WSR 14-14-109

[Filed July 1, 2014, 2:45 p.m.]

Proposed Permit: The Washington state department of ecology (ecology) is proposing a new general permit for public review and comment on July 16, 2014. The proposed permit would cover discharges of stormwater, drydock floodwater, and certain other nonroutine wastewaters resulting from the deconstruction of vessels over water. Ecology has determined that the proposed permit mitigates significant adverse environmental impacts to a nonsignificant level and is issuing a determination of nonsignificance (DNS).

Purpose of the Vessel Deconstruction General Permit: Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Title 22 United States Code, Section 1251 et seq., and state Water Pollution Control Act, chapter 90.48 RCW (see also WAC 173-226-130) require a permit for the discharge of wastewater to waters of the state. The permit addresses these legal requirements and controls the discharge of pollutants to protect water quality. The permit requires permittees to develop and implement deconstruction and site management and solid waste control plans and comply with applicable limits. It also details inspection, sampling, and reporting requirements.

Requesting Copies of the Draft Permit: Beginning July 16, 2014, you may download copies of the draft permit, fact sheet, DNS, and economic impact analysis from the web site at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/vesseldeconstruction/index.html.

Ecology Contact: Vincent McGowan, Washington State Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600,phone (360) 407-6433, fax (360) 407-6426, e-mail vincent.mcgowan@ecy.wa.gov.

Ecology will accept written comments on the draft permit and fact sheet until 12 midnight, August 22, 2014. Ecology prefers comments to be submitted by e-mail. Comments should reference the specific permit and specific text when possible.

Submit Written Comments to: Vessel Deconstruction Permit Comments, Washington State Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, e-mail to vincent.mcgowan@ecy.wa.gov. Written comments must be postmarked no later than 12 midnight, August 22, 2014. You must send e-mail comments before 12 midnight, August 22, 2014. You may provide oral testimony at the public hearing.

Public Hearing and Workshop: The public hearing and workshop on the permit modification is scheduled to be held in Seattle, Washington. At the workshop, ecology will explain the proposed permit and answer questions. A hearing will immediately follow the workshop. The hearing will provide the opportunity for formal oral testimony and comments on the proposed permit.

August 19, 2014 at 1 p.m., South Seattle Community College, Georgetown Campus, C122, 6737 Corson Avenue South, Seattle, WA, (206) 934-5350.

Issuing the Final Permit: After ecology receives and considers all public comments, it will issue the final permit. If public comments cause a substantial change in the permit conditions from the original permit modification, another public notice of draft and comment period will occur. If there is no substantial change to the draft, ecology expects to issue the modified permit in the fall of 2014. The permit will be effective thirty days later. When issued, ecology will post the new permit and response to comments at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/vesseldeconstruction/index.html.