Regarding FRL-comment to U.S. EPA
Mr. Richard Wooster
Mail Code R6WDPQ
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
1201 Elm St.
Dallas, Texas 75270.
Dear Mr. Wooster,
Save the Illinois River, Inc., STIR, a Tahlequah, Oklahoma-based not for profit organization created to protect the Illinois River, its tributaries, aquifers, and Lake Tenkiller in Oklahoma, fully supports the United States EPA in seeking greater water quality protection for the Illinois River watershed in both Arkansas and in Oklahoma.
Specifically, STIR supports the EPA’s current findings that additional waters and stream segments of the Illinois River in Arkansas be listed as impaired for phosphorus even though these areas are not listed as impaired by the State of Arkansas (303(d) Clean Water Act report).
Because the Illinois River is very obviously impaired by phosphorus and other sources including bacteria, STIR strongly believes that the U.S. EPA should require both Arkansas and Oklahoma to conduct a Total Maximum Daily Load study of the Illinois River and its tributaries. Voluntary efforts to lower phosphorus levels in the watershed, in leu of TMDLs, are not working satisfactorily in STIR's opinion.
I hope this statement sufficiently demonstrates STIR's desire for a cleaner, safer Illinois River watershed and appreciation for U.S. EPA's diligence in listing additional Illinois River stream segments as impaired by phosphorus.
Sincerely,
Denise Deason-Toyne
Save the Illinois River, Inc. President
