Contact: Lisa Cochran

Communications Coordinator

ORSANCO

513-231-7719
 [email protected] 

 

2018 Review of Ohio River Pollution Control Standards

 

ORSANCO sets Pollution Control Standards for industrial and municipal waste water discharges to the Ohio River. To keep pace with water quality issues, ORSANCO reviews these standards every three years. The next regular review of the Pollution Control Standards for Dischargers to the Ohio River will occur in 2018. For this review, the Commission authorized its Pollution Control Standards Committee to review ORSANCO's role in the Pollution Control Standards, and to invite your comment on five (5) alternatives regarding ORSANCO's involvement in setting, maintaining, and implementing Pollution Control Standards. After receiving your input on these alternatives, the committee will make a recommendation to the Commission regarding how best to proceed with the Pollution Control Standards program in order to fulfill the goals of the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Compact and to optimize the resources of the Commission in order to protect the designated uses and water quality of the Ohio River.

 

Each review of the Pollution Control Standards includes a two-step public comment process which provides an opportunity to comment on any proposed revisions. ORSANCO is committed to providing a transparent review process and during public comment periods ORSANCO hosts webinars to explain any proposed changes.  Once comments are received on the five (5) proposed conceptual alternatives, a specific proposal will be developed and announced for your review.

 

ORSANCO, headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, is the water pollution control agency for the Ohio River representing Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The federal government is also represented.

 

For further information about the current review of the Pollution Control Standards, visit ORSANCO's  Pollution Control Standards webpage  (   www.orsanco.org/programs/pollution-control-standards/ ) or contact  Lisa Cochran at [email protected].

PUBLIC NOTICE:

CURRENT REVIEW OF POLLUTION CONTROL STANDARDS

The Commission is accepting public comments, and technical and scientific studies and data supporting those comments, now through February 24, 2018, to assist in a new review and update of its current Pollution Control Standards for Discharges to the Ohio River - 2015 Revision.  The purpose of the public comment period is to receive input from interested parties on all aspects of the standards which will be considered by the Commission.  ORSANCO is particularly interested in receiving technical and scientific information or data that supports comments on proposals for revising the standards.

 

Initial Issue Already Identified

 

This review of the Pollution Control Standards differs from past reviews in that it asks your input on whether ORSANCO should continue to maintain, administer, and periodically update the current Pollution Control Standards, or should eliminate the Pollution Control Standards and withdraw from the process of maintaining and updating such standards.

 

An Ad Hoc Committee on Water Quality Standards Implementation has developed and evaluated five (5) alternatives regarding the continuation, modification, or elimination of the ORSANCO Pollution Control Standards and future involvement by ORSANCO in the standard-setting process.  That Committee advanced those five (5) alternatives to the ORSANCO advisory committees, each of which has provided written comments on the alternatives.

 

A majority of the Ad Hoc Committee members, and a majority of current ORSANCO Commission members, favor an expanded version of Alternative 2, which would eliminate Chapters 3 and 4 of the Pollution Control Standards on water criteria and mixing zones, and eliminate portions of Chapter 5.  That preference is not unanimous among the Commissioners, and a minority report accompanying the expanded discussion of Alternative 2 is contained in the package of materials for your review.  The supporting materials for your review include the five (5) alternatives, with an expanded discussion of the alternative favored by a majority of the Commission members and a minority report, as well as the written comments of the ORSANCO advisory committees.

 

The Commission wishes to stress that no final decision has been made with respect to the future of the Pollution Control Standards or ORSANCO's maintenance of Pollution Control Standards.  Now that the Ad Hoc Committee has presented the alternatives, and a majority of the Commission has indicated a preliminary preference and has sought and received the comments of the advisory committees, it is your turn to give the Commission your comments, your suggestions, and your feedback on the future of ORSANCO's Pollution Control Standards.

 

Review Process and Schedule

 

ORSANCO is inviting comment on all of the alternatives developed and evaluated by the Ad Hoc Committee, including the alternative tentatively preferred by a majority of the Commission members.  In order to facilitate public input and provide for a transparent review process, ORSANCO will host two webinars to present an overview of the review it conducted and the specific issues and alternatives considered during that review.  These webinars have been scheduled for January 24 at 3:00 pm (eastern) and January 31 at 6:00 pm (eastern).

 

A public hearing on this standards revision has not yet been scheduled but will be announced through another press release and convened prior to the Commission taking any action to revise its standards.  If you are unable to attend either webinar, the presentation will be available on the website by early February and questions can be directed to ORSANCO at 513-231-7719.

 

Instructions for Webinar Participation

 

Participation in webinars requires simultaneous access to the internet and a telephone.

For complete webinar directions, please visit:   http://www.orsanco.org/webinar-directions/ .

 

Instructions for Submitting Comments (must be received by February 24, 2018)  

 

All parties interested in submitting comments may do so by mail or email.  Mailed comments should be addressed to ORSANCO, 5735 Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, OH  45230, Attn: PCS Comments.  Emailed comments should be sent to [email protected] .  Emailed comments must be sent by the original submitter.  Third party emails will not be accepted in order to protect data systems integrity.  Comments must be included in the body of the email.  Email attachments will not be accepted in order to protect data systems integrity.  Please contact ORSANCO directly at 513-231-7719 for instructions on submitting technical and scientific information or data since email attachments cannot be accepted.  Your name and mailing address must accompany all correspondence. 

 

Supporting Materials

 

Please visit ORSANCO's website and go to the "Pollution Control Standards" section (  http://www.orsanco.org/programs/pollution-control-standards/ ) to obtain all supporting materials. 

 

Supporting materials include:

• The five alternatives under consideration. 
• The Expanded Alternative #2, which is preferred by a majority of ad hoc committee members, and a Minority Report describing the position of a minority of ad hoc committee members.
• A summary of comments on the alternatives by ORSANCO's advisory committees and Technical Committee.
• A mock-up of revised standards, for illustrative purposes, as they might look based on Alternative #2 (marked up version).
• A mock-up of revised standards, for illustrative purposes, as they might look based on Alternative #2 (clean version).