A message from the California Regional Water Quality

Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TRIENNIAL REVIEW

WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLAN, SAN FRANCISCO BAY BASIN

The California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region (Water Board) will conduct a public hearing to present a tentative resolution and supporting staff report adopting the 2012 Basin Plan Triennial Review. The staff report contains a listing of candidate Basin Planning projects (excluding TMDLs) that may be pursued over the next few years and that would ultimately result in Basin Plan amendments. The Basin Plan is the master policy document that contains descriptions of the legal, technical, and programmatic bases of water quality regulation in the San Francisco Bay Region, including water quality standards.

The purpose of the triennial review is to examine and update the focus of Water Board planning efforts. Section 13240 of the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act and Section 303(c)(1) of the federal Clean Water Act require a review of basin plans at least once each three-year period to keep pace with changes in regulation, new technologies, policies, and physical changes within the region.

The public hearing on the Basin Plan Triennial Review will be held at the Water Board’s regular monthly meeting:

DATE:                        Wednesday November 14, 2012

TIME:                         9 a.m.

LOCATION:              Elihu M. Harris State Building

Main Auditorium

1515 Clay Street

Oakland, California 94612

STAFF CONTACT:   Richard Looker

                                    1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400

Oakland, CA  94612

(510) 622-2451 (ph)

(510) 622-2460 (fax)

email: rlooker@waterboards.ca.gov

Initial written comments from the public on the Triennial Review were accepted from March 2, 2012, to April 17, 2012. Water Board staff also conducted a public workshop on March 27, 2012. During the workshop and comment period, the public had the opportunity to comment on the Triennial Review process and the Basin Plan, as well as recommend Basin Plan issues for investigation. Following a review of all issues submitted, the Water Board staff developed a technical report and tentative resolution describing a prioritized list of Basin Planning projects.

The 2012 Basin Plan Triennial Review Tentative Resolution and supporting staff report are available at the Water Board web site:

http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay/basin_planning.shtml#triennialreview

All evidence, written testimony and exhibits proposed to be offered at the hearing must be submitted in writing to the Water Board staff contact no later than October 8, 2012, in order to be considered by the Water Board. Non-evidentiary policy statements to be made at the hearing need not be submitted in advance. Water Board staff will respond to written comments submitted by October 8, 2012.

The public hearings will be conducted in accordance with 23 Cal. Code of Regs. § 649.3. Time limits may be imposed on oral testimony at the public hearings; groups are encouraged to designate a spokesperson. All exhibits presented at the hearing, including charts, graphs, and other testimony must be left with the Water Board. They will become part of the administrative record.

A map and directions to the hearing are available online at:

http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay/about_us/directions.shtml

The location of the hearing is accessible to persons with disabilities. Individuals who require special accommodations are requested to contact the Water Board’s Executive Assistant Mary Tryon, (510) 622-2399, mtryon@waterboards.ca.gov, at least five (5) working days before a meeting. TTY users may contact the California Relay Service at 1-800-735-2929 or voice line at 1-800-735-2922.