Public Workshop and Hearing to Accept Comments on the Draft
Upland Fin-fish Hatching and Rearing NPDES General Permit
Notice of Reissuance of the Upland Fin-fish Hatching and
Rearing NPDES General Permit
The proposed permit implements the Federal Clean Water Act; the State Water Pollution Control Act; and chapter 173-221A WAC, Wastewater discharge standards and effluent limitations. Dischargers who require coverage under this permit include all state and private hatcheries that produce more than 20,000 pounds of fish per year or feed more than 5,000 pounds per month. The purpose of the permit is to control the discharge of pollutants from hatcheries into waters of the state. The permit contains best management practices and effluent limitations and monitoring requirements necessary to protect state water quality. Individual facilities that receive coverage under the general permit are required to comply with the terms and conditions of the permit. Currently, about eighty-six facilities are covered under the upland fin-fish hatching and rearing general permit.
Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments on the proposed permit and attend the public workshop and hearing described below. Written comments must be postmarked by April 1, 2005, to be considered.
Public Workshop/Hearing: A public workshop and hearing on the proposed reissuance of the upland fin-fish hatching and rearing permit will be held on Tuesday, March 22, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. The purpose of the workshop is to explain permit conditions, clarify permit changes, answer questions, and facilitate meaningful testimony during the hearing. Interested parties will be given an opportunity to give formal oral testimony and comment on the proposed general permit. The workshop and hearing will be held at the Washington State Department of Ecology, Room ROA-32/34/36, 300 Desmond Drive, Lacey, WA.
Driving directions: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/images/offices/map_hq_swro.pdf
The public workshop and hearing will begin at 7:00 p.m. and conclude as soon as public testimony is completed.
Requesting Copies of the Permit: Requests for copies of the proposed permit and fact sheet may be made by contacting Tricia Miller at (425) 649-7201 or Lori LeVander, (425) 649-7039, e-mail llev461@ecy.wa.gov, both at the Department of Ecology, NWRO, 3190 160th Avenue S.E., Bellevue, WA 98008-5452, fax (425) 649-7098. You can download copies from www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/.
Submitting Written and Oral Comments: Ecology will accept written and oral comments on the draft upland fin-fish hatching and rearing general permit and fact sheet. Comments should reference specific text when possible. Submit written comments to Lori LeVander, Department of Ecology, NWRO, 3190 160th Avenue S.E., Bellevue, WA 98008-5452.
Written comments must be postmarked no later than midnight, Friday, April 1, 2005. Oral comments can be made by attending and testifying at the public hearing.
Issuing the Final Upland Fin-fish Hatching and Rearing General Permit: A final determination to reissue the permit will be made after ecology receives and considers all public testimony and comments received pursuant to this notice. Ecology expects to issue the final general permit on April 20, 2005, with an effective date of June 1, 2005. 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.
Ecology is an equal opportunity agency. If you have special accommodation needs or require a copy of the permit and fact sheet in an alternative format, please contact Lori LeVander at (425) 649-7039. If you are a person with a speech or hearing impairment, call 711 or 1-800-833-6388 for TTY.