04/27/05 Palouse River study: dam hearing

04/27/05 Palouse River study: dam hearing

Washington Ag April 27, 2005 In May the Department of Ecology intends to begin sampling for toxic substances in several reaches of the Palouse River which the agency says violate water quality standards for pesticides and PCBs. The sampling is part of a larger study, known as a total maximum daily load, TMDL, which will identify ways to improve water quality in the Palouse River watershed. Tonight, Ecology is sponsoring a workshop to discuss the pollution study. It will be held at 7 p.m. at the Best Western in Colfax. Ecology says that although the chemicals in question have not been in use for over a decade, they tend to last a long time in the environment and high accumulations in fish can pose a health risk to wildlife and people who eat them. How Chelan County PUD will meet state water quality standards at Rocky Reach Dam will be the topic of an open house and public hearing tomorrow evening, April 28th. That event is slated to begin at six p.m. Thursday at the PUD auditorium in Wenatchee. The PUD must receive "water quality certification" from the Department of Ecology before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission can issue a new long-term license for the dam. Representatives from the Department of Ecology will answer questions about water quality issues being considered at Rocky Reach Dam and that will be followed by a public hearing during which interested citizens may state their comments for the record. I'm Bob Hoff
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