WSR 08-06-081

DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY


[ Filed March 4, 2008, 3:46 p.m. ]


PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Workshops and Hearings to Accept Comments on the

Draft Fishery Resource Management Individual Permit



     The Draft Fishery Resource Management Individual Permit: The department of ecology (ecology) is proposing to issue an individual permit to the Washington state department of fish and wildlife (WDFW) to cover fish management in surface waters of the state. Ecology is requesting public comment on the draft permit and fact sheet. This permit, once issued, revokes and replaces the current fishery resource management individual permit (WA0041009) for the activities the WDFW uses to manage fish populations in surface waters of the state. The revocation and replacement is effective beginning on the effective date of this permit. This individual permit covers the discharge of two fish eradication chemicals (piscicides), rotenone and antimycin, to waters of the state for the control of undesirable fish species. Under the Washington State Water Pollution Control Act, the discharge of pollutants which may alter the biological or chemical characteristics of a water body requires a permit. The proposed permit addresses these legal requirements and regulates the discharge of pollutants to protect surface water quality in Washington state.

     Requesting Copies of the Draft Permit: Beginning March 19, 2008, you can request copies of the draft permit and fact sheet or download copies from the web site listed below:

     Web site: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/pesticides/final_pesticide_permits/fish/fish_index.html.

     Ecology Contact: Kelly McLain, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, phone (360) 407-6938, fax (360) 407-6426, e-mail kelm461@ecy.wa.gov.

     Submitting Written and Oral Comments: Ecology will accept written and oral comments on the draft fishery resource management individual NPDES permit and fact sheet until April 25, 2008. Ecology prefers comments to be submitted by e-mail. Comments should reference specific text when possible.

     Submit written comments to Kelly McLain, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, e-mail kelm461@ecy.wa.gov.

     If you submit written comments, you must ensure that they are postmarked no later than 5 p.m., April 25, 2008. You must send e-mail comments before 5 p.m., April 25, 2008. You may provide oral comments by testifying at either of the two public hearings.

     Public Workshops/Hearings: The public workshops and hearings on the draft permit are scheduled to be held in Olympia and Moses Lake, Washington. At each workshop ecology will explain the permit and answer questions in order to facilitate testimony during the hearing. The purpose of each hearing is to provide an opportunity for people to give formal oral testimony and comments on the proposed permit. Public hearings begin immediately after the workshops and conclude as soon as public testimony is completed.

     April 21, 2008, 2:30 p.m., Natural Resources Building, Room 172, 1111 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, (360) 902-2200.

     April 22, 2008, 1 p.m., Grant County Advanced Technologies Education Center, Building 1800, Room 1837, Hardin Room, Big Bend Community College, 7611 Bolling Street N.E., Moses Lake, (509) 793-2374.

     Issuing the Fishery Resource Management Individual Permit: After ecology receives and considers all public comments it will make necessary changes and issue the permit. If public comments cause a substantial change in the permit conditions from the original draft permit, another public notice of draft and comment period may ensue.

     Ecology expects to issue the permit on or about June 18, 2008, if there is no substantial change to the draft. The permit will be effective thirty days later. When issued, ecology will send a copy of the notice of issuance and ecology's responses to the comments to all persons who submitted written comment or gave public testimony.

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