Title
Transportation recommending the Board authorize submittal of the County of El Dorado's Pollutant Load Reduction Plan for the Lake Tahoe Basin to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Lahontan Region pursuant to the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Permit Board Order No. R6T-2011-101A1 requirement.
FUNDING: General Fund and Public Utility Franchise Fees.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
There is no impact or change to Net County Costs with respect to this item. The Pollutant Load Reduction Plan (PLRP) is a requirement within the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Board Order #R6T-2011-101A1. The cost implications to the County of El Dorado (County) for submitting the PLRP are included within the current Lake Tahoe NPDES Program Fiscal Year 12/13 budget.
Background
In December 2011, Lahontan adopted an updated Municipal NPDES Permit (Permit) Board Order #R6T-2011-0101A1 for the three California Local Jurisdictions around Lake Tahoe (County of El Dorado, County of Placer and City of South Lake Tahoe). The Local Jurisdictions subsequently appealed the Permit and after extensive negotiations, an amended Permit was adopted by Lahontan in October 2012.
The Permit requires, among other things, the County to develop a Pollutant Load Reduction Plan (PLRP) by March 15, 2013 outlining its strategy to reduce its baseline fine sediment particle (FSP) pollutant load by 10%, its baseline total phosphorous (TP) pollutant load by 7% and its baseline total nitrogen (TN) pollutant load by 8% by September 30, 2016. The PLRP presented as part of this item satisfies that requirement.
On March 5, 2013 Transportation staff presented the PLRP to the Board for their information, review and direction. During that presentation, staff advised the Board they would turn to the Board on March 12, 2013 for their authorization to submit the PLRP to Lahontan.
Executive Summary
Based upon the County's Baseline Pollutant Load Calculations, and the above-mentioned Permit requirements, the County is required to obtain 220 credits by September 30, 2016. A credit is defined as 200 pounds of fine sediment particles less than 16 µm in diameter.
The County's strategy to demonstrate compliance with this requirement is to register 5 Urban Planning Catchments (UPCs) through the Lake Clarity Crediting Program (LCCP), which includes 15 completed Water Quality and Erosion Control Projects that the County constructed between 2004 (baseline period) and 2012. Transportation calculated 251 credits from the 5 UPC's using the Lahontan PLRM which will be registered in 2016. The County does not propose to obtain credit from improved sweeping practices or advanced abrasives practices during this Permit term. All of the credit will be obtained from infiltration improvements, road shoulder condition improvements and private property best management practices (BMPs).
Action(s) to be taken following Board authorization:
1. Transportation will submit the PLRP to Lahontan for approval pursuant to Section IV.C of the Permit.
Contact:
Kimberly A. Kerr, Interim Director of Transportation