The EPA took weeks to write to WWALS to confirm less than what it said in the January 8, 2019 meeting in Madison, Florida:
Photo: John S. Quarterman for WWALS, still from
WWALS Video, Madison, Florida,
of
Carol L. Kemker, Director, Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, and others.
In Georgia, the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has
authority for establishing procedures for how permitted utilities
are to respond during a major spill event. The EPA has delegated
permitting authority to the state under the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System Program (NPDES). However, the EPA does
maintain a state oversight role. After the sewage spill into the
Withlacoochee, the EPA reached out to EPD to ensure the spill’s
cause was properly addressed and notification procedures were
followed. The EPA continues to work with EPD to reduce the
possibility of future spills from Valdosta into the Withlacoochee
River.
No detail was included in the EPA Region 4 letter to WWALS as to how the spill’s cause was to be addressed, or why notification procedures were the only other topic worth mentioning.
EPA Region 4’s response says nothing about water quality testing,
tracking procedures, alternative water supply, water well testing cost reimbursement, wildlife on land and water, underground plumes of contamination,
or an educational campaign; all topics listed in the WWALS letter to which EPA is replying.
Apparently it took a week for the email I forwarded to EPA Region 4 on December 17th to get there on December 23, 2019.
Then it took another month for EPA to send a paper reply letter in fancy packaging.
EPA also recommended: Continue reading →