The Washington state department of ecology (ecology) is reissuing the Zostera japonica management on commercial clam beds in Willapa Bay National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and state waste discharge general permit on April 2, 2025. The permit becomes effective on May 2, 2025, and expires on May 1, 2030.

Purpose of the Permit: The Zostera japonica management on commercial clam beds in Willapa Bay general permit provides coverage for the use of the herbicide imazamox to control the nonnative eelgrass Zostera japonica on commercial clam beds in Willapa Bay. The permit is a combined NPDES and state waste discharge permit that limits the discharge of pollutants to surface waters under the authority of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Title 33 U.S.C. Section 1251, and limits the discharge of pollutants to surface and groundwater under the authority of the State Water Pollution Control Act, chapter 90.48 RCW.

Public Notice Process and Comments: Ecology accepted public comments on the draft permit from November 21, 2024, through January 14, 2025. Formal public workshops and hearings were hosted during this time with an online webinar on December 30, 2024, and an in-person event on January 7, 2025. Ecology received written public comments, verbal testimony, and emails. The comments and ecology's responses are included as Appendix C of the fact sheet.

Copies of the Permit: The final permit, fact sheet, and ecology's response to comments are available online at ecology.wa.gov/ZJaponicaPermit. You may request hard copies from the water quality program by contacting Jackie Lince at jackie.lince@ecy.wa.gov or 360-407-6600.

Applying for Coverage Under the Permit: Existing permittees that applied for renewed coverage by September 4, 2024, will continue to be covered under the existing permit until the new permit is published. New or unpermitted facilities may obtain coverage under the permit by submitting a complete permit application to ecology and satisfying all applicable public notice and State Environmental Policy Act requirements (WAC 173-226-200). Access to the application is available online at ecology.wa.gov/zjaponicapermit.

Ecology Contact: Shawn Ultican, Washington State Department of Ecology, Water Quality Program, P.O. Box 47696, Olympia, WA 98504-7696, phone 360-407-6283, email shawn.ultican@ecy.wa.gov.

ADA Accessibility: To request an ADA accommodation, contact Shawn Ultican at 360-407-6283 or email at shawn.ultican@ecy.wa.gov. You can also visit https://ecology.wa.gov/accessibility. For relay service or TTY call 711 or 877-833-6341.

Translation: To request this document in another language, please contact Shawn Ultican at 360-407-6283 and ask for an interpreter, or email shawn.ultican@ecy.wa.gov.

Your Right to Appeal: You have a right to appeal the final general permit and general permit coverage for a specific facility to the pollution control hearings board. The appeal process is governed by chapter 43.21B RCW and chapter 371-08 WAC.


•	Appeals of the general permit issuance must be filed within 30 days of issuance of the general permit. See the "Appeal of the General Permit" for more information at https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/SummaryPages/1710009.html.
•	Appeals of general permit coverage for a specific facility must be filed within 30 days of the receipt of the coverage letter. See the "Appeal of a General Permit Coverage" for more information at https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/SummaryPages/1710007.html.

If you have questions, contact Shawn Ultican, permit writer for the Zostera japonica management on commercial clam beds in Willapa Bay general permit, at shawn.ultican@ecy.wa.gov or 360-407-6283.