Release of Public Notice for the Conditional Waiver Program for Vineyard Facilities in the Napa River and Sonoma Creek Watersheds

SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board
On November 16th, 2012, the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board) released the public notice for the Conditional Waiver Program for Vineyard Facilities in the Napa River and Sonoma Creek Watersheds (please see attached Notice). This Conditional Waiver is a regulatory process developed by the Water Board that waives requirements of the waste discharge requirements provided the eligible vineyard properties comply with the terms and conditions of the Conditional Waiver. Many vineyard facilities in Sonoma Valley and Napa will be required to comply with the Conditional Waiver and eligibility depends on various factors identified in the draft Conditional Waiver such as slope, property size and acres planted. Southern Sonoma and Napa RCDs have grant funds to assist eligible vineyard facilities with compliance including assistance in completing Farm Water Quality Plans conservation plan completion to comply with the waiver. More details will be forthcoming on how to sign-up for our program assistance.

The notice, Conditional Waiver, Attachments, and Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration are ready for public review and are all available at the Water Board’s offices and website at the link below. The public comment period for these draft documents is currently in place and written comments must be received by the Water Board no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday February 1, 2013. A public hearing on the Conditional Waiver and Mitigated Negative Declaration will be held at on March 13, 2013 at the Elihu Harris State Building Auditorium, 1515 Clay Street, Oakland, CA 94612. For more information, please contact the Water Board at 510.622.2426 or your local RCD. 

www.waterboards.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay/water_issues/programs/TMDLs/
vineyard/index.shtml