Water quality standards public hearing scheduled July 1

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Water and Waste Management will conduct a public hearing July 1 on its proposal to revise Legislative Rule 47CSR2, “Requirements Governing Water Quality Standards.”

DEP has proposed two site-specific revisions to the rule: (1) removal of the Water Use Category A exemption for the Kanawha River main stem, Zone 1; and (2) addition of a copper water effect ratio for the Charleston Sanitary Board wastewater treatment plant discharge into the Kanawha River.

State water quality standards are developed to help protect and preserve water quality necessary to meet and maintain designated or assigned uses, such as swimming, recreation, public water supply, and/or aquatic life.

The public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Coopers Rock Conference Room at DEP headquarters in Charleston. In addition to oral comments provided at the hearing, the agency will accept written comments anytime up to the conclusion of the public comment period at 5 p.m., on July 21. No comments will be accepted after that time. Written comments may be submitted to the following address:

Kevin R Coyne
Water Quality Standards Program
WV Department of Environmental Protection
601 57th St., S.E.
Charleston, WV 25304

Comments also may be e-mailed to dep.comments@wv.gov and will be made part of the rulemaking record. Copies of the proposed rule are available from the Secretary of State’s office or from the agency Website www.dep.wv.gov/wqs. Hardcopies of this information may also be obtained by calling Kevin Coyne at (304) 926-0499, ext. 1110.