TCEQ hears concerns over North Bosque River water quality

By MANDY JOHN | Central Texas Edition

Various local and state representatives, as well as the general public, are seen signing up to give their opinion on the TCEQ's implementation plan, Oct. 17 in Clifton. -Staff photo by John

October 31, 2002 -- Two public meetings concerning the implementation plan that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) drafted to address soluble reactive phosphorus in the North Bosque River watershed were held Oct. 15 in Stephenville and Oct. 17 in Clifton. The purpose of these meetings was to provide the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed plan.

As required by the Clean Water Act, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) were developed for soluble reactive phosphorus. According to the TCEQ, the implementation plan is a flexible tool that the governmental and non-governmental agencies involved in TMDL implementation will use to guide their program management.

"There is a four-step process when determining water quality. This process is a guide to achieving goals such as regulatory and non-regulatory actions," said Karen Atkinson, director of the Strategic Assessment Division of TCEQ, during the Oct. 17 meeting. "We are working on step two of the process for the North Bosque River, which is meeting with you for both oral and written comments regarding the plan."

"I am concerned about this implementation plan that you have put together," stated Senator Kip Averitt. "I think that the steps you are making are good steps. I am concerned because you have been working on this for a long time."

Averitt said that people in the dairy business have concerns about this plan, as well as those who work in the city.

"I want TCEQ to be aggressive and show Texans that they are looking after us and our businesses," he said.

Jane Mashek, speaking on behalf of State Representative Jim Dunnam, said, "I am disappointed with the plan. We have had poor water quality for the last few years. This just shows that the TCEQ is not doing their job.

"The commission's job is to follow the law. It should step up to the plate and take action now."

"The TCEQ has reduced water quality's standard to a low bar," explained Waco mayor Linda Ethridge. "You have made it easier for cattle numbers to grow to a dismal record and that does not reflect your promise to protect water quality.

"We have to close the book to the past. It has come to that critical moment for downstream interest. Now is your time, TCEQ, to clean up the North Bosque River."

Pete Schouten, a Stephenville dairyman, gives his viewpoint on how the plan will affect him and other dairymen. -Staff photo by John

"There are other sources of phosphorus that are affecting the North Bosque River," said Pete Schouten, a dairy farmer from Stephenville. "I use a lot of commercial fertilizer for my land and I know that many other farmers use it as well."

Schouten explained that there are 80 miles from Stephenville to Waco to reach the river bottom and dairy cows were not the only source of phosphorus in Waco.

"We (the dairymen) are the stewards of the land. We also drink this water coming from the ground."

After the meeting, Atkinson gave this response: "The meetings to receive public comment on the draft North Bosque River TMDL Implementation Plan in Stephenville and Clifton were well attended - over 100 people attended each meeting. The public comment period closed on Oct. 21 and agency staff are currently reviewing the comments that were received. Summaries of comments and agency responses will be prepared and presented to the Commission for deliberation on finalizing the implementation plan. The expected schedule for approval of an implementation plan is to present results of the public comments at a Commission Work Session in Dec. 2002."

Upon approval of the of the implementation plan by the commission, the final implementation plan and a response to public comments will be made available on the TCEQ website at: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/water/quality/tmdl/tmdl_projects.