Please review and provide feedback/comments on the DRAFT Report “Assessment of Low-Level Sampling Methods for PCBs and PBDEs in Surface Waters and the associated appendix. Comments are to be directed to Will Hobbs (whob461@ecy.wa.gov) by Friday, July 13th, 2018.
Update: The due date for comments has been extended to July 31, 2018.
DRAFT Low-Level report 5-30-18 (1)
Appendix Low-Level Report Tables 5-18-18 (1)
Task Force,
Please review the Ecology Draft Report on “PBT Chemical Trends Determined from Age Dated Lake Sediment Cores, 2016 Results”. Please send comments to Callie Mathieu (callie.mathieu@ecy.wa.gov) no later than June 30, 2018.
Thank you!
Please review the PCB Demolition Remodeling Manual drafted by the Spokane Regional Health District. Please provide edits/comments/suggestions to Mike LaScuola (mlascuola@srhd.org) by Friday June 8th.
The next meeting of the SRRTTF Education and Outreach Work group is:
Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Conference call-in number is (509) 335-2277.
Participant Code is 36812362
Agenda: Education and Outreach Agenda 5-30-18
Meeting Summary: Education and Outreach Meeting Summary 5-30-18
Any Contractor employed by the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force (SRRTTF) may take on other professional assignments during the course of the contract period provided: 1) the Contractor provides the SRRTTF through its Administrative and Contracting Entity (ACE) with a description of the proposed scope of services and 2) the Contractor receives written notice from ACE confirming that the SRRTTF has determined that the assignment is not a conflict of interest with the work under the contract agreement.
Dr. Dilks has been asked to serve as a consultant and potential expert witness representing the City of Spokane in their PCB lawsuit against Monsanto. His role will be to assist the City’s attorneys by providing information on issues relevant to the City’s lawsuit, such as the sources and pathways of PCBs in the Spokane River.
This notice is being posted on the SRRTTF website and begins a 5-business day reply period. Any response or concern about potential Conflict of Interest should be provided via email to Bud Leber, ACE President, and the SRRTTF Website Contact point, no later than noon, Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018.
The report, Evaluation of Fish Hatcheries as Sources of PCBs to the Spokane River, is now available at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/1803014.html
Sections of the Spokane River, Little Spokane River, and Lake Spokane are currently listed as impaired for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. To address the problem, the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force has been working with local entities to determine PCB sources and implement strategies to reduce PCBs in the system. One of the data gaps identified was the contribution of fish hatcheries to PCBs in the Spokane River via wastewater discharges and fish stocking. Previous studies have shown that hatchery fish can contain PCBs.
The Department of Ecology undertook a screening-level study to evaluate hatchery contributions of PCBs to the Spokane River. The primary study objectives were to (1) characterize PCB concentrations in hatchery discharges and hatchery-raised rainbow trout and (2) estimate PCB loads from hatchery operations to the Spokane River. In 2016, we sampled discharges from the Spokane Hatchery and collected fish from the two hatcheries that stock trout to the river (Spokane Hatchery and a private hatchery in the town of Soap Lake). Water, whole fish tissue, fish feed, and sediment samples were analyzed for the 209 PCB congeners.
PCBs were detected in all samples. PCB concentrations in hatchery discharges ranged from 147–219 pg/L. In feed samples, PCB concentrations ranged from 3.9–31.5 ug/kg. PCB concentrations in fish caught from Lake Spokane four months after their release were higher (20.5–28.7 ug/kg) than in pre-released fish (4.0–11.3 ug/kg), suggesting that most of the PCB body burden in post-released fish was accumulated after being released into the environment. The mean PCB load from hatchery operations was estimated to be 7.8 mg/day, most of which was represented by discharges from the Spokane Hatchery.
If you have questions, contact Siana Wong at 360-407-6432 or swon461@ecy.wa.gov.
The next meeting of the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force is:
Date: Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The Task Force will hold a conference call, as part of the TSCA Work Group meeting scheduled for May 3, 2018 to approve an issues letter to EPA Region 10 Administrator, Chris Hladick. The letter was drafted and vetted with some members of the TSCA work. In order to get the letter approved, at least 7 Voting members of the Task Force must be on the call to reach a quorum. The decision part of the call will be the first agenda item, and should be fairly brief. A cc list for the letter will also be developed during the meeting.
Please do not send editorial comments on the letter. If you can live with the letter as is, that is great. If you cannot live with the letter as it stands, please provide your comments with specific wording changes to Lisa Dally Wilson (lisadallywilson@gmail.com) no later than 5 pm on Monday April 30th, 2018.
Meeting Details:
The agenda for the meeting will be as follows:
1. Review and approve the draft “Issues” Letter to EPA Region 10 Administrator Chris Hladick (attached). Voting members of the SRRTTF will be on the call at this time to approve the letter for submittal (minimum of 7 voting members required for a quorum). Voting members that are not participants of the TSCA workgroup will be excused after completion of the vote.
2. Review and approve the draft letter to Governmental Organizations regarding “Adoption of Alternatives to PCB-containing Road Striping Paints” (attached). The TSCA Workgroup members will be approving this letter for posting to the SRRTTF Advisory Committee for their final approval at the May 23rd meeting.
3. Review and status update of the Action Items from the “2018 Plan of Activities Meeting Summary” (attached) from our prior meeting held on April 4th.
The next meeting of the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force is:
PCBs
Auto Repair:
Dear Potential Supplier:
Please find attached the information packet and Request for Qualifications and Proposal for Support Services for the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force (SRRTTF or Task Force). The SRRTTF or Task Force was formed for the purpose of developing a Comprehensive Plan for achieving the applicable water quality standards for PCB in the Spokane River. In December 2016, the Comprehensive Plan was completed and the Task Force is now transitioning from planning to implementation of activities identified in its Comprehensive Plan. As the Task Force makes this transition, it is in need of support services in the form of project implementation support, facilitation of full Task Force meetings and administrative support.
The attached packet below outlines the services needed, the information to be provided for your submittal and the process for the selection of the provider of these services. Submittals for bidding on this project are to be sent electronically to the Task Force’s current facilitator. From there the submittal will be forwarded to the Task Force for its consideration.
The contact information for the Task Force’s facilitator is as follows:
| Chris Page William D. Ruckelshaus Center 901 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2900 Seattle, WA 98164 (206) 770-6060 c.page@wsu.edu |
The requested information is to be provided electronically to Chris at the e-mail addresses provided above by 5:00 PM PDST on June 1, 2018 (deadline has been extended). In addition, if you intend to potentially bid on this work, please notify Chris as soon as possible so that if there are any additional materials or information developed relative to this Request before May 11th, you can be advised. The Task Force plans to conduct interviews and select a support services provider at either its May 23rd or June 27th meeting depending on the responses received. The Task Force reserves the right to appoint a service provider without interview. Contracts for the Task Force are administered through its Administrative and Contracting Entity (ACE), a non-profit corporation. For any questions related to commercial terms or scope, please contact ACE’s President Bud Leber at bud.leber@kaisertwd.com. He will work to obtain answers to any questions raised and provide the same information to other interested potential service providers.
Sincerely,
The Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force