The next meeting of the TTWG will be held on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 from 8:00 am – 10:00 am. Please contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com for the Zoom meeting link. Please review the scopes below and be ready to discuss at the meeting.
Meeting Documents:
TTWG_agenda 3-15-2023_d3
GE_GSI_ConceptualScope_0303_2023
MissionReach_GSI_ConceptualScope_03032023
Please consider joining the EPA for a conversation on development of the Spokane River PCBs TMDL. This webinar will start with a ~30 minute presentation on progress to date and next steps, then transition to an hour of discussion on challenges and opportunities related to the project.
The EPA is committed to robust and meaningful public engagement in our work, so please feel free to forward this meeting invitation. We look forward to answering questions, addressing concerns, and collaboratively identifying solutions to PCB impairments in the Spokane River. This webinar is the first in a series that will occur roughly every three months through completion of the project in 2024, so there will be multiple future opportunities to participate in the dialog if you cannot make this session.
Thanks,
Gunnar Johnson, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
Washington State TMDL Coordinator │Watersheds Section
Standards, Assessment & Watershed Management Branch │ Water Division
Region 10 │ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
johnson.gunnar@epa.gov │206.553.2114
1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 155 (19-A02), Seattle, WA, 98101
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The ACE Board will be holding a meeting on March 3, 2023 from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. Please contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com for the Teams meeting link. Here is the agenda:
Hi Task Force,
Please see below for a recap of the last Task Force meeting, including notes on the options for the Task Force future, along with other information items:
SRRTTF DRAFT Meeting Summary February 22, 2023
SRRTTF Measurable Progress Report link:
https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/SummaryPages/2310004.html
Publication with information regarding PCBs in building materials link: https://indd.adobe.com/view/b67f4d6f-5438-42c2-84f7-0c3631a18cb5?startpage=8&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
MTCA Cleanup Regulations Practitioners:
The Department of Ecology (Ecology) proposes to amend Chapter 173-340 WAC, the Model Toxics Control Act Cleanup Regulations. The proposal is authorized by and implements Chapter 70A.305 RCW, the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), and Chapter 70A.355 RCW, the Underground Storage Tank law. Ecology filed the rule proposal on February 15, 2023. The proposal is currently available for review and comment by the public. Ecology will hold two public hearings on the proposal via webinar on March 23 and March 27, 2023. The comment period on the proposal closes April 16, 2023.
As part of the rulemaking, Ecology is proposing to replace the current site hazard assessment and ranking process specified in the rule (WARM) with an improved process developed outside the rule (SHARP). The new SHARP will be subject to functional requirements, performance standards, and public participation requirements in the proposed rule. On March 1, 2023, Ecology plans to provide the public with notice and a concurrent opportunity to review and comment on the proposed SHARP Tool. The comment period on the SHARP Tool will also close on April 16, 2023.
What is the purpose of the rulemaking?
The purpose of the rulemaking is to:
Who may be impacted?
The rule proposal may impact persons who:
What documents are available for your review?
The following documents are available for your review and comment:
Additional documents are available to aid your review of the proposed rule amendments.To download these documents, visit our rulemaking website. If you would prefer to review hard copies of any of these documents, contact Clint Stanovsky, Cleanup Rulemaking Lead, at 360-742-9703 or MTCARule@ecy.wa.gov.
How can I provide comments?
The comment period on the rule proposal ends April 16, 2023. You can submit comments through one of the following ways:
Submit comments online
Mail comments to:
Sarah Wollwage
Department of Ecology
P.O. Box 47600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600
Attend a public hearing – see below
Please note that any information (e.g., personal or contact) you provide in a comment or in an attachment may be publicly disclosed and posted on the internet.
How can I attend a public hearing?
Ecology will hold two public hearings on this rule proposal via webinar. Webinars are an online meeting you can attend from any computer, tablet, or smartphone using internet access. The hearings will begin with a short presentation and question and answer session, followed by the opportunity to provide testimony.
For assistance with disabilities, please contact Ecology by March 16, 2023. See accessibility contact information below.
| Date | Time | How to Join |
| Thursday, March 23, 2023 | 10:00 a.m. | Webinar hearing via Zoom Join March 23 webinar online Join by phone (audio only): Call toll free 253-215-8782 and enter meeting ID 856 6571 0963. |
| Monday, March 27, 2023 | 5:00 p.m. | Webinar hearing via Zoom Join March 27 webinar online Join by phone (audio only): Call toll free 253-215-8782 and enter meeting ID 871 1342 5365. |
Ecology’s response to your comments
All of the comments we receive will become part of the official record. We will publish responses to comments in a Concise Explanatory Statement (CES), which required by the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 34.05 RCW. The CES will be available after the rule is adopted.
When does Ecology plan to adopt the rule? What is the anticipated effective date of the rule?
Ecology intends to adopt the rule amendments in August 2023. The anticipated effective date is January 1, 2024.
Where can I find more information about the rulemaking?
For more information about the rulemaking, visit our rulemaking website. If you have any questions about the rulemaking, contact Clint Stanovsky, Cleanup Rulemaking Lead, at 360-742-9703 or MTCARule@ecy.wa.gov.
How do I request ADA accommodation for disabilities?
To request ADA accommodation for disabilities, or printed materials in a format for the visually impaired, contact Ecology’s ADA Coordinator by email at ecyadacoordinator@ecy.wa.gov, or call 360-407-6831. People with impaired hearing may call Washington Relay Service at 711. People with speech disability may call TTY at 877-833-6341.
Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Location: Spokane County Water Resource Center (1004 N. Freya St., Spokane, WA)
Zoom meeting link: Please email lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com for more information and to join via Zoom if you cannot attend in person. We are hoping members will attend in person if possible due to the nature of the discussion regarding the Task Force future.
Meeting Documents:
0- SRRTTF agenda_2_22_23
SRRTTF Meeting Summary January 25, 2023
2a – 2023-01-31 ACE Commitment Report
2b – ACE monthly summary
3 – Task Force WGs Feb. 22 2023 – PPT Update template
4 – WaterColumnTrend_HighFlow_Scope_01092023draft
5a – Action to Recommend Ending Task Force 2023_02_15 – Updated
5b – SRRTTF – MOAFinal – 1_23_12
5c – SRRTTF-Nonprofit-Entity-Bylaws—3-5-2013 Final
6 – Future Meeting Topics February
We propose removing this site from the Hazardous Sites List because the site has been cleaned up. We invite your comment on the proposal.
The Hazardous Sites List includes all contaminated sites that have had their hazard ranked relative to other known contaminated sites in Washington. Sites are ranked on a scale of one to five, with one presenting the highest risk. This site, located at 1411 E. Mission Avenue in Spokane, was ranked a five, due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum in soil and groundwater.
Some contaminated soil was excavated and taken to a landfill. The rest that couldn’t be removed without damaging buildings or utilities was capped with a protective liner, and a drainage system was installed to direct rain and snowmelt away. An environmental covenant was filed to document the remaining soil contamination. Avista sampled five groundwater monitoring wells quarterly from 2019 to 2021, and all samples met water quality standards.
A site may be removed from the Hazardous Sites List only if the site is cleaned up to the standards set in Washington’s cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act. In some cases, long-term monitoring and periodic reviews may be required to ensure the cleanup is adequate to protect the public and the environment. We hold a public comment period for any site we propose to remove from this list.
Ted Uecker
4601 N. Monroe St.
Spokane, WA 99205
Ted Uecker Site Manager
ted.uecker@ecy.wa.gov
509-342-5564
Hello Spokane County nonprofits,
I’m writing because I manage a grant fund for the Washington Department of Ecology that is gearing up to launch a request for applications. Nonprofit organizations like yours are invited to apply for up to $60,000 a year for two years. New applicants are a priority for this funding, and I hope applicants from the Spokane area will apply.
These Public Participation Grants fund a variety of environmental projects that:
I will be in Spokane from February 14th – 16th and welcome the opportunity to meet together. I will present on this and two other waste management opportunities and share general grant writing strategies. The meeting can be a two-way conversation, meaning that I want to learn about your organization’s mission and current projects and explore whether you might apply for a Public Participation Grant. Please email to let me know if you can come to either of the following events:
Tuesday, February 14th
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Location: Ecology’s Eastern Regional Office
Address: 4601 N. Monroe St. Spokane, WA 99205-1295
Parking is available
Thursday, February 16th
Time: 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Location: Spokane Central Library
Address: 906 W. MAIN AVE, Classroom B
If these times do not work for you, I will also hold webinars in a few weeks. Please find the application announcement attached and please don’t hesitate to ask any questions or forward this invitation to other nonprofits and community environmentalists in your network.
With warm regards,
Faith Wimberley (she/her)
Public Participation Grant Manager
Washington State Department of Ecology
425-275-7285
The next meeting of the TTWG will be held on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Please contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com for the Zoom meeting link.
Meeting Documents:
TTWG_agenda 2-14-2023
TTWG presentation_02142023
TTWG_Meeting summary 1-17-23_d1
Hi Task Force members and interested parties,
In follow up to the Wednesday Task Force meeting, we are providing some documents in preparation for the next Task Force meeting on February 22: This includes the original MOA, ACE Bylaws and an updated statement of action for Task Force members to consider.
We hope to determine at the February meeting where each member organization is in deciding if and when to sunset the Task Force.
Additional February meeting documents will be added on February 15.
Action to Recommend Ending Task Force 2023_01_27 – Updated
SRRTTF-MOA-Final-1-23-2012
SRRTTF-Nonprofit-Entity-Bylaws—3-5-2013 Final
Hi Task Force,
We were just made aware of this symposium and that representatives from the basin will be participating in it.
It is a cross-program symposium focusing on sharing information on programs, projects, and best practices to help improve the cleanup and management of PCBs. Representatives from the Puget Sound, Chesapeake Bay, Spokane River, Delaware River, Great Lakes, and New Bedford Harbor will provide background and insights on PCB management in their regions. The main goal is to provide an opportunity to learn how to collectively reduce the levels and effects of PCBs in the environment.
Adriane Borgias (Ecology) and Dave Dilks (Technical consultant to the Task Force) will be speaking on January 24 about the Spokane River. Here is more information and the agenda below along with a registration link:
Cross-Program-Contaminant-Group-Program-Description-2022.11.29
Registration: https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIldOCtqjsvE9CPT-Vizt38tt6FUn7kT3NJ
Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Location: Spokane County Water Resource Center (1004 N. Freya St., Spokane, WA)
Zoom meeting link: Please email lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com for more information and to join via Zoom if you cannot attend in person.
Meeting Documents:
0- SRRTTF agenda_1_25_23
1 – SRRTTF November 30, 2022 meeting summary
2a – 2022-12-31 ACE Commitment Report
2b – ACE Monthly Summary December
3 – Task Force WGs Jan. 25 2023 – PPT Update template
4a – Develop Approach to Petitioning change in TSCA Regs_for publishing 11-30-22
4b – 12.23.22 – AKWA-DC SRRTTF Proposal
4c – 1-6-23 SRRTF Proposal Addendum
4d – Ephraim Froehlich Resume
5 – Action to Recommend Ending Task Force 2023_01
6a – Ruckelshaus Assessment-Jan’23SRRTTF Meeting
6b – RuckelshausCenterSituationAssessmentReportonCapitolLakeManagement example
7 – SRRTTF.SRF.Request
8a – SRRTTF_DraftScopes_01172023
8 – WaterColumnTrend_HighFlow_Scope_01092023draft
9 – Scope of Work for Additional Groundwater Flow Direction Evaluations_Dec19_2022_DRAFT
10 – Future Meeting Topics January