[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 368-370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-114]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6928-3]


Clean Water Act Section 303(d): Availability of Total Maximum 
Daily Loads (TMDLs)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability for comment of the 
administrative record file for 88 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). EPA prepared 
these TMDLs 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.

DATES: Comments on the 88 TMDLs must be submitted in writing to EPA on 
or before February 2, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the 88 TMDLs should be sent to Ellen Caldwell, 
Environmental Protection Specialist, Water Quality Protection Division, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6, 1445 Ross Ave., Dallas, 
TX 75202-2733. For further information, contact Ellen Caldwell at (214) 
665-7513. The administrative record file for these TMDLs is available 
for public inspection at this address as well. Copies of the TMDLs and 
their respective calculations may be viewed at www.epa.gov/region6/water/tmdl.htm, or 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 Seeks Comments on 88 TMDLs

    By this notice EPA is seeking comment on the following 88 TMDLs for 
waters located within the Mermentau and Vermilion/Teche basins:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Subsegment               Waterbody name              Pollutant
------------------------------------------------------------------------
060205..............  Bayou Teche--Headwaters At     Salinity/TDS.
                       Bayou Courtableau to I-10.
060211..............  West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit    Salinity/TDS.
                       Canal.
060301..............  Bayou Teche--I-10 to Keystone  Salinity/TDS.
                       Locks and Dam.                Chlorides.
050201..............  Bayou Plaquemine Brule--Head-  Ammonia.
                       Waters to Bayou Descannes.
050401..............  Mermentau River--Origin to     Ammonia.
                       Lake Arthur.
060102..............  Cocodrie Lake................  Noxious Aquatic.
                                                     Plants & Ammonia.
                                                     Chlorides.
                                                     Sulfate.
060204..............  Bayou Courtableau--Origin to   Ammonia.
                       West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit   Salinity/TDS.
                       Canal.
060203..............  Chicot Lake..................  Noxious Aquatic.
                                                     Plants & Nutrients.
050101..............  Bayou Des Cannes--Headwaters   Nutrients.
                       to Mermentau River.
050301..............  Bayou Nezpique--Headwaters to  Nutrients.
                       Mermentau River.
060202..............  Bayou Cocodrie...............  Nutrients.
060208..............  Bayou Boeuf--Headwaters To     Nutrients.
                       Bayou Courtableau.
060211..............  West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit    Sulfates.
                       Canal.
060301..............  Bayou Teche--I-10 to Keystone  Sulfates.
                       Locks and Dam.
050101..............  Bayou Des Cannes--Headwaters   Total Suspended
                       to Mermentau River.            Solids (TSS).
050102..............  Bayou Joe Marcel.............  TSS.
050103..............  Bayou Mallet.................  TSS.

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050201..............  Bayou Plaquemine Brule--       Siltation.
                       Headwaters To Bayou Des       TSS.
                       Cannes.
050301..............  Bayou Nezpique--Headwaters to  Siltation.
                       Mermentau River.              TSS.
050302..............  Mermentau River Basin........  Siltation.
                                                     TSS.
050401..............  Mermentau River--Origin to     TSS.
                       Lake Arthur.
050402..............  Lake Arthur and Lower          TSS.
                       Mermentau.
050501..............  Bayou Que de Tortue--          TSS.
                       Headwaters To Mermentau       Siltation.
                       River.
050602..............  Intracoastal Waterway........  TSS.
050701..............  Grand Lake...................  TSS.
050702..............  Intracoastal Waterway........  TSS.
050703..............  White Lake...................  Siltation.
                                                     TSS.
050901..............  Bays and Gulf Waters to State  Siltation.
                       3-mile Limit.                 TSS.
060101..............  Spring Creek--Headwaters to    TSS.
                       Cocodrie Lake (Scenic).
060102..............  Cocodrie Lake................  Siltation.
060201..............  Bayou Cocodrie--From U.S. Hwy  TSS.
                       167 To the Bayou Boeuf
                       Cocodrie Canal.
060202..............  Bayou Cocodrie...............  TSS.
                                                     Siltation.
060203..............  Chicot Lake..................  TSS.
060204..............  Bayou Courtableau--Origin to   TSS.
                       West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit
                       Canal.
060205..............  Bayou Teche--Headwaters at     TSS.
                       Bayou Courtableau to I-10.
060207..............  Bayou des Glaises Diversion    TSS.
                       Canal.
060208..............  Bayou Boeuf--Headwaters to     TSS.
                       Bayou Courtableau.
060210..............  Bayou Carron.................  TSS.
060211..............  West Atchafalaya Borrow Pit    TSS.
                       Canal.
060212..............  Chatlin Lake Canal and Bayou   TSS.
                       Dulac.
                                                     Siltation.
060301..............  Bayou Teche--I-10 to Keystone  Turbidity.
                       Locks and Dam.                TSS.
060401..............  Bayou Teche--Keystone Locks    TSS.
                       and Dam to Charenton Canal.
060501..............  Bayou Teche--Charenton Canal   TSS.
                       to Wax Lake Outlet.
060601..............  Charenton Canal..............  TSS.
060701..............  Tete Bayou...................  TSS.
060702..............  Lake Fausse Point and          TSS.
                       Dauterive Lake.
                                                     Siltation.
060703..............  Bayou du Portage.............  TSS.
060906..............  Intracoastal Waterway........  TSS.
060907..............  Franklin Canal...............  TSS.
                                                     Turbidity.
060801..............  Vermilion River--Headwaters    TSS.
                       at Bayou Fusilier-Bourbeaux
                       Junction to New Flanders
                       (Ambassador Caffery Bridge
                       At Hwy 3073).
060802..............  Vermilion River--From New      TSS.
                       Flanders (Ambassador Caffery
                       Bridge at Hwy 3073 to
                       Intracoastal Waterway).
060803..............  Vermilion River Cutoff.......  TSS.
060804..............  Intracoastal Waterway........  TSS.
060901..............  Bayou Petite Anse............  TSS.
060902..............  Bayou Carlin (Delcambre        TSS.
                       Canal)-- Lake Peigneur to
                       Bayou Petite Anse
                       (Estuarine).
060903..............  Bayou Tigre..................  TSS
060904..............  Vermilion River B890 Basin     TSS.
                       New Iberia Drainage Canal.
060905..............  New Iberia Southern Drainage   TSS.
                       Canal.
                                                     Turbidity.
060909..............  Lake Peigneur................  Siltation.
                                                     TSS.
060910..............  Boston Canal and Associated    Siltation.
                       Canals (Estuarine).           TSS.
                                                     Turbidity.
060911..............  Vermilion-Teche River Basin..  TSS.
061101..............  Bayou Petite Anse............  Siltation.
                                                     TSS.
                                                     Turbidity.
061102..............  Intracoastal Waterway........  TSS.
061103..............  Freshwater Bayou Canal.......  TSS.
                                                     Turbidity.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    EPA requests that the public provide to EPA any water quality 
related data and information that may be relevant to the calculations 
for these TMDLs, or any other comments relevant to these TMDLs. EPA 
will review all data and

[[Page 370]]

information submitted during the public comment period and revise the 
TMDLs where appropriate. EPA will then forward the TMDLs to the Court 
and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). LDEQ will 
incorporate the TMDLs into its current water quality management plan.

    Dated: December 21, 2000.
Sam Becker,
Acting Director, Water Quality Protection Division, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 01-114 Filed 1-2-01; 8:45 am]
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