Hi Task Force members and interested parties,
The Washington Department of Ecology is holding an April 8 online public meeting and extending the comment period for the amended legal agreement requiring Kaiser to evaluate new technologies for treating polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in groundwater and implement a full-scale groundwater treatment system. Please see the link below for more information:
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:
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
A few additional items have been added for the WebEx meeting this Wednesday (see below):
1a – LimnoTechSRRTTF_PP_Revised
3a – TTWG UPdate for SRRTTF_03252020
3b – LongTermMonitoringMemo_022620_draft
3c – HighFlowSynopticMemo
SPC Impact Virtual will include a selection of the presentations and sessions that were to take place in-person at SPC Impact 2020 in Austin. These virtual sessions will be hosted on Zoom on March 31st, April 1st, and April 14th.
Visit their website for the full programs for each day and to register!
Of special interest is the Masterclass on Material Health regarding “Opportunities to remove or reduce inadvertent PCB (iPCB) Pigments in Packaging”, being presented by Lauren Heine on Mar 31st at 1:00 PM PST.
We will have a 1.5 hour Zoom meeting on Thursday, March 19 from 10:00 to 11:30 am PST to review LimnoTech’s cost estimates associated with selected methodologies/media for use in a long-term monitoring and fish baseline assessment.
Here is the information for connecting to the meeting. Dave Dilks at LimnoTech will be the host.
Topic: TTWG Meeting
Meeting ID: 101 503 225
Time: Mar 19, 2020 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://limno.zoom.us/j/101503225
One tap mobile
+17207072699,,101503225# US
Dial by your location
+1 720 707 2699 US
Meeting ID: 101 503 225
Meeting Materials:
LongTermMonitoring_031920_TTWG
TTWG__FishWG Meeting Summary 3-3-20_final draft
In consideration of public health and safety, we are cancelling the in-person Open House on PCB Variances for the Spokane River that was scheduled at the Spokane Community College on March 24, 2020.
After consulting with community groups on how to best serve the Spokane public, we have decided to reschedule the Spokane Open House to sometime in April. We will hold it as an evening online webinar rather than in-person. As soon as we have selected a new date, we will send out an announcement with more information.
Yes, we will still hold the March 26th open house via webinar, from 2-4 p.m. Register for the March 26th webinar.
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. We will have both informational posters and the webinar presentation available online prior to the first webinar on March 26th. If you have an opportunity, feel free to view the materials in advance of the open house webinars. Also, we are hoping to gather your questions in advance (especially for the April open house) to help make it easier for everyone to participate in the online webinar. Please email any questions about the Spokane River PCB Variances to swqs@ecy.wa.gov. We will address all questions we receive via email during the Q & A portion of the online workshops and will have time for additional questions that come up after the presentation.
We will update our Variance rulemaking webpage to reflect any new changes to our outreach schedule.
If you have any questions, please contact Marla Koberstein, Rulemaking Lead, at swqs@ecy.wa.gov.
Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Link to register: Register This event requires registration. After you register, you’ll receive a confirmation email message with instructions on how to join the event.
Meeting Documents:
0 – SRRTTF agenda_03252020
1 – SRRTTF DRAFT Meeting Summary February 26, 2020
1a – LimnoTechSRRTTF_PP_Revised
2a – QAPP_PCBs in TiO2 2-24-2020_ Revision 0
2b – SOP TDSC-01_2-24-2020
3a – TTWG UPdate for SRRTTF_03252020
3b – LongTermMonitoringMemo_022620_draft
3c – HighFlowSynopticMemo
4 – SRRTTF-Revised MOA_Final DRAFT 3252020
5 – Future Meeting Topics – March 2020
The QAPP addendum for the 2019 biofilm sampling has been published (Ecology 2019 biofilm sampling QAPP addendum) and is available on the SRRTTF website under Dept. of Ecology publications also.
Additionally, Ecology has asked to share that it is closing its offices to outside visitors out of an abundance of caution regarding COVID-19. The vast majority of Ecology staff around the state are now teleworking.
The next conference call meeting of the SRRTTF Technical Track work group is:
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Time: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Location: Conference call
To join the event as an attendee
——————————————————- https://watech.webex.com/watech/onstage/g.php?MTID=e1601a8540fd83a2f599a7d840a99d1cb
Meeting materials:
HighFlowSynopticMemo
TargetHighFlowRecommendations
Subject: March open house on PCB Variances for the Spokane River (including webinar option)
The Department of Ecology is hosting an open house to share information on the upcoming water quality standards rulemaking for PCB variances on the Spokane River. The variances were requested by five Spokane River dischargers.
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 hold public hearings.
During the open house, we will cover:
There are two opportunities to attend this open house:
In person
March 24, 2020, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Spokane Community College – Lair Student Center
1810 N Greene St., Spokane WA, 99217
Online via webinar
March 26, 2020, 2-4:30 p.m.
Register for the webinar
The in-person open house will include a presentation followed by an informational poster session with an opportunity to speak with Ecology staff. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the formal presentation will begin at 6 p.m.
The online webinar will include the formal presentation, as well as the poster content. Ecology staff will be available for questions after the presentation.
Questions about this workshop? Email Marla Koberstein or call 360-407-6413.
Visit our rulemaking page or view our focus sheet to learn more about the proposed PCB Variances for the Spokane River.
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.
The next meeting of the SRRTTF Technical Track and Fish Work group is:
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Please bring a brown bag lunch)
Location: Spokane Department of Ecology office, 4601 N. Monroe St., Spokane – large conf. room
Please register below if you are calling in:
Meeting materials:
TTWG_&_FishWG draft agenda 3-3-20
LongTermMonitoringMemo_022620_draft
HighFlowSynopticMemo
Baseline PCB Concentrations in Spokane River Redband Trout_QAPP February 2020
Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District Office
22510 E. Mission Avenue Liberty Lake, WA 99019
Click here for a map
To attend by Webex and phone (all please register using the link below):
(Click here to join the online event.)
After your request has been approved, you’ll receive instructions for joining.
Meeting Documents:
0 – SRRTTF agenda_20200226
1 – SRRTTF DRAFT Meeting Summary January 22, 2020
2020-01-31 ACE Commitment Report
1a – TTWGUpdate_LongTerm_HighFlow_Monitoring_v2
2a – PCB Toxics Media Campaign.Scope of Work 2020
2b – spring media campaign recommendation
3 – EPA P2 grant info.
4a – 20200220_MOA Edits Summary
4b – 20200220_SRRTTF-Revised MOA_Final DRAFT
5 – Agreed Order No 2692 Task Force Presentation 21820
5a – KaiserAOamendNotice
5b – AAOsowSEPAdns
6 – Codification questions
7 – LimnoTech marketing document
8 – WBC SRRTTF Marketing Information
9 – Future Meeting Topics – February 2020
10 – PNCWA Proposed Abstract Submittal_ 2-12-2020final
Upcoming work group meetings: (conf. call in number 605-313-5141; 723394#)
March 3 – Tech Track/Fish work group mtg. from 10 am – 2 pm (Dept. of Ecology office, Spokane)
March 4 – TSCA conf. call at 10 am
March 10 – Education and Outreach mtg.at 10 am (Spokane Reg. Health District)
contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com for more information