William Shane, P.E.
Massive Sewage Leak Highlights the Need for Advance Planning
-June 23, 2015
A massive sewage leak in Conaway, Virginia, approximately one mile from the Kentucky border, has officials and residents worried about water quality in Fishtrap Lake, a popular boating and fishing destination near Pikeville. The leak began on March 4, 2015, when a deluge of floodwater from major successive snow melt and rain events forcefully removed […]
Companies Pay Massive Fine for Clean Water Act Crimes
-May 20, 2015
As we told you earlier this week, Duke Energy has been charged with environmental violations. This blog contains additional details. Three subsidiaries of Duke Energy, the largest utility in the United States, pled guilty to nine criminal violations of the Clean Water Act. Four of the charges are the direct result of the massive coal […]
KY Division of Water to Hold Listening Sessions for 2015 Triennial Review
-April 20, 2015
The Clean Water Act requires the Kentucky Division of Water (DOW) to conduct a comprehensive review of the state water quality standards at 401 KAR Chapter 10 every three years. This Triennial Review provides an opportunity for input from all interested parties, including members of the public. As part of the 2015 Triennial Review, DOW […]
Grant Money Available to Kentucky Municipalities
-April 9, 2015
Finding money to repair and/or upgrade infrastructure in order to meet new regulatory requirements can be tough for municipalities. One potential source of funding that should be considered is grants made through Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act, which addresses nonpoint source pollution. Funding is provided by the EPA to the state and can […]
Water Health Portal Mapping Website Now Available to the Public
-April 8, 2015
The Water Health Portal, an online mapping application which allows users to visually explore the health of Kentucky’s waters, is now accessible to the public at http://watermaps.ky.gov . This link also provides easy access to other portal applications, including the Kentucky Flood Risk Portal and Kentucky Watershed Viewer. The Water Health Portal is an easy […]
Updated List of Lists Now Available
-April 6, 2015
The EPA has just released an updated version of the Consolidated List of Lists. The March 2015 version corrects several CAS number errors found in the preceding October 2012 version. The List of Lists is designed to help facilities determine whether the chemicals they handle are subject to reporting requirements under the following programs: Emergency […]
Revised DMR Manual Available
-March 26, 2015
A revised Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) Manual is now available from the Kentucky Division of Compliance Assistance (DCA) and Division of Water (DOW). The revised manual has been updated to include information related to submission of DMRs using NetDMR. NetDMR is an internet application that KPDES permittees must use to submit Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) […]
Des Moines, Iowa Sues Three Upstream Counties Over Nutrient Pollution
-March 18, 2015
The City of Des Moines, Iowa has given formal notice that it intends to sue three upstream counties discharging water with high nitrate concentrations. At issue is the fact that the Des Moines Water Works spends roughly $4,000 a day to operate a specialized denitrification facility. Water Works officials say it is pretty clear that […]
Kentucky to Receive $4.4 Million to Reduce Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sediment Loadings from Agricultural Operations
-February 9, 2015
Over the next five years, Kentucky will receive $4.4 million from the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, with the goal of improving water quality by reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loadings from agricultural operations. The program aims to reduce loadings by providing producers with technical and financial assistance to develop Agriculture Water Quality and Nutrient Management […]
EPA Announces New Federal Regulations for Disposal of Coal Ash from Coal-Fired Power Plants
-January 7, 2015
On December 19, 2014, the EPA announced the first federal regulations governing the disposal of coal ash in impoundments and landfills. Coal ash is one of the largest types of industrial wastes generated in United States, with nearly 110 million tons produced in 2012.* Coal ash is produced from the burning of coal in coal-fired […]