| Many County Streams Listed As 'Impaired'
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has released a new statewide list of streams, lakes and reservoirs that do not meet requirements for fishing, recreation and other public uses. As in past years, Greene County has a large number of streams -- a total of 59 -- listed as "impaired" on the list. The great majority of these streams are "listed" because of siltation, and pasture grazing is listed as the cause. Some of the Greene County streams are listed as having unacceptably high levels of the E. coli bacteria, and again the cause is said to be pasture grazing. Full Listing Available This draft list -- also called the 2008 303(d) List -- is a requirement of the federal Clean Water Act. It can be viewed online at http://www.state.tn.us/environment/wpc/publications/2008draft303dlist.pdf.
Regional news: Appeals court upholds convictions in Miss. wetlands ...
JACKSON, Miss. -- The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the convictions of a Mississippi coastal developer and two others for mail fraud and violations of the federal Clean Water Act. A federal jury in February 2005 convicted Robert J. Lucas Jr., of Lucedale, chief executive of Big Hill Acres Inc., and the two others of 41 charges, including conspiracy. .
Mike Lien: Stream protection specialists safeguard Idaho's precious ...
I am writing on behalf of Friends of Teton River, a non-profit based in Driggs, in regards to Idaho Department of Water Resources Director Dave Tuthill's recommendations for the state budget for the 2009 fiscal year. We are concerned with his recommendation to reduce the number of Idaho's stream protection specialists. The specialists are vital to the protection and regulation of Idaho's streams. They review, permit and regulate all stream alteration permits in Idaho in conjunction with the Army Corps of Engineers. The specialists ensure that all stream alteration projects such as stream stabilization and restoration projects are conducted according to Idaho state law and the federal Clean Water Act. As a part of eliminating the regional stream protection specialist positions, Tuthill's memorandum states that "all state enforcement work regarding stream channel alterations will cease." We believe that such a decision would have disastrous consequences on the health and function of Idaho's streams.Idaho's streams are a vital resource and need to be protected to ensure that they continue to provide agricultural, recreation and ecological benefits.
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