Category Archives: Announcement

Ecology News: Draft Rulemaking Chapter 173-350 WAC Solid Waste Handling Standards

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Draft Rulemaking Chapter 173-350 WAC  Solid Waste Handling Standards

 

Comments on the draft rulemaking from Jeff Donovan: Cochran vs Sediment-Soil Standards (3); From Jeff Donovan_solid waste rule

Here is the timeline for involvement:  http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/rules/wac173350/1308time.html

Comments are due September 6, 2016.

Of particular interest are the soil and sediment standards:  http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/rules/pdf/Ch173350focus235995.pdf

And Appendix I in 173-350-995.

A copy of the marked up rule can be found at  http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/rules/pdf/Ch173350PrelimDraftPub.pdf)

 

Comprehensive Plan Memo Draft available: Cost/Effectiveness of PCB Control Actions for the Spokane River and Appendix B: Fact Sheets

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The Comprehensive Plan Memo Draft title  “Cost/Effectiveness of PCB Control Actions for the Spokane River” and its association and “Appendix B”: Fact Sheets is available for Task Force review. Please send comments/edits to Dave Dilks (ddilks@limno.com).

All Comprehensive Plan documents and comments/edits received are posted here.

NPDES general permit for federal aquaculture facilities and aquaculture facilities in Indian Country within the boundaries of the state of Washington

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 EPA has reissued the NPDES general permit for federal aquaculture facilities and aquaculture facilities in Indian Country within the boundaries of the state of Washington.  The final permit, response to comments, and other supporting materials are available on EPA’s website at: https://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/water.nsf/npdes+permits/general+npdes+permits#fedaqua

SRRTTF 2015 Sampling Draft Report and Databases available for Task Force Review

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The draft report on 2015 SRRTTF technical activities, along with the individual laboratory data spreadsheets that comprise Appendix D are now available for Task Force Review. All study documents and data spreadsheets are posted on the Task Force website at http://srrttf.org/?page_id=5061 .  The only thing missing is the Gravity field report, which will be posted as soon as it is available.

Please send comments/edits on the draft report to Dave Dilks (ddilks@limno.com) by July 20th, 2016.

July 6, 2016 Technical Track Work Group Meeting

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The next meeting of the SRRTTF Technical Track Work group is:

Date: Wednesday July 6, 2016
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 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#

Meeting Documents:
– SRRTTF TTWG 07-06-16 summary notes DRAFT
–  Tech Track WG agn 07-06-16_draft_revised
–  SRRTTF 07 27 16 Agenda draft06-29-16
–  LimnoTech Pres PDF , SRRTTF_LimnoTech_07_06_2016 (PowerPoint)

–  Comprehensive Planning Memos: ( “Cost/Effectiveness of PCB Control Actions for the Spokane River” memo and appendix)

 

Ecology News: Quality Assurance Project Plan: Spokane River Atmospheric Deposition Study for PCBs

Aside

Quality Assurance Project Plan:  Spokane River Atmospheric Deposition Study for PCBs is now at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/1603112.html .

There is currently a data gap for the atmospheric deposition of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and toxics in general, in eastern Washington.  The only studies that exist for the atmospheric deposition of PCBs in Washington State come from the Puget Sound region.Filling this data gap is an important first step in determining the significance of the role that PCBs in atmospheric deposition play as a source of PCBs to the Spokane River watershed and ultimately to concentrations found in the Spokane River.This study will measure seasonal PCB concentrations and flux in dry deposition and bulk (wet + dry) deposition in the Spokane River watershed.  Dry deposition will be measured by analyzing PM10 (particulate matter ≤ 10 microns) from a high volume sampler located in an urban area of Spokane.  Bulk deposition will be collected with passive samplers at two urban locations and at a regional background location.  Samples will be analyzed with high resolution method EPA 1668c for PCB congeners.  Sampling will commence in early 2016 with quarterly collection periods over the course of one year (through early 2017).

Secondary objectives to be addressed by this study include:

  • Determine if the Spokane Waste to Energy facility is a potential source of PCBs to atmospheric deposition by modeling PCB emission data using AERMOD, a plume dispersion model.
  • Provide data for estimating the contribution of PCBs in bulk atmospheric deposition to stormwater in Spokane’s Cochran stormwater basin.  The City of Spokane will be collecting PCBs in stormwater from the Cochran basin starting in spring of 2016.

If you have questions, please contact Brandee Era-Miller at 360-407-6771 or at bera461@ecy.wa.gov.

Open House Thursday, June 30th at 6:00 pm for start of public comment period on Spokane River Discharge Permits

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Ecology will hold an open house beginning at 6:00 pm on June 30 to share information and answer questions about draft discharge permits for Kaiser Aluminum, City of Spokane, and Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District.

Where:  Department of Ecology
Eastern Regional office
4601 N Monroe Street
Spokane, WA 99205

On June 30th, the draft permits and fact sheets will be available for viewing at the Department of Ecology website at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/wqreports/public/f?p=publicparis.

The open house kicks off the 60-day public comment period for the draft permits. Ecology will also hold a workshop followed by a public hearing August 2, 2016 at 6:00 pm in the Mirabeau Park Hotel and Convention Center located at 1100 N Sullivan Road in Spokane Valley.

The public comment period closes on Monday, August 29, 2016. Comments should be sent by email to stra461@ecy.wa.gov, or by mail to:

Permit Coordinator
Department of Ecology
4601 N. Monroe Street
Spokane, WA 99205.

Contact the Permit Coordinator at (509) 329-3455 if you have additional questions.

Court Case Update: Case No. 11-CV-1759-BJR Memorandum Order Granting Motion to File Supplemental Complaint and Supplemental Complaint

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Court  case files filed June 1 and June 2. 

Case No. 11-CV-1759-BJR MEMORANDUM ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO FILE SUPPLEMENTAL COMPLAINT
and
Supplemental Complaint

CELP News Release  — June 6, 2016 titled “EPA challenged over failures to clean up Spokane River PCB pollution” http://www.celp.org/category/litigation-and-court-decisions/

LimnoTech Work Products Available for review (Final and Draft documents)

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The following work products are available for Task Force Review:

The following documents are available for Task Force review and comment. Please send comments/revisions by June 30th, 2016, to Dave Dilks at LimnoTech (ddilks@limno.com), please also CC Chris Page and Kara Whitman (c.page@wsu.edu and kmwhitman@wsu.edu) for posting comments to Task Force website. Dave will have a revised draft based on comments/revisions received out on July 6th, 2016. All Comprehensive Plan documents, and comments received are posted on the Task Force Comprehensive Plan page.

Final Draft Memos: Comprehensive Plan – all posted on the Comprehensive Plan Page.

Task Force Sampling Data Sets:

Ecology News: Water Quality Program State Fiscal Year 2017 Final Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan Published

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The Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) Water Quality Program is pleased to announce the publication of the State Fiscal Year 2017 (SFY17) Final Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan (Final List). The Final List describes how Ecology intends to use state and federal dollars to fund projects focused on improving water quality across the state. The Final List s available at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/iwq/funding/Opp/WQC/CyclePages/WQC2017.html.

 This year Ecology received 155 project proposals requesting approximately $207 million in funding. To ensure that funds were directed to the highest priority projects, Ecology water quality specialists evaluated and scored all eligible project proposals. Scores were compiled, and a statewide priority list was developed. Projects offered funding are based upon the priority list, the type of project, and the funding source. After rating and ranking all eligible proposed projects, Ecology offered approximately $109 million to 54 projects. Projects offered funding include: 17 nonpoint source pollution control activity projects; 2 local onsite sewage system repair and replacement projects; 9 stormwater facility projects; 9 wastewater facility projects in hardship communities; and 17 wastewater facility projects in non-hardship communities.

 For more information about the SFY17 Funding Cycle, please visit the Water Quality Grants and Loans website at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/funding/funding.html.