Public Workshops and Hearings to Accept Comments on the Aquatic Noxious Weed Control General Permit
The department of ecology (ecology) is proposing to issue a general permit to cover the control of aquatic noxious weeds in and around surface waters of the state. The draft permit and fact sheet are available for public comment. This permit, once issued, would replace and revoke the aquatic noxious weed control NPDES general permit that was issued on May 15, 2002, and expired on June 14, 2007. Ecology is proposing to issue the final permit soon after the comment period ends. The title of the revised permit is "aquatic noxious weed control national pollutant discharge elimination system and state waste discharge general permit."
The draft permit and fact sheet are available for review and public comment from October 3 to November 14, 2007. Ecology will host two informational workshops and public hearings on its proposed permit. Ecology encourages the public to give written comments during the public comment period or oral comments at the public hearings.
Purpose of the General Permit: The proposed general permit covers the discharge of products used to control noxious weeds to waters of Washington state. Under the Washington State Water Pollution Control Act, the discharge of pollutants which may alter the biological or chemical characteristics of a water body requires a permit. The proposed permit addresses these legal requirements and regulates the discharge of pollutants to protect surface water quality in Washington state.
Ecology issues a general permit in place of a series of individual permits when the permitted activities are similar. Individual activities that receive coverage under the general permit must comply with the terms and conditions of the permit.
What Would be Covered by the Permit? This general permit covers aquatic noxious weed control activities that discharge chemicals into and around surface waters of the state of Washington.
Requesting Copies of the Permit: You may request copies of the proposed permit and fact sheet by contacting Kelly McLain, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, phone (360) 407-6938, fax (360) 407-6426, e-mail kelm461@ecy.wa.gov.
You may also access the draft permit and fact sheet online at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/pesticides/index.html. Submitting Written and Oral Comments: Ecology will accept written and oral comments on the draft aquatic noxious weed control general permit and fact sheet. Comments should reference specific text when possible. Comments may address the following:
• | Technical issues, |
• | Accuracy and completeness of information, |
• | The scope of activities proposed for coverage, |
• | Adequacy of environmental protection and permit conditions, or |
• | Any other concern that would result from issuance of the new permit. |
Ecology must receive written, e-mailed and faxed comments no later than 5 p.m., Wednesday, November 14, 2007. Oral comments can be made by attending and testifying at the public hearings.
Public Workshops/Hearings: The workshops begin at the times listed below. The hearings will begin when the workshop ends. At the workshops, ecology will explain the general permit, what has changed from the previous permits, and answer questions. The purpose of the hearings is to provide an opportunity for people to give formal comments on the proposed permit.
The public workshops and hearings on the draft general permit are: Lacey: Monday, November 5, 2007, at 2 p.m., at the Ecology Headquarters Building, 300 Desmond Drive S.E., Lacey, WA 98503; and Spokane: Wednesday, November 7, 2007, at 2 p.m., at the Shadle Library, West 2111 Wellesley Avenue, Spokane, WA 99205.
Issuing the Final Aquatic Noxious Weed Control General Permit: Ecology will issue the final permit after it considers all public comments. Ecology expects to issue the general permit soon after the end of the public comment period. It will be effective thirty days later. When ecology issues the permit, we will send a response to everyone who commented.
If you have special accommodation needs or require a copy of the permit and fact sheet in an alternative format, please contact Kelly McLain at (360) 407-6938. If you are a person with a speech or hearing impairment, call 711 or 800-833-6388 for TTY.