Beleaguered State Agency in Breach of Federal Clean Water Act What? The Massachusetts House of Representatives will
present its 2006 budget this week, and one item in their budgetary plan
will be funding for the Commonwealth’s Department of Conservation and
Recreation (DCR). Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and the
Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), two leading regional environmental
organizations, have warned the legislature that their past funding for the
agency has been inadequate, and that this lack of funding is the main
contributor to DCR’s “abysmal” compliance with the Environmental
Protection Agency’s permit requirements for stormwater management. In
an effort to enable the agency fulfill their mandate to protect public
health and resources, CRWA and CLF are calling for the legislature to
increase DCR funding, particularly funding for stormwater management. Why? The
Department of Conservation and Recreation manages many of the parks and
roadways in the Charles River Watershed, including the 17-mile long
Charles River Reservation. DCR’s
land, including parking lots, roads, parkways and boulevards, contribute
to the large quantities of polluted stormwater* (the most significant
source of pollution in the Charles River) that runs off into the
state’s rivers and harbors. This
stormwater is a major cause of water quality degradation, affecting
fisheries, habitat, aquatic plants, and recreational uses. Chronic
underfunding by the state, which has led to inadequate staff and project
time, is causing DCR to fail to meet the most basic EPA and Clean Water
Act requirements on stormwater, according to Kate Bowditch, CRWA senior
environmental scientist. “Uncontrolled
runoff from DCR properties is one factor causing the Charles River to
violate state water quality standards for fish, swimming and, at times,
even for boating,” she added. All towns in the Charles River watershed are required
to file stormwater discharge permits with EPA.
Earlier this year, nine towns in the lower watershed underwent the
same permit renewal process as DCR and were found to be in compliance.
Yet, according to advocates, DCR, which is charged with protecting
the largest portion of the watershed, as well as many open spaces and
water bodies around the state, is doing the worst job at complying with
the federal regulations. “It is vital that DCR receive adequate funding, so
they can design and implement stormwater management plans that comply with
the law and effectively address pollution reduction and sustainable water
use,” said Bowditch. “Stormwater
discharges represent one of the last great hurdles before the Charles
River is truly healthy,” she added. When? The
Massachusetts House of Representatives is schedule
to release their budget in the middle of next week (week of April 11). FOR MEDIA: If
you would like more information on the budgetary support needed to allow
DCR to better manage stormwater – which is the nation’s leading source
of water pollution – please contact CRWA or CLF. *Stormwater runoff is the most significant source of
pollution to the Charles River. When
it rains, oil, grease, gasoline, pet waste, cleaning agents, pesticides,
fertilizers, and trash on street, parking lots and other paved surfaces
wash into storm drains and are ultimately discharged in the Charles River. ### Charles
River Watershed Association’s uses science,
advocacy and the law to protect, preserve and enhance the Charles River
and its watershed.
One of our country’s first watershed
organizations, CRWA formed in 1965 in response to public concern about the
declining condition of the Charles River.
Since its earliest days of advocacy, CRWA has figured prominently
in major clean-up and watershed protection efforts that have dramatically
improved the health of the Charles. The
Conservation Law Foundation works to solve the environmental problems that
threaten the people, natural resources and communities of New England.
CLF's advocates use law, economics and science to design and implement
strategies that conserve natural resources, protect public health, and
promote vital communities in our region. Founded in 1966, CLF is a
nonprofit, member-supported organization. |
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