EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT- January 2000

GENERAL

Municipal NPDES Permit - Dale Payne

The municipal NPDES Permit which covers the jurisdictions of the City of South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County and Placer County (Permitees), is currently in the process of revision for the purposes of renewal. A workshop was held for Permitees on December 22, 1999, and covered the significant issues brought forward by the Permitees. Staff is preparing a tentative permit and responses to the Permitee's comments. The tentative permit will be circulated for comments to the Permitees and interested persons and agencies during the month of February. Another meeting with the Permitees is planned for early March to resolve remaining issues. At the April 12, 2000 Board meeting the Regional Board will consider adoption of the permit.
Watershed Management Initiative - Cindy Wise

The Strategic Plan for the State Water Resources Control Board and the Regional Water Quality Control Boards (updated 1997) lays out the foundation for changing to a new approach to water quality protection through the Watershed Management Initiative (WMI). The WMI is a collaborative effort of the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards, the State Water Resources Control Board, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is intended to use staff and contract resources effectively for the prevention and control of water pollution on a watershed scale while still meeting regulatory program mandates. The WMI is based on the premise that many water quality problems fall outside of conventional regulatory permit programs, but may be solved by the implementation of an approach based on watershed management. This approach targets the priority problem, provides a high level of stakeholder involvement, and integrates solutions that make the best use of the expertise and authority of multiple agencies.

Annually, each Regional Board completes an update on the WMI called the Integrated Plan Chapter (Chapter). The Chapter describes the Region's watershed-based organization, structure and management, the Region's priorities, and its plan for meeting regulatory program planning commitments (e.g., re-issuance of NPDES permits). The Chapter is intended as a long range-planning document that covers a five-year planning horizon. Initially, the implementation of WMI in the Region is focusing on five target watersheds (Truckee River, Upper Truckee River, Carson River, Upper Owens River, and the Mojave River.) These five watersheds were identified as the highest priority watersheds by Regional Board action in March 1996. The Chapter includes goals and objectives, and planned tasks to reach the goals. The Chapter includes descriptions of key tasks planned for the entire Region in the programs of monitoring, assessment, nonpoint sources, wetlands, ground water, TMDLs, and the core regulatory programs of NPDES, Stormwater, non-Chapter 15 and Chapter 15.

The Chapter is also a fiscal planning tool as it describes projected use of expected resources in upcoming fiscal years and identifies tasks for use of additional resources if they become available. An interim update of the WMI Chapter was completed in January 2000 with the next update scheduled for completion in November 2000.
New Hires

Gregory Zentner is an Associate Water Resources Control Engineer working in the Northern Watersheds Unit of the South Lake Tahoe office. He graduated from Humboldt State University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering. He also obtained a Masters in Environmental Studies in 1997 from The Evergreen State College in Olympia Washington. He previously managed a habitat restoration program for the City of Tacoma, Washington and worked for several years as a Water Resources Control Engineer with the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. He enjoys hiking, skiing, kayaking, a good book, and above all else time with his wife, Genevieve.

Chris Johstoneaux currently works as an Office Assistant in the South Lake Tahoe Office. In addition to work, he is also a full time student at Lake Tahoe Community College. He and his wife Lori are the proud parents of a one-year-old son named Tanner. They are originally from Utah, and moved here almost two years ago to be the general managers of a local motel. He enjoys spending time with his family, both playing and watching sports, and is a huge Utah Jazz fan. He loves living at Lake Tahoe and prays for snow days so that he and his wife can go snowboarding.

Jill S. Wilson works for the Northern Watersheds Unit of the South Lake Tahoe office as an Environmental Specialist III. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (Aquatic Ecology). Her most recent work was with the Mt. Hood National Forest where she worked on habitat restoration programs, timber sales, road decommissioning, and large scale watershed analysis as mandated by the President's Northwest Forest Plan. She also facilitated NEPA process teams and coordinated the forest's stewardship and environmental education programs. Prior to the Mt. Hood, Jill worked on the Tahoe National Forest. Jill's hobbies include backcountry skiing and rock climbing. During the winter months, Jill volunteers for the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team. On summer weekends, you are likely to find her hanging on to the side of a granite wall in the Sierra Nevada.

Robin Coale started working for the Water Quality Control Board in the Victorville office as an Office Assistant. She worked for the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board in Rancho Cucamonga for 1.5 years. She is married and has two children ages 16 and 18. Her son is graduating from Marine Boot Camp in San Diego on February 11. She can't wait to go cheer him on. She also likes to go to her daughters' softball and volleyball games at school. Her hobbies include collecting antiques, working in the yard, riding bikes, hiking and camping, and going "junking" at yard sales and auctions.

ENFORCEMENT

Beacon Gas Station, Meyers - Chuck Curtis

In July of 1998, using funds from the Emergency, Abandoned, and Recalcitrant Account, the Regional Board took over remediation activities at the site. Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) from the site impacted two municipal drinking water wells owned by the South Tahoe Public Utility District. Remediation efforts conducted by the Regional Board's contractor continue to clean up contaminated ground water at the site. Additional investigation and clean up is required, and the Regional Board will be conducting the work with continued funding from the EAR Account. An infiltration gallery was constructed last fall for the treated ground water disposal. Construction of a structure to house and winterize the remediation system equipment is scheduled for this February.
Swiss Mart Chevron, Kings Beach - Chuck Curtis

At the October 13, 1999 Regional Board meeting, the Board imposed an Administrative Civil Liability (ACL) Order in the amount of $78,000 on the Responsible Parties for failure to comply with a Cleanup and Abatement Order (CAO) for the site. The order stayed $60,000 pending completion of three tasks. Task 1, submittal of a remedial design report, was completed on time. Task 2, implementation of the remediation, was due December 29, 1999, but has not begun. The ACL Order dictated that $10,000 would be due and payable if Task 2 was not completed. One of the Responsible Parties, Azad Amiri, petitioned the State Water Resources Control Board to rescind the ACL Order and the CAO. Until the State Board rules on the petition, payment of the original ACL amount due ($18,000) and the additional $10,000 is held in abeyance. Mr. Amiri also petitioned an ACL Order in the amount of $36,000 imposed by the Regional Board at the September 8, 1999 Board meeting; the State Board has not yet ruled on either petition.
Swiss Mart, South Lake Tahoe - Chuck Curtis

At the October 13, 1999 Regional Board meeting, the Board imposed two Administrative Civil Liability Orders totaling $154,000 on the Responsible Parties for failure to comply with a Cleanup and Abatement Order for the site. The Orders stayed a total of $114,000 pending completion of four tasks. The first two tasks have been completed. The third, remediation implementation, has been delayed due to the discovery of a previously-unknown, underground, waste oil storage tank in the area where the remediation system equipment was to be placed, and due to weather delays. On December 9,1999, the Executive Officer of the Regional Board granted an extension until January 31, 2000 for the remediation system startup. One of the Responsible Parties, Azad Amiri, petitioned the State Water Resources Control Board to rescind the ACL Order and the CAO. Until the State Board rules on the petition, payment of the original ACL amount due ($40,000) is held in abeyance