The Alabama Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program Current Events-FY01
ADEM is currently implementing its strategy to obtain full approval of the Alabama Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program (ACNPCP) and developing its approach to improving overall water quality. ADEM’s ACNPCP has been involved extensively in interagency workgroups, training workshops and conferences, and endeavoring to identify and focus nonpoint programs, issues, and individuals to improve overall water quality in the coastal Alabama area. The following issue areas have been targeted for priority program development and implementation: Development of Management Measures: The ACNPCP is identifying federally proposed management measures that are suitable for application in Alabama. This Program is developing a strategy plan for these management measures to further enhance the ACNPCP. This will aid us in schedule and benchmark development to ensure timely management measures implementation. Boundary Issues: ADEM Coastal Programs proposed all of Mobile and Baldwin Counties as the ACNPCP Management Area. Both NOAA and EPA officially approved this proposal in March of 2000. Administrative Cooperation and Coordination: ADEM is exploring strategies to better the effectiveness of nonpoint source management by identifying and working with agencies at all governmental levels to determine the programs and resources that can be brought to focus on improving the quality of the water environment in the ACNPCP Management Area. Coastal Alabama NPS Resource MATRIX Meetings have been held with CWA-319, CZARA-6217, the Coastal Alabama Clean Water Partnership and the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program representatives to create a quarterly forum that is sharing information, identifying elements of other programs, and using this information to develop our own strategies for management measures, as well as influencing those of other programs. Monitoring: ADEM is currently engaged in the following ongoing projects to monitor the effectiveness of nonpoint source pollution controls and management measures: ADEM has NPS inspectors that conduct inspections throughout the ACNPCP Management Area. These inspections are based on permit applications, permits issued, field observations and complaint investigation response. ADEM conducts Watershed Surveys in the Management Area. These surveys focus on problem areas, quantify the extent of the problem, and identify the sources. Watershed Surveys for Bon Secour River, Chickasaw Creek, Dog River, and Little Lagoon have previously been completed and are available at the ADEM Coastal Programs Office. ADEM conducts annual water monitoring programs in the form of Trend Studies at designated and randomly generated sampling sites throughout the ACNPCP-Management Area. The annual Coastal-ALAMAP Survey complements this as well, by the probabilistic monitoring of a large number of sites in the Mobile Bay, delta, and other coastal waters. The Coastal 2000 study has expanded upon this to include annual monitoring of the Gulf of Mexico. USDA-NRCS has completed countywide Watershed Assessment Studies of the entire Management Area. These reports are a useful tool in targeting and developing strategies for management measures for the ACNPCP. ADEM is committed to a Rotational Watershed Basin Plan that recently assessed the Perdido-Escambia Basin in FY99 and will address the Escatawpa-Mobile Basin in 2001. Strategies and Evaluation for Back Up Authorities: ADEM has a well demonstrated record of using enforcement capabilities to bring about change and resolution of nonpoint source pollution causing activities statewide, including the coastal counties. ADEM is in the process of submitting the documentation of these successes to the federal approval agencies, as a means of demonstrating linkage of State agency back-up authority to the Alabama Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program.
The focus of the Alabama Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program is the improvement of overall water quality by management of land and water uses within the Management Area of Mobile and Baldwin counties. This program is a focal point for nonpoint source pollution related activities and issues. The ACNPCP coordinator is located in the ADEM Coastal Programs Office in Mobile, Alabama and may be contacted at (334) 432-6533 or via e-mail at rcs@adem.state.al.us .
[Updated March, 2001 by RCS]