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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Funding so far saved for <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">North</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Coast</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
water quality work<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><!--subtitle--><!--byline-->The Times-Standard<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><!--date-->Article Launched: 06/14/2007 04:17:01 AM PDT<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><a href="http://times-standard.com/local/ci_6138701">http://times-standard.com/local/ci_6138701</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
Budget Conference Committee of the state Legislature has come to an agreement
that so far preserves funding to help with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">North</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Coast</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
water quality issues. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
compromise arose out of a proposal from Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, D-Santa
Rosa. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>”We
need to accelerate the development of water quality standards,” Evans
said. “Delays have occurred because of staff shortages. We need to help
the regional board help us. That's what this funding is about.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
conference committee works to resolve differences between the budgets passed by
each house of the Legislature before the budget is subject to a vote. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>It moved
to provide the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board with two
additional staff for three years to develop clean water standards for waterways
protected under the federal Clean Water Act. This was a compromise -- the
original Assembly proposal called for five additional staff members. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>”The
state needs to put more resources towards the development of water quality
standards,” Evans adds. “Public health, environmental protection,
and municipal discharges all depend on the development of these
standards.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Within
the regional board's jurisdiction, 47 waterways are protected under the federal
Clean Water Act due to nutrient and pollutant concentrations. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
regional board is tasked with developing concentration standards for these
waterways, called total maximum daily loads, or TMDLs. There are 85 individual
TMDLs scheduled for completion but only 29 have been completed. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Water
quality standards are established on a watershed basis and cover an entire
watershed for all listed pollutants. The process to create them is lengthy from
start to finish. The ultimate TMDL, usually enumerated as parts per million, is
a baseline for watershed management. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Evans
said she secured the funding with the help of the Laguna de <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Santa Rosa</st1:place></st1:City> Foundation, among other local
groups, along with the help of state Sen. Pat Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, among
others. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Various
stems of the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Eel</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType>,
Elk River, Freshwater Creek, Klamath River, Humboldt Bay, Jacoby Creek, <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Mad</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType>, <st1:place
w:st="on">Trinity River</st1:place> and Van Duzen River are listed on the
regional board's TMDL project list.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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