PA DEP News Release : DEP Lists Susquehanna River as Impaired for Multiple Uses, Develops New Analytic Methods for Semiannual Impaired Waterways Report

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg PA., 17120

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
08/1/2016

CONTACT:
Neil Shader, DEP

DEP Lists Susquehanna River as Impaired for Multiple Uses, Develops New Analytic Methods for Semiannual Impaired Waterways Report

Harrisburg, PA - A new report from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) lists four miles of the Susquehanna River as impaired for recreation. The recreation impairment listing joins an impairment for fish consumption for the Susquehanna River, though the listings are not related to smallmouth bass populations in the river. The report also sets forth a groundbreaking protocol to scientifically assess a large river system.

“DEP has dramatically increased the monitoring efforts of the Susquehanna River, and is developing analytic protocols that set the bar for scientific study of large river systems,” said DEP Acting Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “DEP carefully considered the scientific data in preparing this report, and the additional impaired listings in 2014 and 2016 of the Susquehanna River to the impaired waterways list is the recognition of that increased monitoring.”

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