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Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Environment - More on private sewage treatment plants

Updating our September 20th entry on private sewage treatment plants (2nd item) is a report today in the Louisville C-J. Some quotes:

More than 60 people attended a hearing last night on a proposed state water-quality rule that would restrict where package treatment plants can be built.

The rule was proposed by Greenville Concerned Citizens and Save Our Knobs, two grass-roots organizations working for more effective environmental regulation and better planning and zoning in Floyd County.

The rule would require new package treatment plants — often used to treat sewage from new subdivisions — to be located on streams that would dilute each gallon of treated sewage discharged with at least 10 gallons of stream water.

And the rule would prohibit developers from using streams that are dry part of the year.

A majority of the state's sewage plants now use such seasonal streams, according to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

David Wagner, a board member and hearing officer for the state Water Pollution Control Board, told the crowd in the Silver Creek High School Auditorium that he would compile a report for the board, including his recommendation, by Nov. 10.

If the county water pollution control board decides to create an ordinance based on the proposal, Wagner said, it would take at least six to nine months to complete.

The same confusion I've pointed to in earlier stories continues here. David Wagner is a member of the state Water Pollution Control Board. A citizens petition was presented to that State Board asking the State Board to pass a statewide rule dealing with private sewage-treatment plants. The public hearing held last evening in Floyd County was to receive input on whether the public thought the State Board should consider such a rule. Mr. Wagner will report to the State Board. The State Board will then decide whether or not to direct the State Department of Environmental Management to initiate a formal rulemaking process. If such a process is initiated, the rulemaking, if successful, will likely take 18 months or longer.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 29, 2004 08:55 AM
Posted to Environmental Issues