Public Workshops and Hearings to Accept Comments on the
Revised Boatyard General Permit
Revising and Reissuing the Boatyard General Permit: The boatyard NPDES and state waste discharge general permit, issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology (ecology) on December 8, 1997, expired on December 8, 2002. Ecology has revised the permit and is proposing to reissue it on or about July 18, 2005. The proposed draft boatyard general permit and fact sheet will be made available for public review and public comment from May 18, 2005, to June 27, 2005. During this period ecology will accept comments, both verbally and in writing, and will host informational workshops and public hearings on this permit and fact sheet. Oral testimony may be given at the public hearing.
Purpose of the Boatyard General Permit: The boatyard general permit provides coverage for industries located in Washington state that discharge stormwater from areas used to renew the bottom paint on boats. A general permit is like an individual wastewater discharge permit except that it covers a group of facilities with similar operations, rather than an individual facility, and implements the Federal Clean Water Act and State Water Pollution Control Act in a single permit.
Under federal and state water quality law (Federal Clean Water Act and State Water Pollution Control Act), a permit is required for the discharge of wastewater, including stormwater. The proposed general permit addresses these legal requirements and controls the discharge of pollutants to protect surface water and ground water quality in Washington state. Individual facilities that receive coverage under the general permit are required to comply with the terms and conditions of the permit. Currently, one hundred seven facilities are covered under boatyard general permit.
Applying for a Boatyard Permit: Facilities covered under the existing boatyard general permit, who reapplied for permit coverage before the expiration of the old permit, will be covered under the renewed permit after submitting a new application. New or unpermitted facilities may obtain coverage under the renewed permit by submitting a complete permit application to ecology and satisfying all applicable public notice and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requirements (WAC 173-226-200). The application will be available July 5, 2005, online at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/boatyard/index.html.
Requesting Copies of the Permit: Beginning May 18, 2005, you can request or download copies of the proposed permit and fact sheet from the internet at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/boatyard/index.html.
Submitting Written and Oral Comments: During the public comment period (May 18 - June 27) ecology will accept written and oral comments on the draft boatyard general permit and fact sheet. Comments should reference specific text when possible. Comments may address the following:
| • | Technical issues, |
| • | Accuracy and completeness of information, |
| • | The scope of facilities proposed for coverage, |
| • | Adequacy of environmental protection and permit conditions, or |
| • | Any other concern that would result from issuance of the revised permit. |
Public Workshops/Hearings: The public workshops and hearings on the draft general permit are scheduled to be held in Olympia, Washington on June 21, 2005, and in Everett, Washington on June 23, 2005. The purpose of the workshops is to explain the general permit, explain the changes from the previous permit, and answer questions in order to facilitate meaningful testimony during the hearing. The purpose of the hearings is to provide an opportunity for people to give formal oral testimony and comments on the proposed permit.
The June 21, 2005, workshop and hearing will be held at: Department of Ecology Headquarters, Southwest Regional Office, 300 Desmond Drive, Lacey, WA 98503, (360) 407-6000.
Directions Southbound: on I-5: Take Martin Way exit 109, turn left onto Martin Way, at the third traffic light turn right onto Desmond Drive.
Directions Northbound: On I-5: Take Martin Way exit 109, turn right onto Martin Way, at the second traffic light turn right onto Desmond Drive.
Once on Desmond Drive head uphill and at the intersection turn left and proceed along the front of the headquarters building. Proceed past a stop sign at the main entrance and find the visitors parking lot on the left.
The June 23, 2005, workshop and hearing will be held at Snohomish County Public Utilities District Headquarters, 2320 California Street, Everett, WA 98206, (425) 783-1000.
Directions: Southbound on I-5: Take exit 194, follow City Center signs onto Everett Avenue, westbound (right). Turn left at Virginia Avenue. Turn right at California Street.
Directions: Northbound on I-5: Take exit 193, turn left onto Pacific Avenue. Turn right at Cedar, and then left onto Hewitt Avenue. Turn right at Virginia.
Both public workshops and hearings will begin at 7:00 p.m. and conclude when public testimony is completed.
Issuing the Final Boatyard General Permit: The final permit will be issued after ecology receives and considers all public comments. 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 general permit on or about July 18, 2004, if there is no substantial change to the draft. It will be effective thirty days later. When issued, a copy of the notice of issuance and ecology's responses to the comments will be sent to all persons who submitted written comment or gave public testimony.
If you have special accommodation needs or require a copy of the permit and fact sheet in an alternative format, please contact Gary Bailey at (360) 407-6433. If you are a person with a speech or hearing impairment, call 711 or 800-833-6388 for TTY.