| Ecology invites comments on the Spokane County and Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District draft permits from March 18 – May 3, 2022. We are drafting updated water quality permits to ensure the five wastewater treatment facilities that discharge into the Spokane River continue to meet clean water requirements. These are the final two draft permits open for comment. Previously, we held comment on the Kaiser Aluminum Facility and City of Spokane Facility draft water quality permits from Dec. 29, 2021 – Feb. 11, 2022. We also have a comment period open for Inland Empire Paper from March 4 –April 18, 2022. View draft documents on our webpage Comment on Spokane County Comment on Liberty Lake |
| We are planning two identical workshops to explain the proposed changes to this permit and to answer questions prior to the formal public hearings. Hearings provide an opportunity for people to give formal oral testimony. Oral testimony will receive the same consideration as written comments. The public hearings will begin immediately following each workshop and will conclude when testimony is complete. Tuesday, April 19 at 2 p.m. Join the webinar Tuesday, April 26 at 6 p.m. Join the webinar The workshops and hearings offered via webinar allow individuals to view the presentation and provide testimony via computer, phone, or mobile device. Ecology will not be offering in-person hearings due to safety concerns from COVID-19. Next Steps After reviewing the feedback we receive, we respond to comments and will make decisions on permit reissuance for the facility. We plan to complete this work by Spring 2022. Karl Rains Water Quality Planner Karl.Rains@ecy.wa.gov 509-329-3601 Pollution Prevention Grants Watch our Webinars to Learn How to Apply for $23 Million in Pollution Prevention Grants The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making available recordings of four webinars hosted by the agency to educate stakeholders on $23 million in pollution prevention (P2) grant funding opportunities for states and tribes. Proposals are due by April 11, 2022. Three of the webinars reviewed general information about P2 and the grant application process to help potential applicants submit high-quality applications to EPA for consideration. The fourth webinar was targeted to the specific needs of federally recognized tribes. The two grant opportunities provide funding for states and tribes to develop and provide businesses with information, training, and tools to help them adopt P2 practices. A new P2 grant of approximately $14 million is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. For the first time, this funding is available with no grantee matching requirement, increasing access to funds for all communities. There is also a second grant opportunity for the traditional P2 grants program for approximately $9 million. Eligible applicants include states, state entities such as universities, U.S. territories and possessions, and federally recognized tribes and intertribal consortia. EPA anticipates announcing the grant recipients on a rolling basis starting in late summer. Learn more about P2 grants View the webinars |