New Mexico’s Nonpoint Source Management Program and Plan Revision

From Sec. 319 of the Clean Water Act (Management Programs): “ The Governor of each State, for that State or in combination with adjacent States, shall, after notice and opportunity for public comment, prepare and submit to the Administrator for approval a management program which such State proposes to implement in the first four fiscal years beginning after the date of submission of such management program for controlling pollution added from nonpoint sources to the navigable waters within the State and improving the quality of such waters.”

From Sec. 319 of the Clean Water Act (Grants): “ Upon application of a State for which a report submitted under subsection (a) of this section and a management program submitted under subsection (b) of this section is approved under this section, the Administrator shall make grants, subject to such terms and conditions as the Administrator considers appropriate, under this subsection to such State for the purpose of assisting the State in implementing such management program. Funds reserved pursuant to section 1285(j)(5) of this title may be used to develop and implement such management program.”

Sideboards: Key Components of an Effective State Nonpoint Source Management Program (November, 2012) Nonpoint Source Program and Grants Guidelines for States and Territories (April, 2013) Find these at:

Current NPS Plan: Six objectives: Watershed-based planning Water quality improvement Water quality protection Outreach and education Protection of groundwater quality Interagency cooperation

Objective 1: Watershed-based planning Watershed-based plans that meet all nine elements identified in the Nonpoint Source Program and Grants Guidelines for States and Territories (Federal Register, October 23, 2003) are completed using stakeholder-driven processes for all priority watersheds at an average of ten new watersheds per year until all priority watersheds have plans in place by the year 2045.

Objective 2: Address water quality problems Effective watershed-based NPS restoration programs are implemented, using multiple funding sources, in identified priority watersheds at an average of ten new watersheds per year until all priority watersheds are included by the year 2045, and the waters of each watershed are restored to designated uses within twenty years from the initial target year.

Objective 3: Water Quality Protection The quality of surface water resources is maintained through coordinated activities, permitting programs, and technical assistance provided to assist cooperating agencies and landowners with efforts to understand water quality and protect surface waters from nonpoint source pollution.

Objective 4: Education and Outreach General public awareness of nonpoint source pollution and water quality is increased and maintained through an effective education and outreach program using strategically selected educational resources available throughout the State by 2014.

Objective 5: Protect Groundwater Resources The quality of groundwater resources is maintained through the water fair and water quality outreach program along with permitting and compliance assistance for large capacity septic tank leach fields with efforts to understand water quality and protect groundwater from nonpoint source pollution.

Objective 6: Interagency Cooperation With assistance provided by the Watershed Protection Section and other Surface Water Quality Bureau programs, federal and State agencies in New Mexico actively manage a variety of natural resources to protect and restore water quality.

A little more context: 12 staff in NMED Watershed Protection Section. 9 WPS staff are primarily funded under Sec FTEs (all in NMED) are authorized under the current 319 grant Budget (requested): $2.3M Budget (expected): $1.8M

Very Preliminary Goals of Revision: Specify which non-federally funded NPS management activities will be considered non-federal NPS Management Program costs. Continue to support watershed based planning within a more restricted program budget. Consider more closely integrating watershed-based planning and implementation. Consider use of Recovery Potential Screening for prioritizing watersheds for restoration or protection. Edit for clarity, update summaries of related programs (maintenance revision).

Revision timeline: Two-month scoping period begins 9/1/13 (look for the press release and – add yourself to the NPS Planning List – request a meeting) 12/2/13 – 90 day public comment period begins Early January – minimum of two public meetings 4/8/14 - Consideration of approval by NM WQCC 6/30/14 – deadline for submittal by Governor to Regional Administrator

NMED/SWQB P.O. Box 5469 Santa Fe, NM Abe Franklin Manager, Watershed Protection Section