Listing would have triggered specific government plans to combat algae pollution on the Shenandoah. 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. update email soon. For Immediate Release. You'll receive your first NRDC action alert and The Environmental Integrity Project and Shenandoah Riverkeeper released a report in 2019 that used aerial photography to document that only about 20 percent of livestock farms in Virginias biggest agricultural counties, Rockingham and Augusta counties in the Shenandoah Valley, had fenced their cattle out of streams and rivers. Washington DC 20007, POLLUTION REPORT HOTLINE After a review, in most cases, they contact the worst polluters to tell them to stop polluting our water supply and to clean up existing pollution. Shenandoah National Park consists of nearly 200,000 acres of protected land in Northern Virginia and boasts over 500 miles of hiking trails, the 105 mile Skyline Drive with beautiful views, and thousands of living creatures, including the endangered Shenandoah Salamander that is only found in the park. The Clean Water Act and other environmental laws allow residents to improve their local rivers and streams through citizen suits. On behalf of Potomac Riverkeeper Network members and the residents throughout the watershed, Shenandoah Riverkeeper and its attorneys routinely monitor known polluters. No fish other than trout should be eaten from the South River. Shenandoah 571.969.0746 As a last resort, we will take a polluter to court to stop the pollution. Potomac 336.809.6041. These monitoring reports are more in-depth than resource briefs and include data analysis and a discussion of our findings. The report focuses on four counties in the bucolic Shenandoah Valley watershed that are also home to a large-scale farming industry. The number of water monitoring sites in the Shenandoah Valley declined from an average of 70 per year from 2015 to 2018, to 30 per year in 2019 and 2020, with many of the excluded sites having the highest levels of bacteria. 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. The North Fork of the Shenandoah River is approximately 95 miles long, while the South Fork runs about 150 miles. He said theres always room for improvement in the states nutrient management program, but Virginia has seen an overall improvement in bacterial contamination in the Shenandoah River basin. 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. The Shenandoah is one of the most beautiful rivers in the countryand a popular recreation destination. And each other? Recent heavy flooding in the Shenandoah Valley from Hurricane Isabel heightens the groups' concerns of contamination, since much of the mercury from the plant is thought to remain in floodplain. Have you heard about how tree-mendous urban trees are? 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. But 47 percent of the waterways impaired by bacteria in the Shenandoah Valley lack either cleanup or implementation plans. 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. Photo credit: Alan Lehman, Program Manager, Shenandoah Riverkeeper. 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. Small changes can make a big difference. The. Shenandoah Riverkeeper, represented by Earthjustice, filed a notice of intent to sue the EPA for its failure to act in the face of this threat. Cleaning up our local streams and creeks isn't just good for public health. If constructed, this pipeline will traverse the South River, one of two rivers that join up down by Waynesboro to form the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. All across our region animals once in decline are making a comeback. Media contacts: EIP Study Demands Stronger Regulation of Livestock Pollution and Health Advisories for Waterways Contaminated with Bacteria. In the Shenandoah Valley, Shenandoah Riverkeeper is going site by site to all the farms in the area, opening a dialogue with farmers about improving the practices that endanger the health and jobs of people living downstream. Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter. They also harm native grasses and affect aquatic life. The Shenandoah River is a very popular river for canoeing, river tubing, and white-water recreation such as rafting and kayaking (class I-III in season, II-III+ during the spring run-off), and several commercial outfitters offer a variety of guided trips and rentals. For decades, Virginia has collected bacteria data in both fresh and saltwater areas of the state, but has only posted warning signs for swimmers on ocean and saltwater beaches. 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. 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. Inevitably, humans shaped the river back. 2023 Environmental Integrity Project. Other states, including Maryland and Pennsylvania, still use this freshwater beach action value.. Shenandoah Riverkeeper uses information from monitoring and community activity and takes actions to create positive change. Omission from the list means delay in addressing a serious and growing problem. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Fish consumption advisories have been in place on the South River and South Fork Shenandoah River since the mid-1970s. The water from these springs is very cool and, on its downhill journey, forms the numerous high gradient and highly oxygenated streams found in Shenandoah. Listing a waterway as impaired triggers a regulatory process leading to the imposition of limits on the amount of the pollution causing the impairment into the waterway. SEATTLE (AP) A company that operates a century-old hydroelectric dam near Mount Rainier National Park and its chief operating officer each pleaded guilty to a single criminal count Monday in connection with a spill of synthetic field turf and the tiny rubber particles used to make it into the Puyallup River in 2020.. The Potomac Riverkeeper Network is a Potomac 336.809.6041. Media contacts: Tom Pelton, Environmental Integrity Project (443) 510-2574 or tpelton@environmentalintegrity.org, Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper, mark@shenandoahriverkeeper.org or (571) 969-0746, The James River is such an historic and iconic waterway, it is great news that this settlement agreement will help reduce sewage overflows that, About 12 hours ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, EPA has agreed to strengthen standards for the nations largest industrial source of phosphorus pollutionand second-largest industrial source of, About 13 hours ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, James Beauchamp, president of the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance, suggests that spikes in Permian Basin methane might be coming, About 2 days ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, Solar, wind, geothermal, battery and other alternative-energy businesses are adding workers from fossil fuel companies, where employment has fallen., Record winter warmth across much of the eastern US has caused spring-like conditions to arrive earlier than ever previously recorded in several, About 3 days ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, 1000 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 1100 Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Potomac Riverkeeper Network is the home for three Riverkeepers: Potomac, Shenandoah and Upper Potomac. & Waterkeepers Chesapeake. The organization says it has approximately 35,000 farmer members. Acid precipitation, a type of atmospheric deposition that is primarily linked to fossil fuel combustion, is lowering water pH in some extremely sensitive streams both chronically and episodically. Mark also served onthe Board of Directors for the Mid-Atlantic Federation of Fly Fishers. Agricultural runoff in the Shenandoah Valley are causing the algae outbreaks. & Waterkeepers Chesapeake. Spanning over 200,000 acres of land, the park is known for its beautiful views, natural landscape, and diverse wildlife. Virginia needs to start notifying the public that the Shenandoah Valleys waterways are unsafe for swimming and tubing or, better yet, the state should solve this manure overload problem, said Eric Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Environmental Integrity Project and former Director of Civil Enforcement at EPA. The Sierra Club, founded over a century ago, is a national non-profit organization of over 700,000 members dedicated to exploring, enjoying, and protecting the wild places of the earth; to practicing and promoting the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources; to educating and enlisting humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to using all lawful means to carry out these objectives. Shenandoah 571.969.0746 While we acknowledge DuPonts commitment to the community, and agreeing to stabilize the riverbank by employing a impermeable barrier and covering that with additional clay, soil and native plants, it has been 66 years thats right 66 years since the active leaking stopped. In the event that discussions break down, or improvements stall, the program will use local regulations where they exist that may compel farmers to make changes. 7 local animals making a comeback thanks to clean water, 7 tree-mendous facts: How trees support the Potomac River, us, and each other, Study finds the Potomac is getting saltier, threatening drinking water and wildlife. Agricultural runoff, including manure from the Valleys 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. Shenandoah National Park is located in Virginia's Blueridge Mountains. If they do not, they begin legal actions by filing a mandatory 60-day letter of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act. Collecting and Managing Surplus Manure: Who Should Pay? Contact Evan Childress, Shenandoah NP Supervisory Fish Biologist, Download the official NPS app before your next visit, Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network. 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. ADVERTISEMENT 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. 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. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) In a story April 26 about a report on pollution in the Shenandoah River, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation has 3,500 farmer members. DuPont's textile operations discharged tens of thousands of pounds of mercury into the South River from 1929 to 1950. That has not occurred according to the most recent data collected by the Commonwealth. RICHMOND, Virginia (October 20, 2003) -- Two environmental groups will sue DuPont to force a cleanup of mercury from the South River and the South Fork of the Shenandoah River because of health risks for people who eat fish from those waters. 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 warning signs could include a website or hotline that people could use to get the most recent bacteria monitoring information. , much of the Shenandoah River is polluted with unsafe levels of E. coli. In addition, they work with university law clinics, nonprofit legal groups and corporate law firms that provide pro bono legal services and conduct compliance reviews of pollution permits. The solution is not to lower the standards so that the public is misled into thinking the river is safe for contact, but rather to enhance the standards and then act to resolve the impairment., MONITORING FOR E. COLI BACTERIA IN SHENANDOAH WATERWAYS, Number of Sites Where Bacteria Exceeded EPAs Swimming Advisory Value, Percent of Sites Over EPA Swimming Advisory Value. Last year, health officials placed 52 miles of its length under advisory from early August to mid-September after discovering cyanobacteria in the water. And so Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper, has launched the Respect the Shenandoah Campaign. Source: Data Store Saved Search 686 (results presented are a subset).
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