[occupy99%waves]

REMINDER: March 1 deadline to sign-on for strong Clean Water Act  standards in NY Harbor
 
  : Storm Water Infrastructure Matters <  swimmablenyc@gmail.com -- pls. reply by March 1st
 
 
 Dear S.W.I.M. Coalition supporter,
 
 We’re writing to seek your organization’s support on an issue of critical importance to the goal of fishable and swimmable waters in New York City -- the development under the Clean Water Act of a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for discharges of pathogens (e.g., CSOs) to the harbor.  A TMDL defines the maximum amount of a pollutant that can be discharged while achieving compliance with health-based and ecologically-based water quality standards.
 
 
Both New Jersey and New York are now supporting the use of a seasonal average (May 15 - September 15) bacteria level to measure compliance with water quality standards for the TMDL.  In other words, the TMDL would be set at a level that allows the discharge of billions of gallons of bacteria-laden untreated waste, so long as an average of harbor water quality samples taken across a four month period does not exceed the state standard.
 
 Members of the SWIM steering committee and other environmental NGO partners in NY and NJ have prepared a letter to EPA and the states to express that this is entirely incompatible with the Clean Water Act goal of attaining “fishable/swimmable” waters.  Quite simply, no one swims, paddles, or fishes in “average” water – they come into contact with water in whatever condition they find it at the particular time they are recreating in or on our waterways.   
 
 
In the attached letter, we urge EPA, which must ultimately approve any TMDL submitted by the states, to insist on meaningful and appropriate standards. We would like to include your organization in this opportunity to voice our concerns on this important issue.  If you would like to sign on to this letter, please reply with the organization, title and name of your signatory as you would like it to appear on the letter.
 
 Time is of the essence! Please sign on by Monday, March 1st.  If your organization would like to sign on, please respond to this email address with your name, organization, position, and contact information.
 
 Sincerely,

 Kate Zidar
 Storm Water Infrastructure Matters (SWIM) Coaltion
  <http://www.swimmablenyc.info> www.swimmablenyc.info <http://www.swimmablenyc.info>