The Washington state department of ecology (ecology) proposes to revise and reissue the Puget Sound nutrient general permit, a national pollutant discharge elimination system and state waste discharge permit. The permit was issued in December 2021 and is scheduled to expire at the end of December 2026. In February 2025, the pollution control hearings board invalidated the Puget Sound nutrient general permit "insofar as it is mandatory" and remanded the permit back to ecology for further action. The draft permit, original fact sheet, and fact sheet amendment, explaining the legal and technical basis for the permit revision, are available for review and public comment from 9:00 a.m. on June 18, 2025, through 11:59 p.m. on July 25, 2025.

Purpose of the Permit: The voluntary Puget Sound nutrient general permit addresses excess nutrients from domestic wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) discharging to marine and estuarine water of the Salish Sea in Washington. There are 58 such WWTPs eligible for the permit. Facilities can voluntarily apply for coverage under the general permit to address nitrogen reduction. The permit focuses only on controlling nutrients and works in conjunction with facilities' existing individual permits.

Applying for Coverage Under the Permit: In April 2025, we sent a letter to permittees terminating coverage under the original permit issued in 2021. The draft revised permit offers voluntary coverage for facilities that want to continue under the general permit to address nitrogen reduction. Facilities may obtain permit coverage by submitting a complete permit application to ecology and satisfying all applicable public notice requirements (WAC 173-226-200). An application will be available at https://ecology.wa.gov/NutrientPermit.

Copies of the Draft Permit and Fact Sheet: The draft revised permit and fact sheet will be available online at https://ecology.wa.gov/NutrientPermit by noon on June 18, 2025. You may request hard copies from the water quality program by contacting Jackie Lince at jackie.lince@ecy.wa.gov or 360-407-6600.

Submitting Written Comments: Ecology invites written comments on the draft permit from 9:00 a.m. on June 18, 2025, through July 25, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. Written comments by mail must be postmarked by July 25, 2025.


•	Submit comments online at https://wq.ecology.commentinput.com?id=N4irG73c6 (preferred).
•	By United States mail (postmarked by July 25, 2025) to William Weaver, Washington Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47696, Olympia, WA 98504-7696.

Public Informational Presentations and Hearing: Ecology will host two public informational presentations to explain the draft general permit and to answer questions prior to the formal public hearing and the close of the public comment period. The hearing provides an opportunity for people to give formal oral testimony on the draft permit. Oral testimony will receive the same consideration as written comments submitted to ecology. The public hearing will begin immediately following the presentation and will conclude when public testimony is finished. The Puget Sound nutrient general permit informational presentations will occur online via Zoom on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., and on Monday, July 21, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. The public hearing will occur immediately following the presentation and Q&A session on Monday, July 21, 2025. Please visit our web page for more information at https://ecology.wa.gov/nutrientpermit.

After ecology receives and considers all public comments, we will make a final decision on permit issuance. Ecology expects to make a decision on the final general permit in September 2025.

ADA Accessibility: To request an ADA accommodation, contact ecology's water quality program, 360-407-6600, email william.weaver@ecy.wa.gov, or 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 ecology's water quality program, 360-407-6600, and ask for an interpreter or email William Weaver at william.weaver@ecy.wa.gov.