Category Archives: Department of Ecology publications

PCB data portal link/Other announcements

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Hi Task Force,

The PCB data portal is live now and it allows interested individuals to examine more closely the collected PCB data from the Spokane River. Here is the direct link – http://spokaneriverpcbfree.org/about-pcbs/srrttf-pcb-data-portal/

Washington Department of Ecology’s Safer Products for WA program aims to reduce toxic chemicals in consumer products through rulemaking. The program is hosting webinars this spring and summer to share information and get feedback from stakeholders. The webinars will focus on specific product categories that the program may regulate. They are key opportunities for sharing your input to help the Safer Products for WA team make decisions about potential regulations. The June 1 webinar will focus on PCBs in paints from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. PST. If you’re interested, register to join their team on June 1 and subscribe to the Safer Products for WA email list for more webinar announcements to come.

The Education and Outreach work group is forming an ad hoc subcommittee to explore strategies in the upcoming 2021-2023 state biennium work plan for addressing Environmental Justice and PCBs. This is open to anyone who would like to participate. If you are interested please contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com and cupdegrove@landscouncil.org.

Thanks!

New date for Open House on PCB Variances/Upcoming SRRTTF mtgs.

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New date for the Spokane Open House on PCB Variances

After considerable thought, we have decided to reschedule the March 24 Spokane Open House and March 26 webinar on PCB Variances for April 8, 2020.  Thank you for your patience and understanding as we adapt to the evolving nature of the pandemic response.In consideration of public health and safety, we are offering two opportunities to attend as an online webinar only:

April 8 morning webinar
10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Register for the morning webinar
April 8 evening webinar
6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Register for the evening webinar

The purpose of this open house is to revisit general information about variances and background on PCBs from previous workshops. Our goal is to provide the public with information that will assist with the upcoming review of the draft rule. We expect to have draft rule language and supporting documents available for public comment in May 2020, at which time we will schedule public hearings.  

During the virtual open house, we will cover:

  • An overview of PCBs in the environment
  • The water quality standard for PCBs and how we measure it
  • What is a variance and how does it affect compliance with water quality standards
  • How we evaluated each individual discharger variance application
  • What to expect during the formal public comment period

View Informational posters

Our intent for holding the open houses is to provide transparent and easy to understand information on what a variance from the water quality standards means, and why we are considering PCB variances for the Spokane River.

If you have an opportunity, please view our informational posters in advance of the open house webinars (the link to our posters will be live by morning of Thursday, March 26). We are hoping to gather your questions prior to the webinar to make it easier for everyone to participate. Please email any questions about the Spokane River PCB Variances to swqs@ecy.wa.gov. We will address them during the Q & A portion and will allow time for additional questions that come up during the presentation.

Visit our rulemaking page or view our focus sheet to learn more about the proposed PCB Variances for the Spokane River.

If you have any questions, please contact Marla Koberstein, Rulemaking Lead, at swqs@ecy.wa.gov.

The Department of Ecology is committed to providing people with disabilities access to information and services by meeting or exceeding the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Washington State Policy #188.  To request an ADA accommodation, contact Ecology by phone at 360-407-6600 or email at swqs@ecy.wa.gov. For Washington Relay Service or TTY call 711 or 877-833-6341. Visit Ecology’s website for more information

Upcoming SRRTTF meetings:

PMF work group – March 30 zoom meeting at 11 am
TSCA work group – April 1 conf. call at 10 am (605-313-5141, 723394#)
Education and Outreach work group – April 14 skype meeting at 10 am
Task Force meeting – April 22 zoom meeting at 8:30 am

Contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com for more meeting information

Draft WA state report and webinar on priority consumer products

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Hi Task Force members,

Please see the link and webinar information below provided by the Department of Ecology and the Safer Products for Washington team on priority consumer products: (https://www.ezview.wa.gov/Portals/_1962/Documents/saferproducts/January_2020_Stakeholder_Email.pdf)

Dear Interested Parties,

The Safer Products for Washington team is hosting two webinars on February 19, 2020—at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pacific Time. Join us to learn how we are implementing 70.365 RCW and to have your questions answered.

Register for the webinar

We encourage you to register for the 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PST or the 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. PST presentation. We are offering two separate webinars with the same content in an effort to ensure the material is accessible across time zones and outside business hours.

What we’ll cover in the webinar

In partnership with Department of Health, we released a draft report on priority consumer products. During the webinar, we will provide an overview of the report and our rationale for proposing these products for further evaluation. We will also outline the timeline for our next steps.

Presentation materials

We will share the presentation slides with registered participants prior to the webinar. Find the slides, the list of attendees and the questions and answers on the Safer Products for Washington implementation site soon after the webinar.

Thank you for your engagement with Safer Products for Washington, Chapter 70.365 RCW. Please feel free to reach out to us with questions or to share information.

Safer Products for Washington team

Implementation program for RCW 70.365

SaferProductsWA@ecy.wa.gov

Draft QAPP addendum for Spokane River Screening Study

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The Department of Ecology has completed a draft Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) addendum and are looking for feedback from Task Force members. 

This draft addendum is for the plan, “Measuring PCBs in Biofilm, Sediment, and Invertebrates in the Spokane River: Screening Study.”  It describes follow-up sampling of biofilms on the Spokane River that is being planned for summer of 2019. 

Please click on the link below to access the addendum:
https://www.ezview.wa.gov/site/alias__1962/view_our_committees_spokane_river_technical_assistance_projects/37308/spokane_river_technical_assistance_projects.aspx

Task Force members and contracted technical review teams may provide comments to this draft until July 15, 2019. Please email comments to Siana Wong at swon461@ECY.WA.GOV

Riverkeeper withdrawal letter from SRRTTF/Upcoming Mtgs./Rulemaking announcement WAC 173-201A Variances

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Hi Task Force and other interested parties:

Here is a recent letter from Spokane Riverkeeper to the Department of Ecology regarding their withdrawal from the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force: 20190604_Riverkeeper_SRRTTF_Letter

Upcoming SRRTTF and work group meetings:
(Conference call in number: 605-313-5141, 723394#)
June 18 – Tech Track conf. call at 10 am
June 18 – Green Chemistry conf. call at 1 pm
June 26 – SRRTTF Task Force meeting – 8:30 am to 12 pm, Spokane County Water Resource Center
July 3 – TSCA conf. call at 10 am
July 8 – MOA ad hoc committee mtg. at 10:30 am at Spokane City Hall, Conference room 2B
July 9 – Education and Outreach meeting at 10 am at Spokane Regional Health District, room 350

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) is beginning a rulemaking to consider amending the Water Quality Standards for Surface Waters of the State of Washington, Chapter 173-201A Washington Administrative Code (WAC). Ecology is considering adopting one or more variances to the water quality standards that meet the requirements of WAC 173-201A-420 (Variance section), for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for the Spokane River, in water resource inventory area (WRIA) 57.

Ecology will consider amending sections of Chapter 173-201A WAC that address variances to the standards, including amendments to 173-201A-420 (Variance) and 173-201A-602 (Table 602-use designations for fresh waters by water resource inventory area), as well as any other sections that need to be amended to support adopting the above-noted variances.

More information on the rulemaking and links:

Comment on the scope of the EIS: http://ws.ecology.commentinput.com/?id=KTMcA

Contact:
Susan Braley
WA State Dept. of Ecology
Email: swqs@ecy.wa.gov
Phone: 360.407.6414

 

PMF Phase 1 Report comments due 5/17 – Ecology letter to EPA regarding WA water quality standards

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Hi Task Force members and interested parties,

As a reminder, the PMF phase 1 report comments are due to Mike Hermanson (mhermanson@spokanecounty.org) by next Friday, May 17.  Please also cc lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com.  Here is the report: PMF Blank Study draft final report_030419

Maia Bellon, the Director of Ecology recently sent a letter to EPA urging them not to reconsider Washington’s water quality standards for human health criteria.  The letter can be found here: 5-7-19 Director Bellon Letter to EPA Administrator Wheeler re HHC

Also, here is a research brief provided by Mike LaScoula from Spokane Regional Health District on the breakdown of PCBs to potentially harmful metabolites in humans: SRP_ResearchBrief_293_508

Thanks!

New Technical Reports and Upcoming Events

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The new Ecology report, Atmospheric Deposition of PCBs in the Spokane River Watershed, is available at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/1903003.html. It is also posted on the SRRTTF website under Department of Ecology publications. In 2016 and 2017, Ecology’s Environmental Assessment Program investigated atmospheric deposition of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Spokane area. If you have questions about this report, contact Brandee Era-Miller at 360-407-6771 or brandee.era-miller@ecy.wa.gov.

The final SRRTTF 2018 Technical Activities Report by LimnoTech (Dave Dilks) can be found on the SRRTTF website here:

Technical Consultant Activities – 2018 Spokane River Studies

SRRTTF_2018_TechnicalActivitiesReport_Final_03-27-2019
Appendix B _ Gravity 2018 Field Report
Appendix C _ QAPP_addendum5_072318
Appendix D – Lab results spreadsheets available upon request (lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com)

The Spokane River Forum is having a conference on April 16 and 17 at the Davenport hotel in Spokane. You can find more information on their website
Spokane River Forum Conference 2019 Some of the Task Force members are presenting during the conference.

The next SRRTTF meeting will be held Wednesday, April 24, 2019 from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm at Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District.

Upcoming SRRTTF work group meetings:
Education & Outreach – April 9 at 10 am at the Spokane Regional Health District, Room 402
TSCA – May 1 at 10 am (we have a new conf. call in number (605) 313-5141, 723394#)