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2124274256;# 2

~~ED

DEC

1020Q4

December 10, 2004

Illinois Pollution Control Board.

600

S. Second Street, Suite 402

Springfield, IL

62704

uT)

0”

In re: R2004-026 (Interim Phosphorus Effluent Standard)

(2_i

Dear

Hearing

Officer:

Openlands Project is a 41-year old conservation organization that promotes

the

protection

and

restoration ofopen

space,

natural areas,

and

waterways throughout

northeastern

illinois. Openlands urges the illinois

Pollution

Control Board to

support the proposed

1.OnigIL

inonth~yaverage limit for phosphorus

discharges.

Federal and state law require

that

National Pollution Discharge Elimination

System

(NPDES)

permit limits control “all pollutants

...

which will

cause,

have a

potential

to cause, or

contribute

to an excursion above any State water quality

standard, including State

narrative criteria

for water quality” 40 CFR

§

122.44(d)(1)(i);

35

III. Admin.

Code

§

304.105. Phosphorus discharges

above 1.0

mgfL

clearly cause

and

contribute to

excursions

of

Illinois

water quality standards

on a

regular

basis.

Elevated phospborus levels can lead to

human

health

risks and

damage to the

aquatic ecosystem,

Nutrient enrichment

generally is

associated

with the

formation

of

trihalomethanes,

which are carcinogenic.

They

also lead to

algal

eutrophication and

can

cause severe diuthal

swings in dissohred

oxygen levels as

~el1 as

pH. increased turbidity

is

another

commonresult ofelevated

nutrient

levels.

This problem is widespread in Illinois, where most ofthe

lake

acreage tested, as

well as great lengths of

many streams and rivers, are impaired

nutrient levels.

The 1.0 m~/Lstandard

that

the Illinois

Environmental

Protection Agency (IEPA)

proposes is a good start. Evidence from

other

states as well as U.S.

EPA

shows

that

stricter

limits of0.8 mg/L or less would probably be desirable

and

achievable

in the long

term.

Until the stricter

standards are set, however,

a 1.0

mgfL

standard

Will

reduce the

amount

of

damage suffered

by illinois

streams,

rivers,

and lakes.

More than a dozen Illinois wastewarer

treatment

facilities

already have

1.0

mg/L

limits in their NPDES permits,

and the

technology to

achieve

compliance with

such a limit is neither

new

nor expensive.

Because the

proposed

nile is limited to new or

increased

discharges, ft will apply

to facilities that will automatically invoke IEPA antidegradation

requirements

Those requirements allow water quality to be lowered only where

“necessary”

to

Printed on Recycled Paper

---

12—10—04 2 5OPM

3124274256 5 3

‘.~J’.-’.-

,

~

~

..“.

,

..~p.-

promote

“importanteconomiç

or

social

development.” Giventhat

phosphorus

limits of 1.0

mg(L

or lower are aireadyroutinely

ache

i..wat~wáter

treatment

plants

in Illinois

and

throughout the country,

exc~eding

1..O:m~’L.ofphosphorus is

never “necessa~y”for

any

adequately equipped

and

coth~3~ntly

operated

wastewater

treatment plant Consequently, a failure

to adopt the 1 0 tiigfL

standard

would likely lead to violations ofthe antidegradation

standa~d~

in many

future

NPDES

permits.

The

proposed

I mWL limit is therefore legally

required,

economically achievable,

and

environmentally beneficial.

Openlands Project

urges the Pôllutlbn

Control

Board

to

adopt

the

proposed interim phosphorus

effluent

st~iidard.

Sincerely,

-

--

Joyce O’Keefe

•

AssociateDirector

0

-