WSR 18-11-057 DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY [Filed May 10, 2018, 4:11 p.m.] PUBLIC NOTICE
Announcing the Final Winery General Permit
Under the authority of chapter 90.48 RCW, the Washington state department of ecology (ecology) is issuing the winery state waste discharge general permit (permit) to establish waste management practices for winemaking facilities to prevent pollution and protect waters of the state. The permit conditionally authorizes discharges of winery process wastewater to land, ground water, and wastewater treatment plants.
State water quality statutes and regulations do not allow the discharge of pollutants to waters of the state without permit coverage. Winery process wastewater has characteristics that could potentially negatively impact groundwater quality, and therefore require a permit before being discharged. When the permitted activities are similar, ecology issues a general permit in place of a series of individual permits.
The permit becomes effective on July 1, 2019, and expires on July 1, 2024.
Purpose of the Permit: The permit regulates the discharge of pollutants in winery process wastewater to land, ground water, and wastewater treatment plants. No surface water discharges are allowed under the permit. Coverage under the permit is available to facilities that discharge winery process wastewater to one or more of the discharge methods described in the permit.
Permit and Supporting Documents: Ecology accepted public comment on the draft permit, fact sheet, notice of intent, economic impact analysis, and SEPA compliance documents from November 1, 2017, until February 14, 2018. Ecology offered public workshops and hearings via two online webinars on January 24, 2018, and in-person in Prosser on January 30, 2018, and in Bellevue on February 2, 2018.
Ecology received written comments and verbal testimony during the public comment period. The comments are included as an addendum to the fact sheet (Appendix E), as well as ecology's response to comments (Appendix D).
You may download copies of the final permit, the response to comments, the fact sheet, and other supporting documents from the ecology web site at www.ecology.wa.gov/winerypermit. You may also request permit documents by contacting the water quality program at 360-407-6600.
Ecology Contact: Stacey Callaway, Washington State Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47696, Olympia, WA 98504-7696, 360-407-7118, Stacey.Callaway@ecy.wa.gov.
Appeal Options: The permit may be appealed to the pollution control hearings board (PCHB) within thirty days of receipt of the final permit. The appeal process is governed by chapters 43.21B RCW and 371-08 WAC. "Date of receipt" is defined in RCW 43.21B.001(2).
To appeal, the following must be done within thirty days of receipt of the permit:
The appeal must also comply with other applicable requirements in chapters 43.21B RCW and 371-08 WAC.
Address and Location Information:
Street Addresses: Department of Ecology, Attn: Appeals Processing Desk, 300 Desmond Drive S.E., Lacey, WA 98503; or Pollution Control Hearings Board, 1111 Israel Road S.W., Suite 301, Tumwater, WA 98501.
Mailing Addresses: Department of Ecology, Attn: Appeals Processing Desk, P.O. Box 47608, Olympia, WA 98504-7608; or Pollution Control Hearings Board, P.O. Box 40903, Olympia, WA 98504-0903.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: If you need special accommodation or documents in alternative formats, please contact ecology facility coordinator Hannah Waterstrat at 360-407-7668 or 877-833-6341. | ||||