Ecology issued the current construction stormwater general permit
on October 4, 2000. The permit was appealed by a coalition of
environmental groups (Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, Waste Action
Project, Washington Public Employees for Environmental
Responsibility, Resources for Sustainable Communities, and
Citizens for a Healthy Bay). The appellants charged that the
permits and fact sheets did not meet the intent of the Clean
Water Act, regulations promulgated by the Environmental
Protection Agency, and the Washington state water pollution
control law. The Washington Department of Transportation and the
Association of Washington Business later intervened on behalf of
ecology.
The parties to the case have entered into a settlement agreement
that stipulates that the construction stormwater general permit
must be revised and reissued according to specified dates. The
agreement identifies issues that must be addressed and requires
ecology to form a public advisory committee for the reissuance of
the construction stormwater general permit. The appellants and
intervenors to the case will be invited to join the advisory
committee to review and comment on the draft permit prior to
public release.
A final draft construction stormwater general permit will be
released for public comment no later than September 4, 2002.
This will initiate the beginning of the public comment period,
during which time written comments on the permit will be
accepted. Several public workshops and hearings will take place
around the state during October 2002. The settlement agreement
requires that the final permit and fact sheet be reissued no
later than December 18, 2002. When the construction stormwater
general permit becomes final, the appeal will be dismissed.
| Schedule for Reissued Construction Stormwater General Permit | |
| Form a public advisory committee | June 3, 2002 |
| Release final draft for public comment | September 4, 2002 |
| Conduct public workshops/hearings | October 2002 |
| Reissue construction stormwater general permit | December 18, 2002 |
Questions should be directed to Jeff Killelea at (360) 407-6127,
by e-mail at jkil461@ecy.wa.gov, or may be mailed to Department
of Ecology, Attn: Jeff Killelea, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA
98504-7600.