Formula Grant 05000059

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT IS TO FUND THE STATE OF ARKANSAS' WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLANNING PROGRAM TO IMPROVE IMPAIRED WATER AND PROTECT UNIMPAIRED WATERS ACROSS THE STATE BY CONDUCTING PLANNING THAT INFORMS AND SUPPORTS IMPLEMENTATION OF CLEAN WATER ACT PROGRAMS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLEAN WATER ACT SECTION 205(J)(3), UNLESS A WAIVER REQUEST IS APPROVED BY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA), THE RECIPIENT WILL JOINTLY DEVELOP WORKPLANS WITH AND PROVIDE AT LEAST 40% OF THIS AWARD TO REGIONAL OR INTERSTATE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANNING AGENCIES. ARKANSAS DID NOT RECEIVE ANY PROPOSALS FROM ANY OF THE REGIONAL OR INTERSTATE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANNING AGENCIES AND THE GOVERNOR HAS REQUESTED ALL FUNDS BE GIVEN TO THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY THIS AGREEMENT IS SUPPORTED BY FUNDING PROVIDED UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA) (PL 117-58).ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLANNING ACTIVITIES: 1. GENERATE DEFENSIBLE, QUALITY DATA TO FACILITATE APPROPRIATE DECISION MAKING ON CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ISSUES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: A. DEVELOPING TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOADS (TMDL); B. DEVELOPING WATER QUALITY STANDARDS; C. REVISING WATER QUALITY STANDARDS; AND D. GENERATING THE INTEGRATED REPORT [305(B) REPORT AND 303(D) LIST]. 2. EVALUATE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY) EE-DEQ'S MOST CURRENT LIST OF IMPAIRED SURFACE WATERS [303(D) LIST] TO IDENTIFY WATERS AND STREAM SEGMENTS THAT ARE LACKING CURRENT WATER QUALITY DATA. WATERS AND STREAM SEGMENTS WILL BE DETERMINED TO BE LACKING CURRENT WATER QUALITY DATA IF WATER QUALITY DATA IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WATERS OR STREAM SEGMENTS WITHIN THE LAST FIVE CALENDAR YEARS. USING THIS EVALUATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INDICES, EE-DEQ WILL DEVELOP A PLAN TO SAMPLE THOSE IDENTIFIED WATERS AND STREAM SEGMENTS AND ANALYZE THE SAMPLES FOR WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS TO OBTAIN UPDATED WATER QUALITY DATA FOR THOSE WATERS AND STREAM SEGMENTS, BEGINNING WITH THOSE WATERS AND STREAM SEGMENTS LOCATED IN COUNTIES WITH MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FACTORS THAT ARE GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO THE STATE OR FEDERAL AVERAGE FOR THAT RESPECTIVE FACTOR. 3. EVALUATE THE LOCATION OF EE-DEQ'S CURRENT AMBIENT WATER QUALITY MONITORING STATIONS USING THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INDICES AND IDENTIFY AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONCERN IN WHICH ADDITIONAL AMBIENT WATER QUALITY MONITORING MAY BE IMPLEMENTED TO ENSURE EQUITABLE AND FAIR ACCESS TO ANY BENEFITS OF THE AMBIENT WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM. 4. DEVELOP A WATERSHED CHARACTERIZATION STUDY FOR LEAD IN THE UPPER BAYOU BARTHOLOMEW WATERSHED IN PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS AND BEGIN SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY POINT AND NONPOINT LEAD LOADING SOURCES AND CHARACTERIZE LEAD LEVELS WITHIN THE WATERSHED. 5. CREATE A PLAN TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE POTENTIAL SOURCE CONTRIBUTORS OF POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS) AND PERFLUOROOCTANE SULFONATE (PFOS), EMERGING CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN, AND SAMPLE SURFACE WATERS, AS IDENTIFIED DURING THE SOURCE CONTRIBUTOR EVALUATION, TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF PFAS AND PFOS IN ARKANSAS'S SURFACE WATERS.SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE DELIVERABLES TO BE PROVIDED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT ARE: SEMI ANNUAL AND FINAL PROJECT REPORTS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES RESULTING FROM THESE EFFORTS INCLUDE RESTORING ARKANSAS' IMPAIRED WATERS AND PROTECTING HEALTHY WATERS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES ARE THE RESIDENTS OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS.