EPA Update: EPA Update: Columbia River Toxics Reduction Strategy Columbia River Toxics Reduction Strategy Idaho Tribal Fish Consumption Surveys Idaho Tribal Fish Consumption Surveys Spokane Toxics Task Force Spokane Toxics Task Force Spokane Toxics Task Force Spokane Toxics Task Force August 28, 2013 August 28, 2013 Mary Lou Soscia US EPA Columbia River Coordinator Soscia.marylou@epa.gov (503) 326-5873
Today’s Conversation Today’s Conversation • Columbia River Toxics Reduction Strategy Columbia River Toxics Reduction Strategy – State of River Report State of River Report – Action Plan – Action Plan Action Plan Action Plan – Where we are now Where we are now • ID Tribal Government Fish Consumption ID Tribal Government Fish Consumption Survey Work Efforts Survey Work Efforts
Toxics Are A Contemporary Issue Toxics Are A Contemporary Issue Mother Goose and Grimm – Feb. 14, 2006
Toxics Are a Legacy Issue Women’s Day June 1, 1947 June 1, 1947
Toxics Reduction Depends on Toxics Reduction Depends on Pollution Prevention Pollution Prevention
US EPA Committed to US EPA Committed to Tribal Trust Responsibility Tribal Trust Responsibility Columbia River Basin - 10,000 Years of Tribal History Celilo Falls
Columbia River Basin Columbia River Basin • ~ 260,000 sq miles • 2 countries, 7 seven states, 22 Tribes • Largest flow to • Largest flow to Pacific in N. & S. America • 8 million people – 1/3 in I-5 corridor • > 370 major dams • 13 endangered fish species
Oregon WQS Oregon WQS Fish Consumption Rate Fish Consumption Rate • OR EQC submitted 17.5 FCR (2 8 oz fish meals/month) to EPA 7/2004 • Umatilla Tribe raised concerns in EPA govt to govt conversations – EPA, State & Tribe committed to work together committed to work together • 2006 EPA/OR/Umatilla Tribe agreement • OR EQC agreed to move forward on 175 g/d – (23 fish meals/month) – EPA approval October 17, 2011 • OR DEQ said to EPA “Toxics Reduction is a Regional Issue”…….
• Collaborative Watershed Effort to Reduce Toxics • Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group - 2005 • 2009 State of River Report–“tell toxics story” • 2009 State of River Report–“tell toxics story” • 2010 Columbia River Basin Action Plan –61 actions • Executive Leadership and Commitment to Focused Areas – 2011 and 2012 • Columbia River Basin legislation introduced 2010 in Congress – toxics focus –
Key Partners Key Partners • Federal, State and Local Govts • Columbia River Tribal Governments • Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership • NW Power and Conservation Council • Tribal Consortiums, CRITFC, UCUT, USRT • Agriculture – farmers, SWCDs, NRCS Agriculture – farmers, SWCDs, NRCS • Industry - Pulp and Paper, Nike, Toyota, Blount, Longview Fiber • Port of Vancouver • Municipal Dischargers • NGOs - Columbia Riverkeeper, OEC, Salmon Safe, Spokane Riverkeeper • Watershed Councils
Contaminants & Indicators Focused on 4 contaminants, but recognize other contaminants of concern - Mercury, PCBs, DDTs, and PBDEs Identified indicator species to track over time � Juvenile salmon � Resident fish � Sturgeon � Predatory birds – osprey and bald eagle � Aquatic mammals – mink and river otter � Sediment-dwelling shellfish – Asian clam
State of River Report State of River Report Toxics Effects Information Toxics Effects Information • PBDEs increasing in juvenile fish – LCREP 2007 • PCB concentrations in some sites are above levels that can cause harm in juvenile salmon • PCB levels in juvenile salmon increase as fish travel down the estuary • High mercury in liver and other organs from Lower Columbia River white sturgeon • DDT – higher levels in white sturgeon above Bonneville Dam
Promising Framework: Columbia River Promising Framework: Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan 61 Actions 5 Initiatives o Increase public understanding & political commitment o Increase toxic reduction actions o Increase monitoring to identify Increase monitoring to identify sources o Develop research program o Develop data management system 2 Tiers o Existing re$ource$ o New re$ource$
Columbia River Basin Action Plan Columbia River Basin Action Plan Nov 1, 2012, Executive Commitment to Nov 1, 2012, Executive Commitment to Six Focus Areas Six Focus Areas 61 Actions & 5 Initiatives Nov 1 Executive Meeting - 5 Focus Areas - Sustainable Purchasing/ Green Chemistry Green Chemistry - Chemicals of Emerging Concern - Pesticide Stewardship Partnerships - Stormwater - Resource Needs and Policy Reform
We Must Build on Toxics Reduction Success Stories • Oregon Revised Human Health Criteria • Yakima River DDT Reductions • Bunker Hill Superfund Remediation, Couer d’Alene Basin, Idaho • Port of Vancouver Clean Water Challenge
Yakima River DDT Yakima River DDT • Lower Yakima - agriculturally diverse farming, intense irrigation, and disease and pest controls • 1972 DDT banned. Had been widely used in basin. • DDT attached to soil particles carried to river through irrigation carried to river through irrigation runoff. • 1985 fish had T-DDT concentrations of up to 3,000 ppb (Johnson et.al., 1988) • 1993 Fish consumption advisory • 1997 Water cleanup plan specifies actions
What Happened? What Happened? • Erosion control needed (300 tons of sediment runoff during irrigation season) • TMDL established reduction targets using inexpensive surrogate measure (turbidity) for TSS and DDT (Implementation began in 1998) TSS and DDT (Implementation began in 1998) • Irrigation districts took ownership of implementation – Set specific on-farm turbidity targets – Converted irrigation practices from rill and furrow to sprinkler and drip irrigation
Before and After Before and After 1995: 280 tons / average day during late irrigation season 2003 : 65 tons / average day during late irrigation season
Idaho Bunker Hill Idaho Bunker Hill Superfund Site Superfund Site • Lead, zinc, silver, cadmium, arsenic contamination from air emissions, tailings, slag • Cleanup proceeding in three operable units, beginning with most populated area
Basin Property Remediation Basin Property Remediation • Removed contaminated soil from yards, parks, public properties, commercial sites, right of ways right of ways • Soil repositories set up to isolate, stabilize and control contamination
Basin Property Remediation Basin Property Remediation • Door to door interviews • High-risk populations (children six years of age or younger and/or pregnant women living in the home) took top priority the home) took top priority • Many children had high blood lead levels. • Now, after priority cleanup steps, lower blood lead levels in children ( down to the national average of 3%)
Port of Vancouver Port of Vancouver • Port’s goal is to prevent contaminated stormwater runoff from reaching Columbia. • Port leases property to numerous companies so is working with tenants to also reduce pollution. • Port treats 99% of stormwater before it reaches the Columbia River, using best management the Columbia River, using best management practices such as:
Challenges Challenges • Legacy of hundreds of contaminated sites across the basin • Polluted runoff • Emerging contaminants – old • Emerging contaminants – old technologies do not work • Old wastewater facilities • Unintentional industrial discharges • Spills • No silver bullets – learning as we go • Change takes time and money
Promises Promises • State bans of riskiest chemicals • Products being redesigned to use least toxic chemicals – “green chemistry” • Incentive programs to reduce chemical use • Recognition and certification programs for those who go the extra prevention mile • Less toxic air emissions from diesel engines • Take back programs • Reform of Toxic Substances Control Act
Opportunities for Increased Connection Opportunities for Increased Connection with Spokane Toxics Task Force with Spokane Toxics Task Force • Stormwater Work Group – Ecology is lead • Advocacy/Resource – TSCA reform – led by CRITFC/Lower Columbia Estuary by CRITFC/Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership
Regional Fish Consumption Regional Fish Consumption CRITFC Survey CRITFC Survey • 1992 agreement - EPA/Yakama, Nez Perce, Umatilla and Warm Springs Tribes to better understand relationship of tribal fishing and exposure to contaminants – First phase was a Fish Consumption Survey - CDC input in design CDC input in design • 1994 Survey showed Tribal people consume 9–12 higher amounts of fish than average US • EPA used results of survey to revise water quality criteria methodology – increased EPA default from 6.5 to 17.5 grams/day
2002 EPA/CRITFC Fish 2002 EPA/CRITFC Fish Contaminant Study Contaminant Study • 92 pollutants detected in fish • Fish taken from 24 Tribal fishing sites in Columbia River Basin - 1996 - 1997 – Anadromous: Fall/spring chinook, steelhead – Anadromous: Fall/spring chinook, steelhead trout, smelt and Pacific lamprey Resident: rainbow trout, mountain whitefish, white sturgeon, walleye, large scale sucker, bridgelip sucker • PCBs, dioxins, furans, arsenic, mercury, and DDE, a breakdown product of DDT
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