Opportunity for Comment

Draft 2024 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report

Comment deadline: July 22, 2024, 5:00 PM

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has prepared the draft "2024 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report" for submission to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as required by 303(d), 305(b) and 314 of the Clean Water Act, and in fulfillment of the reporting requirements of 38 M.R.S. 464(3)(A) of the State of Maine's Water Classification Program. This report is available for public comment until 5:00 PM, July 22, 2024. For more information and access to the documentation (2 files), please visit the Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Reports webpage. Reviewers of the Report document should pay particular attention to the Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology (CALM) required by the EPA for surface water assessments in this report. The CALM is described in Chapter 4 of the document. For the first time, assessments for waters that present barriers to fish passage are included in a new Category 4-C-FPB (Fish Passage Barrier); the relevant CALM is included under the header 'Support of Indigenous Species. Specific waterbody attainment and impairment assignments can be found in the Appendices.

Comments become part of the public record and are published in the final version of the Report. All comments should be sent to:

By email: IRcomments.DEP@maine.gov

By fax: 207-287-7826

Meagan Sims

Maine Department of Environmental Protection

Bureau of Water Quality

State House Station 17

Augusta, ME 04333-0017

More information.

Rumford Falls Hydroelectric Project Water Quality Certification

Comment deadline: July 19, 2024

On June 20, 2024, the Department issued a Draft Water Quality Certification (WQC) for the federal relicensing and continued operation of the Rumford Falls Hydroelectric Project. The Project is located on the Androscoggin River in Oxford County, in the Town of Rumford. Federal regulations require the Department to act on this application within one-year, by August 21, 2024.

Rumford Falls Draft WQC

Rumford Falls Project Folder

Send your comments to DEP-Hydropower@maine.gov by 5:00 PM on July 19, 2024 and reference "Rumford Falls WQC" in the subject line.

Clean Water State Revolving Fund Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Draft Intended Use Plan

Comment deadline: July 2, 2024, 5:00 PM

In compliance with the requirement in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Section 606(c) to provide for public review and comment, the Department has posted the Intended Use Plan in draft form.

Stakeholders and interested parties are encouraged to submit written comments to Brandy Piers, (207) 287-6093 or Maine.CWSRF.Grants@maine.gov by 5:00 p.m., July 2nd, 2024.

CWSRF FFY 2024 Draft IUP