Transcript Indiana Regional Sewer District Association Annual Meeting October 25, 2010 Ritz Charles Carmel, Indiana Thomas W.

Indiana Regional Sewer District
Association Annual Meeting
October 25, 2010
Ritz Charles
Carmel, Indiana
Thomas W. Easterly, P.E., BCEE, QEP Commissioner
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
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Agenda
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IDEM Mission
Status Report
Regional Sewer District Survey
How IDEM Can Help RSDs
Common RSD Issues
IDEM Metrics
Potential Regulatory Issues
– Petition for Withdrawal of NPDES Program
– Antidegradation
– Nutrients
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IDEM’s Mission
We Protect Hoosiers and Our Environment
IDEM’s mission is to implement federal and state
regulations to protect human health and the
environment while allowing the environmentally
sound operations of industrial, agricultural,
commercial and government activities vital to a
prosperous economy.
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How Does IDEM Protect
Hoosiers and Our Environment?
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Develop regulations and issue permits to
restrict discharges to the environment to safe
levels.
Inspect and monitor permitted facilities to
ensure compliance with the permits.
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How Does IDEM Protect
Hoosiers and Our Environment?
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Use compliance assistance and/or enforcement
when people exceed their permit levels or
violate regulations.
Educate people on their environmental
responsibilities.
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Status Report: RSD
Formations/Modifications
• Petitions to Form A District Under Review:
– Freelandville. Public hearing November 9.
• Modifications Under Review:
– None at this time.
• Regional District Plans are being reviewed
for completeness. Letters will be sent.
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Status Report: New RSD Map
Available at IDEM
Website:
http://www.idem.IN.gov
Also at Indiana Regional
Sewer District
Association Website:
http://www.irsda.org
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Regional Sewer District Survey
• Survey to all RSDs to obtain updated
information regarding board members, contact
information, and other data.
• Two-thirds of RSDs have responded.
• Thank you for taking the time to respond.
• We are still accepting survey responses. If you
haven’t already, please respond soon.
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How IDEM Can Help RSDs
– Technical Assistance
• David Denman and Kevin Green provide
assistance to communities experiencing problems.
– Forming Districts
• Lynne Newlon helps communities understand how
districts are formed and operate.
– Financial Assistance
• IDEM works with IFA to help communities receive
financing.
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Common RSD Issues
• Concerns about a few RSDs continue to be
raised.
• IDEM has no jurisdiction, but sometimes
receives calls about:
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Sewer fees, connection expenses and liens
District territory expansion
District forcing connection
District won’t allow connection
Behavior of District board members
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Common RSD Issues
• Most of the conflicts are raised by a few
Districts.
• Conflicts are the results of local decisions.
• Those few Districts consume State
resources.
• IDEM is not interested in becoming the
arbiter of local disputes.
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Performance Metrics Oct 2010
Quality of Hoosiers' Environment
Result
Target
% of Hoosiers in counties meeting air quality
standards
100%
100%
80%
% of CSO Communities with approved programs
to prevent the release of untreated sewage
94.4%
100%
20%
% of Hoosiers receiving water from facilities in
compliance with safe drinking water standards
99.2%
99%
95%
Comments
93+9 (102) out of 98+9
(108)
Permitting Efficiency Total calendar days accumulated in issuing environmental permits, as determined by state statute
Land
20,070
66,565
86,864
Air
26,253
207,000
385,000
Water
14,377
48,000
200,000
* Places emphasis on back logged permits
Compliance Total percentage of compliance observations from regulated customers within acceptable compliance standards
Inspections
96.19%
97%
75%
Self reporting
96.86%
99%
95%
Continuous monitoring (COM)
99.84%
99.90%
99%
* Tracks observations and not just inspections
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Performance Metrics June 2005
Quality of Hoosiers' Environment
Result
Target
Comments
% of Hoosiers in counties meeting air quality
standards
61%
100%
80%
12 counties & 2,408,571 of
6,195,643 above standard
% of CSO Communities with approved programs
to prevent the release of untreated sewage
4%
100%
20%
75% by 2007 is goal
Permitting Efficiency Total calendar days accumulated in issuing environmental permits, as determined by state statute
Land
100,013
66,565
86,864
Air
511,000
207,000
385,000
Water
301,000
48,000
200,000
* Places emphasis on back logged permits
Compliance Total percentage of compliance observations from regulated customers within acceptable compliance standards
Inspections
95.46%
97%
75%
Self reporting
97.11%
99%
95%
Continuous monitoring (COM)
99.19%
99.90%
98.95%
* Tracks observations and not just inspections
Organizational Transformation Budgetary agency dollars spent on key outside contracts for core agency functions.
Dollars spent on outside services per year
$6,179,367
$0
$3,447,017
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Potential Regulatory Issues
• Environmental Group Petition for
Withdrawal of Approval of the NPDES
Program.
– Antidegradation
– General Permits
– Coal Permits
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Potential Regulatory Issues
Antidegradation Rule
– Federal Requirement that allows new or
increased point source discharges to waters
under specific circumstances.
– Indiana law defines how we make the
allowances and rules address the
implementation of the law.
– The current rule applies only to the Great
Lakes Basin.
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Potential Regulatory Issues
Antidegradation (Cont.)
• The proposed rule will apply state-wide and:
– Increases public opportunities for input,
– Protects swimmable/fishable uses of waters,
– Allows for the issuance of legal permits for
discharges to waters, and
– Does not allow for the violation of water
quality standards.
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Potential Regulatory Issues
Antidegradation (Cont.)
• Process:
– Rule was Public Noticed. IDEM received many
comments.
– IDEM reviewed the comments and is making changes
to the rule.
– IDEM drafting responses to comments.
– Draft rule will be presented to Water Pollution Control
Board for preliminary adoption.
– Third Notice likely.
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Potential Regulatory Issues
• Nutrient Rulemaking
– Criteria for three categories of lakes:
• Natural lakes
• Reservoirs
• Mine pits
– Rule first noticed in Indiana Register on
June 30, 2010.
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Potential Regulatory Issues
• Nutrient Rulemaking (Continued)
– Comment period ended July 30, 2010.
– Preparation of technical document for U.S. EPA
explaining scientific basis for criteria
development.
– Workgroup will be formed to discuss and
formulate specific rule language.
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Thank You
Thomas W. Easterly
Commissioner
Indiana Department of Environmental
Management
317-232-8611
[email protected]
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