But the public has the right to know when that water isnt safe to enjoy, said Eric Schaeffer, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project. We hope this lawsuit will change that, said Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper. The state issues public advisories warning beachgoers to stay out of the ocean when bacteria levels do not meet the recreational standard. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Excessive livestock manure from millions of turkeys, chickens and cows in Virginia is making its way into the Shenandoah River, polluting the scenic waterway with unsafe levels of E. coli, according to a new report from an environmental advocacy group. Please use language that is accurate and respectful. They stop pollution to promote safe drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. Discharge Pipes (or any other apparent point source pollution) - Discharge pipes that are discolored, emitting a foul odor, a lot of foam, or some other detectable pollution fall under this . They offer links to cost share programs and other support for farmers who are willing to implement best management practices. People might be upset by warning signs, but the signs would increase public pressure on state lawmakers to invest the funds and effort needed to reduce pollution for example, by requiring farmers to fence their herds of cattle out of the Shenandoah River, said Schaeffer, former Director of Civil Enforcement at EPA. The agency had to pause a high-frequency bacteria pilot study (and all other monitoring) in spring and early summer 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bilyeu wrote in an email. In addition to E. coli, which can sicken the swimmers, fishermen and tubers who flock to the river, the report also found elevated levels of phosphorous, which contributes to the growth of algae blooms and low-oxygen dead zones.. Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star BERRYVILLE. member of Waterkeepers Alliance The Shenandoah Riverkeeper Swim Guide lists over 70 access points on the three major reaches of the Shenandoah River. Some fish in the two rivers currently have mercury levels more than eight times the level at which the state issues health advisories. The algae blooms, caused by agricultural runoff in the Shenandoah Valley, interfere with recreational uses of the river, such as swimming, kayaking and fishing. The regions leading clean water advocate, fighting to ensure the Potomac River boasts clean drinking water, healthy lands, and connected communities. There are 18 local Waterkeepers in the Chesapeake Bay region waiting for your reports. 72 Percent of Sampling Locations in Valley Had E Coli Bacteria Above EPA Safe Swimming Recommendations in 2020. Agricultural pollution, primarily from manure runoff from fields and livestock yards, was a source of contamination for 71 percent (or 723) of the impaired miles of rivers and streams that were assessed in 2020. Working with, , Potomac Riverkeeper Network developed a mobile app, which is a Bay-wide initiative, to gather critical data on the waterways you love! Due to the interest and concerns expressed by public and nonprofit groups for improving the information available on inland beach water quality, VDH has made several attempts to secure funding as recently as 2018, for the 2019-2020 state fiscal budget year. I make sure not to get it in my eyes, God forbid I drink any of it. Have you heard about how tree-mendous urban trees are? When they find that a facility is violating its pollution permit, they consider factors, such as the impact of the violations on public health, and the size and scope of the violations, before taking action. Despite the years of growing evidence of impairment, EPA failed to take the action required by the Clean Water Act to limit the pollution causing these algae blooms, said Jennifer Chavez, the Earthjustice attorney representing the river groups. South Fork Shenandoah River [ edit] * Insults, verbal attacks or degrading statements You can read through the full report and see what the Environmental Integrity Project recommends to solve these problems, Report: Shenandoah River polluted with unsafe levels of E. coli, Dog found dead under suspicious circumstances, SCSO says, ACSO looking for suspicious man in the Weyers Cave area, Pilot identified in fatal plane crash near Hillsville, Impacts the end of the COVID public health emergency will have, FDA advisers give green light for RSV vaccine approval; why this is important for older adults, Eastern Mennonite boys basketball defeats Walsingham 69-56, advances to VISAA DIII semifinals, Charlie Obaugh RV & Outdoor Student Athlete of the Week, Water Pollution from Livestock in the Shenandoah Valley.pdf. Fish kills and algal outbreaks, associated with manure from unfenced herds of cattle and large poultry operations, make the river unhealthy and unpleasant for those hoping to enjoy it. Snows certainly not been a stanger this winter! According to water quality monitoring data from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, 72 percent (or 18 of 25) of monitoring sites along the Shenandoah Valley and its tributaries had levels of E. coli bacteria last year above EPAs recommendations for swimming. visit EIPs web page on water quality in the Valley. But there's one part of the country that's bucking the trend. Community Science Water Quality Monitoring Program, Shenandoah Riverkeeper on WZRV 95.3 The River, the DuPont Company announced its plan to stop mercury from contaminating the South River, http://southriverscienceteam.org/what-is-srst/, http://southriverscienceteam.org/news/fact-sheets/SR_No2.pdf, http://southriverscienceteam.org/news/newsletters/2016/UPDATE_2016_First%20Half_final.pdf. When the contamination was disclosed in 1977, the state was forced to declare a fish consumption health advisory for over 100 miles downriver of the plant. The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, which has some 35,000 farmer members, pushed back against the report, calling it an opinion piece that aims to paint agriculture in a bad light. The Shenandoah is one of the most beautiful rivers in the countryand a popular recreation destination. Thanks for signing up. But it's threatened by the failure of state and federal authorities to stop excessive nutrientsand the algae they producefrom entering the river. Its a matter of basic fairness.. The streams are formed from numerous springs, some of which are located near the ridge tops. Virginias monitoring of water quality is inadequate. Using state records, it was found that more than 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations where the state regularly samples the Shenandoah River found fecal bacteria (also known as E. coli) at levels unsafe for human contact. Current Shenandoah Riverkeeper actions. In the Shenandoah River basin, drought conditions this summer set the stage for a bloom that began to grow in July. Fish consumption advisories have been in place on the South River and South Fork Shenandoah River since the mid-1970s. The Environmental Integrity Projects report makes the following recommendations: The Virginia General Assembly and VDEQ need to invest enough in staffing and resources to create cleanup and implementation plans for the nearly half of impaired waterway miles in the Shenandoah Valley that lack one or the other of them today. As the former president of the Potomac River Smallmouth Club, he successfullylobbied both Virginia and Maryland officials to implement and expand catch and release regulations and he was instrumental in getting the federal government to revise the Code ofFederal Regulations to permit wade fishing on portions of the Potomac. The organizations that filed the lawsuit want the state to list the river as impaired, which would require Virginia to impose pollution limits and work to improve the water quality. * Misrepresentation of your identity or affiliation Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Virginia should list the Shenandoah river segments that have too much algae as officially "impaired" under the federal Clean Water Act so that the state can start taking more meaningful steps to curb pollution and accelerate its cleanup. Its almost a five-hour drive for people living in the Shenandoah Valley to drive to a Virginia beach and they should not be treated like second-class citizens due to their lack of proximity to a saltwater beach, said Frondorf. * Advertising or solicitations Mark Frondorf, the Shenandoah Riverkeeper, said: Virginia should not implement a two-tiered system that protects saltwater beach goers at the expense of folks living, working and recreating in the Shenandoah watershed. Fax: (202) 296-8822, 1206 San Antonio Street If they do not, they begin legal actions by filing a mandatory 60-day letter of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act. With all the progress made since the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, it may still surprise you to learn there are plenty of ways you can still legally pollute the Potomac River. That type of blue-green algae can release toxins that, when touched or swallowed, can lead to rashes and gastrointestinal illness. It could be your lawn. & Waterkeepers Chesapeake. In October 2019, Virginia revoked its beach action value for E. coli in freshwater areas, a trigger value that EPA recommends for issuing short-term no swimming advisories in waterways that have more than 235 counts of E. coli/100 ml of water. For example, EIP examined 11 watershed cleanup implementation plans in the Shenandoah Valley, and found that the state was not following its the water quality monitoring requirements in 10 of them. You'll receive your first NRDC action alert and "I am always very careful about getting in this water. By contrast, she said, EPA provides grants for state water quality testing along ocean beaches and in saltwater areas, like Virginia Beach, and to the state provides regular testing and raises swimming advisory signs in these saltwater areas. This is a transmission line to get fracked gas out of Pennsylvania and West Virginia and ship it down to North Carolina and Portsmouth, Virginia. Many of these chemicals that are not regulated or tested for are endocrine distruptors, a type of chemical pollution believed to be the cause of fish kills and intersex fish in the Potomac and the Shenandoah Rivers. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Excessive livestock manure from millions of turkeys, chickens and cows in Virginia is making its way into the Shenandoah River, polluting the scenic waterway with unsafe levels of E. coli, according to a new report from an environmental advocacy group. All of our protocols are peer reviewed. Only 21 percent of the rivers and streams miles in the Shenandoah Valley, and 22 percent statewide, have been assessed by the state to determine if they are impaired with pollutants. The Commonwealth also eliminated the states swimming advisory standard for freshwater recreation areas in October 2019 and changed its standard for impaired waters. Want to have a yard that works for clean water not against it? When the fish arent there, fishermen stay away too, and Finch said hes seen tourism-related businesses shut down. . Many small farms are not regulated and difficult for government agencies to monitor. Hear from a lawn care professional on how to harness natures power and take steps to ensure your lawn, big or small, is river friendly! In this case, Virginia would be required to develop limits on the total amount of nitrogen and phosphorus being discharged into the Shenandoah that are protective enough to prevent algae blooms and improve water quality. Having a healthy lawn fit for summer picnics and protecting clean water aren't mutually exclusive. Site Designed by DC Web Designers, a Washington DC web design company, Advocates Guide For Challenging LNG Projects, Water Quality in the Shenandoah Valley: Virginias Cleanup Plans Fail to Solve Bacteria Problem, Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter. (Alan Lehman/Shenandoah Riverkeeper). 5 *completely legal* ways to pollute the Potomac, 6 local wetlands to quench your wanderlust. Agricultural runoff, including manure from the Valley's many livestock operations and industrial scale poultry operations, is a source of contamination for 71 percent of the polluted river and stream miles in the Shenandoah Valley, according to state figures. Cement manufacturers are dumping their pollution into Virginian communities with impunity. Local groups challenge EPAs approval of Virginias decision to not list the Shenandoah as impaired, despite excessive algae blooms and nutrient pollution. "Instead of solving the problem, the DuPont funded team is just generating lots of reports, not one of which is aimed toward a cleanup.". Washington, DC 20005, Phone: (202) 296-8800 Listing would have triggered specific government plans to combat algae pollution on the Shenandoah. 7 benefits of urban trees for communities, clean water, and more! Ninety-two percent of every dollardonated goes directly to efforts to reduce illegal pollution. The North Fork is no stranger to algae. its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. DEQs refusal to even evaluate this evidence to make an impairment determination is unacceptableas is EPAs failure to step in and perform its oversight duties as the Clean Water Act requires it to do.. A recent report found that 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations along the Shenandoah River and its tributaries detected fecal bacteria (E. coli) at levels unsafe for human contact between 2014-2016. * Explicit or vulgar language In a victory for clean water, the Environmental Protection Agency announced its intent today to publish updated water-pollution control standards for slaughterhouses and animal rendering facilities by August 2025. Shenandoah Riverkeeper, Potomac Riverkeeper Network, the Warren County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, and the Potomac River Smallmouth Club filed the suit and are represented by Earthjustice. Document the status of and long-term trends in water flow. 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