Florida Department of Environmental Protection An Overview of Florida s Statewide TMDL for Mercury in Fresh & Marine Waters

Transcription

1 Florida Department of Environmental Protection An Overview of Florida s Statewide TMDL for Mercury in Fresh & Marine Waters Jan Mandrup-Poulsen Administrator, Watershed Evaluation and TMDL Section

2 PRESENTATION OVERVIEW Introduction TMDL Program Goals Florida s Statewide Total Maximum Daily Load for Mercury Assessment Development Target Setting Implementation Page 2

3 Purpose of the TMDL Program Identify scientifically-based quantitative goals for restoration of waterbodies that do not meet State water quality standards, and implement a plan to achieve those goals. Local information and stakeholder involvement is the foundation of success Page 3

4 Requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA) Each state is required to identify waters that do not meet water quality standards (WQSs) and still need a TMDL (submitted to EPA as 303(d) list) Each state establishes TMDLs for those waters on 303(d) list TMDLs are to be established at levels necessary to attain and maintain the applicable narrative and numerical WQS with seasonal variations and a margin of safety... If the state does not set a TMDL or EPA disapproves a TMDL, then EPA must establish the TMDL Page 4

5 Background on Consent Decree The 1999 Consent Decree identified 102 fresh and estuarine waterbodies as being impaired due high mercury levels in fish tissue. Due to an admission of the complexity of the issues, all mercury TMDLs were set for As this is largely a nonpoint source problem, a statewide approach is being applied. Significant new data and modeling are being applied to set and defend the targets. Page 5

6 General Equation TMDL= LC = Σ WLA + Σ LA + MOS LC = waterbody loading capacity Σ WLA = sum of point source loadings within basin Σ LA = sum of nonpoint source loadings within basin MOS = margin of safety Page 6

7 Page 7

8 Map of Hg Impaired Waterbodies Page 8

9 Mercury in Fish Tissue TMDLs in the United States State TMDL Status Fiscal Year Approved/Established Pollutants Arkansas Approved/Established 2003 Mercury in Fish Tissue Arizona Approved/Established 2011 Mercury in Fish Tissue Louisiana Approved/Established 2000 Mercury in Fish Tissue NE Regional Mercury TMDL (NY, ME, CT, NH, VT, MA, & RI) Approved/Established 2008 Mercury in Fish Tissue Minnesota Approved/Established 2007 Mercury in Fish Tissue New Jersey Approved/Established 2011 Mercury in Fish Tissue Page 9

10 Florida Mercury TMDL A Statewide TMDL The FDEP has selected statewide approach for mercury TMDL development. FDEP contracted for modeling work to identify emissions sources in Florida contributing to atmospheric deposition and to examine correlations between water quality, sediment quality, total mercury deposition, and fish tissue levels. The predominant source of mercury causing the observed mercury impairment in Florida waters is from atmospheric deposition, which can cross multiple drainage basin boundaries. Page 10

11 Florida Mercury TMDL A Statewide TMDL Atmospheric deposition represents more than 99% of the mercury entering into Florida waters. Global sources dominate. Using a statewide approach can address all of the mercury impaired waters at once and is therefore an effective approach. Page 11

12 Spatial Distribution of Global Mercury Emissions Page 12

13 Atmospheric Mercury Emissions Each 1.0% percent of net reduction translates to 1.43% of anthropogenic sources 30% 70% Source: Pirrone, Nicola, S Cinnirella, Xinbin Feng, R B Finkelman, Hans R Friedli, Joy J Leaner, Robert P Mason, A B Mukherjee, G B Stracher, David G Streets, K Telmer Global Mercury Emissions to the Atmosphere from Anthropogenic and Natural Sources. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 10 (2010) : Page 13

14 U.S. Mercury Emissions Page 14

15 How Does Mercury Get from the Air to Fish? Page 15

16 Technical Components of a Statewide Mercury TMDL Quantify Mercury Loading to Florida Dry mercury deposition Wet mercury deposition Quantify Relationships between Mercury Sources and Receptors Conduct TMDL Analysis: Determine needed reductions to abate impaired conditions Develop Predictive Atmospheric Models to Quantity Loads Develop Predictive Atmospheric Models to Quantity Loads Page 16

17 Supersites and Intensive Sites Page 17

18 Atmospheric Hg Modeling CMAQ model domain used by the University of Michigan. Inputs to the CMAQ boundary provided by simulations conducted with the global model ECHMERIT. Page 18

19 Page 19

20 Preliminary Conclusions from Modeling There is variability in Florida emission sources to deposition across the state, as identified in monitoring and modeling. Dominant sources of atmospheric deposition originate external to Florida. In-state reductions have been found to reflect EPA promulgated Maximum Available Control Technology (MACT) and Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) reductions. Page 20

21 >99% Hg derived from atmospheric deposition Consumption of contaminated fish can affect humans and wildlife Depending on aquatic system biogeochemistry, up to 10,000,000 time biomagnification factor Page 21 Top predators have highest Hg tissue burdens

22 Overview of Approach on TMDL Assumes a sources split of 70% anthropogenic and 30% natural background. Checked against an extensive Largemouth Bass data set. Also used a market basket approach to minimize risk, based on what species people actually eat in setting the targets. Assumes consumers eat the recommended amounts of fish each week. Page 22

23 Hg TMDL Outcomes 86% reduction needed to protect sensitive populations using Market Basket. 85% reduction needed to protect general population using Large Mouth Bass. NPDES Permitted (IW/DW) sources must test at permit renewal for mercury in their effluent, and if quantified, adopt a Mercury Minimization Plan. Page 23

24 Schedule and Next Steps Draft TMDL report posted on FDEP s TMDL web page (as revised September 21 st ). Statewide tour, conducted public meetings, held June 4-11, in Tampa, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Tallahassee. Second tour, conducted public workshops, July 23-27, in Panama City Beach, Tallahassee, Daytona Beach, Ft Lauderdale, and Sarasota. Page 24

25 Schedule and Next Steps EPA has completed technical review for consistency with national guidance and other statewide/regional mercury TMDLs. To Do List: Adopt TMDL rule language, submit to Florida Legislature for ratification of the TMDL rule, and send it to EPA for formal review and approval. Page 25

26 QUESTIONS? Other Contact Information: Jan Mandrup-Poulsen Environmental Administrator Watershed Evaluation & TMDL Section Florida Dept of Environmental Protection 850/ Page 26