{"content":[{"text":"New Nitrate Control Program \n Offers Choices for Compliance","bbox":{"left":0.117647,"top":0.039562,"width":0.31790999999999997,"height":0.049146999999999996}},{"text":"Nitrate Challenge in the Central Valley \n Over the last 150 years, increased agricultural, industrial, and municipal activities, coupled with \n population growth, have resulted in dramatic increases in nitrates in groundwater in the Central Valley. \n Many small communities in the Central Valley rely on groundwater for drinking water. Some \n communities can’t safely use groundwater for drinking water as nitrate levels present a potential for \n human health impacts. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) \n regulates nitrate discharges to groundwater from these activities. Improved management practices have \n been implemented to reduce nitrate discharges, but compliance with current regulations is difficult to \n impossible. New, updated regulations have been developed through the CV-SALTS initiative. \n CV-SALTS Initiative \n The CV-SALTS (Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability) was formed more than a \n decade ago as a collaborative stakeholder group tasked with developing a sustainable salt and nitrate \n management program for the Central Valley. In 2008, the Central Valley Salinity Coalition was \n established to help fund the needed scientific and technical studies. \n New Nitrate Control Program \n On May 31, 2018, the Regional Board approved amendments to the Central Valley’s Water Quality \n Control Plans or Basin Plans which include the new Salt and Nitrate Control Programs. On October 16, \n 2019, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) also approved the amendments. The \n Office of Administrative Law approved the amendments in January 2020. \n The Nitrate Control Program is a prioritized program. The \n Regional Board will implement the Nitrate Control Program Nitrate Control Program Goals \n beginning with the identified Priority 1 groundwater \n 1. Provide safe drinking water \n basins/subbasins of Kaweah, Turlock, Chowchilla, Tule, \n supplies as the priority. \n Modesto, and Kings. In late May 2020, Notices to Comply are \n expected to be mailed to nitrate dischargers. 2. Reduce nitrate impacts to \n water supplies. \n Priority 2 groundwater basins /subbasins are Yolo, Merced, \n 3. Restore groundwater quality. \n Kern County (west side south), Tulare Lake, Kern County \n (Peso), Delta Mendota, Eastern San Joaquin, and Madera. For \n these areas, Notices to Comply will be mailed between late 2022 and late 2024. \n The Nitrate Control Program provides the Regional Water Board with revised, more flexible authorities \n for nitrate regulation, including: \n § Exceptions for dischargers in meeting the nitrate water quality objective, \n § Establishment of management zones to foster collaborative nitrate solutions, and \n § Offset Projects for groundwater as an alternative means of achieving compliance with Waste \n Discharge Requirements (WDRs). \n Two Nitrate Compliance Pathways for Dischargers to Choose \n Once nitrate dischargers receive a Notice to Comply with the Nitrate Control Program, they have a \n choice of two pathways for compliance -- Pathway A – Individual Permitting or Pathway B – Local \n Management Zone. After receiving a Notice to Comply, dischargers must choose a pathway.","bbox":{"left":0.117647,"top":0.107335,"width":0.763434,"height":0.7455}},{"text":"For More Information visit: cvsalts.info","bbox":{"left":0.117647,"top":0.937637,"width":0.290808,"height":0.01701600000000003}},{"text":"Updated May 28, 2020","bbox":{"left":0.705882,"top":0.937637,"width":0.1669139999999999,"height":0.01701600000000003}}],"images_bbox":[{"left":0.637255,"top":0.031629,"width":0.244853,"height":0.072033}],"images_bbox_not_text_overlap":[{"left":0.637255,"top":0.031629,"width":0.244853,"height":0.072033}]}