Upland Fin-Fish Hatching and Rearing General NPDES Permit Draft available or review and comment

The Upland Fin-Fish Hatching and Rearing General Permit (Hatchery Permit) is now available for review and comment.  The public notice can be viewed here.  To review the permit and for information on public hearings and comment period please go to the Department of Ecology website.

The Task Force will be putting together a response to the Draft permit over the next few weeks. If you have any comments/suggestions that you would like included in the response letter, please send them to Kara Whitman (kmwhitman@wsu.edu) as soon as possible.

Environmental Assessment Program: PCBs in Carp from Lake Spokane, Draft Report available for review

The Environmental Assessment Program has just released its draft report on “PCBs in Carp from Lake Spokane”, and is available for review. Please review and send comments to Brandee Era-Miller at BERA461@ecy.wa.gov no later than July 14th, 2015.

Documents:
–  DRAFT Report:  PCBs in Carp from Lake Spokane”
  Congener Data for Appendix

 

Message from Ecology’s Water Quality Program Manager

Gov. Jay Inslee has given a directive to the Department of Ecology related to our work to update the Water Quality Standards for toxics (also known as the Human Health Criteria, or fish consumption rule making).

For your convenience, here is a link to the Governor’s directive.

And, here is a link to view the press conference he held July 9.

Ecology will follow the Governor’s directive to build the best possible draft rule and we want to let you know our next anticipated steps.

As we follow the Governor’s directive, we will continue to engage with all interests. We will schedule a public meeting in the near future to provide details about our approach and path forward.

Rest assured, there will be a lot of public process ahead and we welcome – and need – your participation. We will do our best to keep you informed along the way.

You can follow this work online at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/water/standards/index.html

Or if you haven’t already, sign up to receive our email updates at: http://listserv.wa.gov/cgi-bin/wa?A0=ECOLOGY-WATER-QUALITY-INFO

Heather Bartlett
Water Quality Program Manager
Department of Ecology
PO Box 47696
Olympia WA 98504-7696
Phone (360) 407-6405

April 23, 2014 Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force Meeting

Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force Meeting Announcement

Date: April 23, 2014
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Location: Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District Office
22510 E. Mission Avenue
Liberty Lake, WA 99019
Click here for a map

Call In Number: 800-704-9804 Participant Code: 34863442#

Meeting Documents
– 
SRRTTF Meeting Summary 4-23-14
– 
SRRTTF April 23 2014 DRAFT Agenda (revised 4-17-14)
– 
QAPP Draft 4-13-14
– 
SAP Draft 4-14-14
 QAPP summarized comments 04142014 version
–  DRAFT SRRTTF Consultant RFQ
– 
LimnoTech Confidence Testing Memo 4-7-14
– 
Potential CEREO Research Topics
– 
PCB Product Sample List Draft 4-16-14
– 
Lab Bid Comparisons 4-16-14
– 
SRRTTF RFP Timeline DRAFT 4-1-14
– 
SRSP Request for Products Testing 4-17-2014
Presentations

Spokane River Water Toxics Monitoring 2012-2013
Spokane River Fish Toxics Monitoring 2012
City of Spokane Integrated Plan PPT 4-22-14
Additional Information
2012 Fish Data Excel Spreadsheet

August 28, 2013 Spokane River Regional Task Force Meeting

Spokane River Regional Task Force Meeting Announcement

Date: August 28, 2013
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Location: Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District Office
22510 E. Mission Avenue
Liberty Lake, WA 99019
Click here for a map

Call In Number: 800-704-9804
Participant Code: 34863442#

Please note, the conference call in number will remain open until 15 minutes until after the meeting begins. It will continue to remain open as long as there are callers on the line. If you wish to join the meeting by phone late, please notify Adriane Borgias (abor461@ecy.wa.gov) ahead of time.

Meeting Documents
–  SRRTTF Meeting Summary 8-28-13
–  SRRTTF Meeting Agenda DRAFT 8-28-13
–  LimnoTech Task 4: Data Acquisition Contact Log (revised 8-12-13)
–  Limno Tech Task 5: Data Review Memo (revised 8-15-13)
–  EPA TSCA Compliance Letter DRAFT (r2)
–  EPA TSCA Compliance (r2) WORD VERSION
–  SR Basin Toxics Sampling & Research Interest Inquiry DRAFT
–  SR Basin Toxics Sampling & Research Interest Inquiry FINAL
–  SRRTTF Proposed Agenda Topics Aug-Dec 2013 (8-28-13)
–  NCASI WCRM 2013 podcast invitation memo
–  SRRTTF EPA Small Business Advisory Committee Letter of Support: Eichstaedt
–  SRRTTF EPA Small Business Advisory Committee Letter of Support: Krapas
–  Draft NPDES Permits for Idaho Dischargers on the Spokane River – letter to EPA

Link to Technical Consultant Status Page with Final Work Products

Presentations
  EPA Columbia River Toxics Reduction Strategy
–  2013 Spokane River Sediment & Fish Sampling Update (REVISED)

Ecology’s Spokane River Toxics Monitoring FY2013

Click on the links below to access the Quality Assurance Project Plans for the FY2013 Spokane River Toxics Monitoring Activities.

Comments are requested on the DRAFT QAPP only by November 21, 2012. Submit comments to Brandee Era-Miller: BERA461@ECY.WA.GOV

DRAFT 10-28-2012 Quality Assurance Project Plan: Spokane River Toxics Fish Tissue and Preliminary Monitoring in Fiscal Year 2013 – In Support of the Long-term Toxics Monitoring Strategy. [Note: The Quality Assurance Project Plan was finalized January, 2013 and can be viewed at: https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/1303103.html. To access the draft document as posted on 11/8/2012, contact us.]

The following QAPP was prepared and approved in 2002 and provided for reference. No comments requested on this document.

Quality Assurance Project Plan: Washington State Toxics Monitoring Program, Exploratory Monitoring of Toxic Contaminants in Edible Fish Tissue and Freshwater Environments of Washington State

September 26, 2012 Spokane River Regional Task Force Meeting

Spokane River Regional Task Force Meeting Announcement

Date: September 26, 2012
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Location: Washington Department of Ecology
N. 4601 Monroe St.
Spokane, WA 99205
Click here for a map.

Call In Number: 800-704-9804;
Participant Code: 34863442#

Please note, the conference call in number will remain open until 15 minutes until after the meeting begins. It will continue to remain open as long as there are callers on the line. If you wish to join the meeting by phone late, please notify Adriane Borgias (abor461@ecy.wa.gov) ahead of time.

Meeting Documents
– 
SRRTTF Meeting Summary 9-26-12
– 
SRRTTF Meeting Summary 9-26-12 Appendix A (Resources Responses)
– 
SRRTTF Draft Agenda 9-26-12
  Request for Qualifications R1 DRAFT 9-19-12
  RFQ Attachment A R1 DRAFT 9-19-12
  SRRTTF Work Plan DRAFT 9-19-12 (pdf version)
– 
SRRTTF Work Plan DRAFT 9-19-12 (word version)
  SRRTTF Letterhead DRAFT 9-19-12
  ECOS Resolution 12-9 PCBs in products – Approved 8-28-12
–  PCBs in Products Resolution Draft 09-18-2012
  NACWA TSCA Letter of Support DRAFT 9-26-12
  WEF TSCA Letter of Support DRAFT 9-26-12
– 
Spokane FY13 Toxics Sampling Summary for SRRTTF TWG 9-7-12

September 5, 2012 Technical Track Work Group Meeting

Spokane River Regional Task Force

Technical Track Work Group Meeting
Date: September 5, 2012
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 pm

Location: Washington Department of Ecology
N. 4601 Monroe St.
Spokane, WA 99205
Click here for a map.

Meeting Documents
–   SRRTTF Technical Track Work Group Meeting Notes
–   SRRTTF Work Plan DRAFT 9-4-12
   SRRTTF Technical Track Work Group Meeting Draft Agenda
– 
 Request for Qualifications – Discussion DRAFT
– 
 Attachment B: Evaluation Criteria and Weighting – Discussion DRAFT
–  
Spokane Riverkeeper and Lands Council letter to Ecology about Toxics Sampling
– 
  Report: Human Health Water Quality Criteria for PCBs – Fikslin (2005)

Ecology to Host Fish Consumption Workshops August 28, 2012

Subject: Department of Ecology hosts workshop Aug. 28 on revised approach for Reducing Toxics In Fish, Shellfish, Sediment, and Water

On July 16, 2012, Department of Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant announced a revised approach for updating the state’s fish consumption rates for water quality and cleaning up contaminated sediments.  View Director Sturdevant’s letter and a timeline for Ecology’s work here: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/toxics/docs/20120716_FCR_SturdevantLetter.pdf.

Ecology invites interested parties to attend a video conference workshop from 1 – 5 p.m., on Tuesday, August 28, 2012, at Ecology’s regional offices in Lacey,  Bellevue, Yakima and Spokane.  The workshop will provide an in-depth explanation of Ecology’s current approach.

 Workshop topics include updates on:

  • Ecology’s toxic reduction strategy.
  • Toxic Cleanup Program’s sediment management standards rule making.
  • Ecology’s fish consumption rate technical document.
  • Water Quality Program’s water quality standards rule makings.

As part of this revised approach, Ecology’s Water Quality Program intends to move forward with adopting new human health criteria for surface water quality.   An informational session on human health criteria will be included in the workshop.

Seating is limited.  Please RSVP at swqs@ecy.wa.gov

Learn about future public involvement opportunities and read more about the process ahead at:

Reducing Toxics in Fish, Sediments and Water: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/toxics/fish.html

Workshop Information:
Date: August 28, 2012
Time: 1 -5 p.m.

Eastern Regional Office
Room: 1-NW-18
N. 4601 Monroe
Spokane, WA 99205-1295

(Directions)

Headquarters Office
Room: R0A-32/34/36
300 Desmond Drive SE
Lacey, WA 98503

(Directions)

Central Regional Office
Room: 204 A
15 W. Yakima Ave., Ste 200
Yakima, WA  98902

(Directions)                                              
Northwest Regional Office
Room: 2A&B
3190 – 160th Ave. SE
Bellevue, WA 98008-5452

(Directions)

Sandy Howard
Communications – Washington Department of Ecology
Water Quality Program – Environmental Assessment Program
360-407-6408 (desk) ~ 360-791-3177 (cell)

Open Letter from Ecology Regarding Fish Consumption

Ted Sturdevant, director of the Washington Department of Ecology, has announced a revised approach for updating the state’s fish consumption rates for water quality and cleaning up contaminated sediments. To view his letter and a timeline for Ecology’s work, see http://www.ecy.wa.gov/toxics/docs/20120716_FCR_SturdevantLetter.pdf.

Link to the letter on the SRRTTF website: Ted Sturdevant Letter About Fish Consumption Rulemaking, July 16, 2012

Please bookmark the following website for the most current information about this topic:   www.ecy.wa.gov/toxics/fish.html