Agreement recommends that this re-
gional advisory structure be continued as
the core of a greatly expanded informa-
tion and involvement effort. It also calls for
a more explicit link between the work of
the Section 208 advisory committees and
that of environmental management
councils and commissions. It recom-
mends discretionary funds for the support
of a constituency development program.
As funding permits during the next five
years, the DEC will expand and strengthen
its public information programs and de-
velop its regional offices into full-fledged
information exchange centers. Public
education programs will focus more spec-
ifically on the water quality issues raised in
the Agreement. The DEC and EPA staffs
will continue to be available to speak to
groups and organizations.
To help stimulate public discussion of the
issues presented in the Agreement, the
State and EPA Region II, in conjunction
with the Section 208 designated agencies
and all regional 208 advisory committees,
will hold a series of public meetings dur-
ing the spring of 1978. These meetings
will offer a forum for questions and an op-
portunity for new ideas to be heard.
In the Agreement, many new program
strategies are being proposed: resource
recovery operations, land-use policies,
tighter controls on toxics, groundwater
management, nonpoint-source pollution
control, and others. The development of
these strategies will call for the ex-
penditure of additional public funds.
Exactly how such funds are spent in New
York State depends on the critical needs
of communities. The citizens of New York
have a real opportunity to speak up for
their needs and influence the plans and
decisions being made.
For additional information on the Agree-
ment and the public meetings which will
be held this year, fill out and return the
postcard provided in this booklet, or con-
tact EPA or DEC at the following loca-
tions:
20
-------
Yes, I am interested in receiving informa-
tion relatingtothe Five-Year Plan for Water
Quality Management. Please send me the
following checked items:
n Notices of Public Meetings
n It's Time to Speak Up (Citizen
participation)
G A Primer on Wastewater Treatment
D A Citizen's Guide to Clean Water
G Resource Recovery (The Modern
Approach to Waste Control and
Reuse)
n Towards Purer Waters—A Progress
Report
Q Environmental Deterioration and
Declining Species
n Land Where We Live
O Pure Waters Progress in New York
State
D Help—Give Earth a Chance
G Environmental Action
n Add my name to your mailing list for
the 208 Bulletin and other notices
Name:.
Address:_
City:
State: Zip Code:
Organization, if any: .
(PLEASE PRINT)
-------
v>
CD
+->
£
CO
"D
Si
UJ
1 •
=
1
rC
1-
.E
"S
=
CD
_l ^
— r;
< -
^* _
2 >
L_
> ca
j S
Q- 8
w 0}
DC Z
BUSINESS
No Postage
c
o
I
0)
(A
e
o
O
1
o>
c
0
'5
LU
*^
>- O w
CQ 4- «
0 g|
^f E 01
2 t a
LU Q. CO
™ D.I
^J :
K > 8 E -g E
55 g £ o § ™
O & E o o —
o. z o cc S <
-------
EPA Region II
26 Federal Plaza
New York, New York 10017
Telephone: 212-264-2515
EPA Rochester Program Support Branch
100 State Street
Rochester, New York 14614
Telephone: 716-263-3166
DEC Region One
SUNY, Building 40
Stony Brook, New York 11790
Telephone: 516-751-7900
DEC Region Two
2 World Trade Center. 61st Floor
New York, New York 10047
Telephone: 212-488-2755
DEC Region Three
21 South Putt Corners Road
New Paftz, New York 12561
Telephone: 914-255-5453
DEC Region Four
50 Wolf Road, Room 209
Albany, New York 12233
Telephone: 518-457-5861
DEC Region Five
Route 86
Ray Brook, New York 12977
Telephone: 518-891-1370
DEC Region Six
317 Washington Street
Watertown, New York 13601
Telephone: 315-782-0100
DEC Region Seven
100 Elwood Davis Road
North Syracuse, New York 13212
Telephone: 315-473-8301
DEC Region Eight
Routes 5 & 20 East Avon
P.O. Box 57
Avon, New York 14414
Telephone: 716-226-2466
DEC Region Nine
584 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14202
Telephone: 716-842-5824
------- |