Low Threat Discharge Amendment

Proposed Amendment to Provide Exceptions to Point Source Prohibitions for Low-Threat Discharges

• REVISED NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND NOTICE OF FILING
  Draft Basin Plan Amendment to Establish Exception Criteria to the Point Source Waste Discharge Prohibitions by Revising the Action Plan for Storm Water Discharges and Adding a New Action Plan for Low Threat Discharges

The purpose of the project is to develop and adopt a Basin Plan amendment to address ‘Low-threat discharges’, including incidental runoff of potable and recycled water, as they relate to the current Basin Plan prohibitions. The existing language contained in the Basin Plan seasonal prohibitions does not make any allowance for low-threat discharges such as these. Therefore, the development of a Low Threat Discharge Amendment is necessary to provide exceptions to the Basin Plan seasonal point source discharge prohibitions. The amendment would create specific exceptions for discharges that can demonstrate no adverse impact on water quality and for which there are no other reasonable discharge alternatives. The Amendment will be designed to prevent degradation of waters of the North Coast Region so that beneficial uses are supported and water quality objectives are attained and maintained.

The Draft Basin Plan Amendment (including the Proposed Low Threat Discharge Action Plan and the Proposed Revisions to the Storm Water Action Plan) and the associated Staff Report are now available to download below.

The Public Hearing for the Proposed Basin Plan Amendment to Establish Exemption Criteria to the Point Source Waste Discharge Prohibitions by Revising the Action Plan for Storm Water Discharges and Adding a New Action Plan for Low Threat Discharges, also known as the Low Threat Discharge Amendment, has been rescheduled for July 23, 2009. This item was postponed to allow Regional Water Board staff to prepare a formal response to the numerous comments submitted by the public and other interested stakeholders and to coincide with the Board’s consideration of the two associated permits: the update of the General Construction Permit (Regional Water Board Order 93-61) and the revised Storm Water MS4 permit.

On January 8, 2008, Regional Water Board staff held a public workshop to accept comments on the proposed Amendment. The audio recording of the workshop and the Power Point presentation are available to download.

• Workshop Powerpoint Presentation
• Mp3 Audio

• Title Page and Table of Contents
  
  
• Draft Staff Report to the Basin Plan to Establish Exception Criteria to the Point Source Waste Discharge Prohibitions by Revising the Action Plan for Storm Water Discharges and Adding a New Action Plan for Low Threat Discharges
  
  
• Appendix A: Proposed Low Threat Discharge Action Plan
• Appendix B: Proposed Modifications to the Storm Water Action Plan
• Appendix C: Historical Background of the Pt. Source Prohibitions
• Appendix D: Environmental Analysis

• Public Comment Letters Received by Regional Board Staff

CEQA Scoping Meetings were held in August 2005 and April 2007.

• CEQA Scoping Notice (April 2007)
• Informational Document (April 2007)
• CEQA Scoping Summary of Comments document ( August 2005)
• CEQA Scoping Summary of Comments (April 2007)
• Response to Russian River Watershed Protection Committee (RRWPC) letters (June 2007)

Staff Contact: Lauren Clyde, 576-2674