= NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, COMMENT PER= IOD

&= nbsp; The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) will hold a public hear= ing at 2:00 p.m. on February 24, 2010, to receive comments = on the Agency’s proposed 2010 Impaired Waterbodies List (commonly called the 303d List). The hearing will be conducted in the Commission Room at the ADEQ headquarters building; 5301 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock.

&= nbsp; Prior to accepting formal public comments at the hearing, ADEQ Wa= ter Division staff will present a short program discussing th= e proposed 2010 303d List. A period of time will also be set aside for informal discus= sion and questions and answers before the formal public comment period begins. <= o:p>

&= nbsp; The 303d List is developed by ADEQ every two years under provisions of Section = 303d of the Federal Clean Water Act. ADEQ assesses water quality monitoring data from numerous locations around the state and utilizes a comprehensive assessment methodology to determine which waters are not meeting their designated uses as listed in the Arkansas Water Quality Standards (Regulati= on No. 2 of the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission).

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&= nbsp; Water quality data from stream and lake sampling sites were considered during the development of the proposed 2010 303d List. These sampling stations were ei= ther part of ADEQ’s statewide water quality monitoring network, special surveys conducted by ADEQ, or sites sampled by U.S. National Park Service within the Buffalo River Watershed. Other water quality data from federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as from private entities, both within Arkansas and from adjo= ining states, were also evaluated during development of the proposed list.

&= nbsp; A complete listing of impaired waterbodies can be found in the tables followi= ng the narrative of the draft 303d List. Copies of the list are available on t= he ADEQ’s Internet web site at www.adeq.state.ar.us or can be obtained by contacting Jim Wise in the ADEQ Water Division; telephone, 501-682-0663; e-mail, wise@adeq.state.ar.us.

&= nbsp; Copies of the proposed 2010 Arkansas 303d List also are available for public inspection during normal business h= ours at the ADEQ’s Public Outreach and Assistance Division, located on the second floor of the ADEQ headquarters building, 53= 01 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock. In addition, copies of the list are available for public review during norm= al business hours at ADEQ information depositories located in public libraries= at Arkadelphia Batesville, Blytheville, Camden, Clinton, Crossett, El Dorado, Fayetteville, Forrest City, Fort Smith, Harrison, Helena, Hope, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Magnolia, Mena, Monticello, Mountain Home, Pocahont= as, Russellville, Searcy, Stuttgart, Texarkana, and West Memphis; in campus libraries at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the University of Central Arkansas at Conway; and in the Arkansas State Library located on the State Capitol grounds at Little Rock.

&= nbsp; Oral and written comments on the proposed 2010 303d List will be accepted at the public hearing, but written statements are preferred in the interest of accuracy. In addition, written statements will be considered if received no later than 4:30 p.m., March 10, 2010. Written statements should be sent to: Jim Wise, Arkansas Department of Environmenta= l Quality, Water Division, 5301 Northshore Drive, Nor= th Little Rock, AR 72118; e-mail: wise@adeq.state.ar.us.

Proposed revisions to the 2010 Arkansas 303d List will be incorporated into the 2010 Arkansas Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report (commonly called the 305b Report), after approval by the ADEQ Director and the Region= 6 Office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Dated this 4th day of February, 2010,

Teresa Marks, Director,

Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality