EPA Evaluation of District of Columbia's 2012-2013 Milestone Progress and 2014-2015 Milestone Commitments to Reduce Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sediment 2.5 1.5 -8 S Overview Two-year milestones are short-term objectives under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (Bay TMDL) accountability framework used to assess progress toward restoration goals while allowing jurisdictions to flexibly adapt their Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) to meet those goals. When fully implemented, the seven WIPs will ensure all practices necessaiy to meet water quality standards in the Chesapeake Bay will be in place by 2025. By 2017, jurisdictions should have practices in place that would achieve 60 percent of necessary pollutant reductions compared to 2009. Pollutant Reduction Progress and Future Targets by Source Sector According to die data provided by die District of Columbia, the District achieved its 2013 milestone targets for nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment The District of Columbia finished the 2012-2013 milestone period nearly 720,000 pounds ahead of schedule for nitrogen reductions, nearly 2,000 pounds ahead of schedule for phosphorus reductions and nearly 690,000 pounds ahead of schedule for sediment. The District of Columbia's 2014-2015 milestone urban nonpoint source best management practice commitments and wastewater strategy would reduce nitrogen compared to the 2009 baseline. However, phosphorus and sediment totals are projected to increase by the end of 2015 compared to the 2009 baseline to the point that they would exceed the 2025 targets. The District is expected to meet 2025 targets, however, through implementation of tire Clean Rivers Project Long-Term Control Plan to mitigate combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and enhanced nutrient removal at Blue Plains wastewater treatment plant (WW'I P). DC Water will need to complete these wastewater efforts on schedule and the District will need to place additional emphasis on improving implementation in die Stormwater sector in order to achieve die reductions needed to ensure it meets its WIP and Bay TMDL targets. 3 r Nitrogen Loads and Goals 150 120 90 § 60 c£ Phosphorus Loads and Goals 30 .£ cn 25 r 20 Sediment Loads and Goals » 10 2009 2013 2015 2017 Baseline Mlestone /Progress Target/Milestone Target 2009 2013 2015 2017 MilBStcne/Progress Target/Milestone Target Agriculture ] Urban Runoff Wastewater | Septic 2009 2013 2015 2017 Baseline Milaame/ftngress Target/Milestone Target I Forest** " Forest includes other sources Note: 2013 milestones and 2013 progress are based on 2010 conditions. For additional information on pollution reduction progress, commitments, and BMP see http://stat.chesapeakefaav.net/milestones Ongoing 2014 Oversight Status Agriculture: Urban/Suburban: Wastewater: Enhanced Backstop Trading/Offsets: Not Applicable Ongoing Oversight Ongoing Oversight Ongoing Oversight For full details on EPA's evaluation of Two-Year Milestones, visit the Chesapeake Bay TMDL website. ------- EPA Evaluation of District of Columbia's 2012-2013 Milestone Progress and 2014-2015 Milestone Commitments to Reduce Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sediment 2012-2013 Milestone Progress and 2014-2015 Milestone Review The EPA review of progress toward meeting 2012-2013 milestones shows the District of Columbia has made enough progress in the Urban Stormwater and Wastewater sectors to ensure implementation is occurring, although not all of its milestone commitments were achieved. The District of Columbia will need to place additional emphasis on improving implementation in the Stormwater sector to stay on track to meet its WIP and Bay TMDL commitments. The District of Columbia's anticipated reductions for the 2014-2015 milestone period should keep it on track to meet the 2017 target of having practices in place to achieve 60 percent of necessaiy nitrogen reductions compared to 2009, but projected increases for phosphorus and sediment from the wastewater sector are not on track to meet the 2017 interim target. The District is expected to meet 2025 targets through implementation of die Clean Rivers Project and upgrades at Blue Plains WWTP. Strengths ¦ Finalized the Stormwater Fee Discount Program rule in 2013 - includes a website and guidebook to implement the program ¦ Implementing newly adopted stormwater regulations ¦ Inspected 183 outfalls and on target to inspect all Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) outfalls every five years ¦ Continued upgrades to Blue Plains WWTP; will have enhanced nutrient removal in place by October 2014 ¦ Made consistent and steady progress toward building Anacostia tunnel for CSO mitigation as part of Clean Rivers Project ¦ Will develop operation and maintenance protocols for District-owned and operated onsite retention practices Shortfalls ¦ Did not complete citywide online stormwater tool by 2013 Issues to Address ¦ Increase implementation of tree plantings and redevelopment projects that meet the 1.2 inch retention standard in order to meet projected implementation goals in the Urban Stormwater sector Potential Federal Actions and Assistance EPA will maintain "Ongoing Oversight" of die District of Columbia programs for all sectors. EPA will continue to work with the District Department of die Environment (DDOE) and federal signatories to die Stormwater Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to resolve issues raised related to interpretation of federal conunimients as part of die District's WIP and to reiterate the Executive Order 13508 directive and federal agencies' comniimient to lead by example. EPA will closely monitor any potential modifications to the Clean Rivers Project Long-Term Control Plan to mitigate CSOs and assess potential implications on schedule and loads to die Chesapeake Bay. EPA will work widi DC Water and DDOE to track and report CSO implementation activities and to ensure diat CSO loads remain within the caps established by the Bay TMDL and die Blue Plains pennit EPA is working with U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District, other consulting federal agencies, land-holding federal agencies in the District of Columbia, as well as state and local government representatives, non-governmental organizations and stream restoration practitioners to improve the efficiency of die permitting process for stream restoration. EPA is supporting trading and offset tracking systems and die jurisdictions' development/enhancement of their BMP verification programs. EPA will further work to enhance federal partners' participation in die milestone commitment process. For the full details of EPA's evaluation of the District of Columbia's 2012-2013 milestone progress and 2014-2015 milestone commitments, please see the District of Columbia's Full Evaluation Report. ------- |