Training offers guidance for reducing PCB pollution and protecting water quality We’re providing training to help business owners, consultants, and contractors safely maintain and abate buildings that contain polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. These manmade chemicals were widely used in building materials to add flexibility, adhesion, and durability. But they can also pose health risks and contaminate stormwater, soils, sediments, and affect indoor air quality. Free training opportunities for private and public sectors The good news is that we have strategies for managing building materials that contain PCBs. We are hosting two free online trainings about the guidance we developed, How to Find and Address PCBs in Building Materials. Trainings will take place on the following dates: June 14, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. for property owners, developers, and other businesses. June 27, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. for government agencies and other regulators. The trainings will cover: How to identify building materials that may contain PCBs. Options for characterizing and managing these materials. How to protect stormwater while these materials are left in place or when they are abated. How to estimate abatement project costs. We will have time at the end of the presentation for informal discussion. It’s not too late to register for either training session. Why it matters PCBs cause cancer in animals and are likely to cause cancer in people. They can harm the immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems in people and other organisms. Even though production of PCBs was banned in 1979 by the EPA, they’re still present in many existing buildings. We’re working to manage PCBs in building materials like concrete, caulking, paint, and certain types of siding and roofing. That’s important because these materials can release PCBs into the environment through indoor air, construction debris, or runoff. Once PCBs have traveled into the environment, they can accumulate in people and animals, becoming more concentrated in organisms at the top of the food chain, like orcas and humans. This is a particular problem for areas with a history of heavy industrial use, such as the Duwamish Waterway in Seattle and the Spokane River watershed, where sediments contaminated with PCBs make it unsafe to eat fish and shellfish from these waters. Our grant from the EPA The guidance and these trainings are made possible by a National Estuary Program grant from the EPA. Our goal is educational: We want to reduce pollution from PCBs in building materials by promoting best practices before demolition or renovation, when PCBs are more likely to be released into the environment. |
Tag Archives: Ecology
December 1, 2022 ACE Board Meeting/Ecology and Other News
The ACE Board will be holding a meeting on December 1, 2022 from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm. Please contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com for the Teams meeting link. Here is the agenda:
Ecology News:
Washington Department of Ecology is excited to share a new resource to help property owners, public entities, developers, and others play an active role in removing PCB sources across the State.
The Department of Ecology, in partnership with the National Estuary Program, has published How to Find and Address PCBs in Building Materials and How to Estimate Abatement Project Costs for PCBs in Building Materials. These materials are intended to help property owners and consultants:
- Identify and characterize PCBs in building materials.
- Remove PCB sources safely when demolishing and renovating.
- Understand the potential costs associated with these activities.
- Protect stormwater from PCB sources prior to their safe removal.
- Understand the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) and Washington state regulatory requirements.
For more information, please visit their webpage. They currently plan to provide training and publish other materials focused on highlighting important aspects of the guidance in early 2023.
If you have questions, please reach out to:
Myles Perkins, PE
Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction – WA State Department of Ecology
PO Box 330316
Shoreline, WA 98133-9716
myles.perkins@ecy.wa.gov │ Cell: 425.457.2514 │ Meet our Team
High concentrations of PCBs and Mercury found in Salmon article:
Oregon Public Broadcasting and Propublica purchased 50 Columbia River adult salmon and sampled them for toxins. These salmon were found to contain high concentrations of PCBs and mercury that have the potential to trigger fish consumption advisories. Please see link to the article below.
https://www.propublica.org/article/how-the-us-broke-promise-to-protect-fish-for-tribes
Laura Klasner Shira, P.E.
Yakama Nation Fisheries
PO Box 151, Toppenish, WA 98948
509.985.3561
August 17, 2022 Tech Track Zoom Meeting/Final Water Quality Permit – City of Spokane
The next meeting of the TTWG will be held on Wednesday, August 17 from 9:00 am – 10:30 am. Please contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com for the Zoom meeting link.
Meeting documents:
| Final water quality permit – City of Spokane Wastewater Treatment Ecology has finalized the permit for City of Spokane Wastewater Treatment Facility (WA0024473). This is the final of five permits we have issued to ensure the wastewater treatment facilities that discharge into the Spokane River continue to meet clean water requirements. Previously, we held a public comment period on the draft permit from Dec. 29, 2021 – Feb. 1, 2022 and May 11 – June 11, 2022. We’ve included a response to comments we received as an appendix to the permit. View final permit documents Webpage Adriane Borgias Eastern Region Water Quality Manager Adriane.Borgias@ecy.wa.gov  509-329-3515 |
Department of Ecology Final Water Quality Permits/Other Announcements
Spokane County Facility
Ecology has finalized the permit for Spokane County Regional Water Reclamation Facility (WA0093317). This is the second of five permits we have finalized to ensure the wastewater treatment facilities that discharge into the Spokane River continue to meet clean water requirements. Previously, we held a public comment period on the draft permit for Spokane County from March 18 to May 3, 2022. We’ve included a response to comments we received as an appendix to the permit.
| View final permit documents |
| Ecology has finalized the permit for Inland Empire Paper Company (WA0000825). This is the third of five permits we have finalized to ensure the wastewater treatment facilities that discharge into the Spokane River continue to meet clean water requirements. Previously, we held a public comment period on the draft permit for Inland Empire Paper from March 4 to May 2, 2022. We’ve included a response to comments we received as an appendix to the permit. View final permit documents |
| Ecology has finalized the permit for Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District (WA0045144). This is the fourth of five permits we have finalized to ensure the wastewater treatment facilities that discharge into the Spokane River continue to meet clean water requirements. Previously, we held a public comment period on the draft permit for Liberty Lake from March 18 to May 3, 2022. We’ve included a response to comments we received as an appendix to the permit. View final permit documents Next steps We are still reviewing the feedback we received on the City of Spokane draft permit. We will respond to comments and make decisions on the final permit by Summer 2022. Visit our website for more information. 2022 Water Quality Assessment call for data https://ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines/Water-quality/Water-improvement/Assessment-of-state-waters-303d?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery We are beginning our next update to the Water Quality Assessment and we need recent water quality data from Washington’s rivers, streams, lakes, and marine waters. We are seeking data collected between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2021. To make sure your data is included in this next Water Quality Assessment, please submit before September 30, 2022. Water quality data can be submitted to Ecology’s Environmental Information Management (EIM) database. Narrative information and studies, such as published research and peer-reviewed reports, can be submitted directly to Water Quality Assessment staff at 303d@ecy.wa.gov. All data submitted must have been collected under a quality assurance project plan, or similar guidance document. Data must be representative of ambient water quality conditions. Submitters must be able to confirm that quality assurance procedures were followed and must be prepared to provide a copy of the plan upon request. If you previously submitted data to us, you do not need to submit it again. We’re awarding $317 million in grants and loans for 124 high-priority clean water projects across the state. Our Water Quality Combined Funding Program supports local communities by helping them upgrade wastewater treatment and sewer systems, manage polluted stormwater, and complete a variety of other projects to prevent and clean up diffuse sources of pollution, also known as nonpoint pollution. For a useful tool to view and search some of our past and currently funded Water Quality projects, the Ecology Grants and Loans Map Viewer and Search Tool is now available. This allows search and viewing of information about not just Water Quality funded projects, but also many other Ecology funded projects throughout the state. Thank you, Adriane P. Borgias (she/her) Water Quality Section Manager, Eastern Regional Office Washington State Department of Ecology 4601 North Monroe Street Spokane, WA 99205-1295 Adriane.Borgias@ecy.wa.gov (509) 329-3515 |
May 18, 2022 Tech Track work group Zoom meeting/Public Comment Period City of Spokane Draft Spokane Water Quality Permit
The next meeting of the TTWG will be held on Wednesday, May 18 from 9:00 am – 11:00 am. Please contact lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com for the Zoom meeting link.
Meeting documents:
TTWG_agenda 5-18-2022
TTWG_05182022
Expanded Synoptic_Artesian_CatchBasin Scope_05132022draft
WaterColumnTrend_Mirabeau_Scope_05172022draft
Public comment period
Draft Spokane Water Quality Permit
We previously held a public comment period from Dec. 29, 2021 to Feb. 1 2022, on the City of Spokane proposed draft permit and fact sheet. After reviewing the comments, we made several changes to the permit and fact sheet in response to comments. As a result, we are providing an additional opportunity to review and comment on the proposed permit before we make a final decision. Please review and comment on the draft permit until 11:59 p.m. June 10, 2022.
In addition to correcting technical and typographical errors, we also changed the permit and explanatory language in the fact sheet for the following topics:
• Effluent limits; Section S1
• Mixing Zone for PCBs; Section S1.A, Table 2
• Mixing Zone flows; Section S1.B, Table 5
• Effluent monitoring for PCBs and other parameters; Section S2; Table 7
• Design limits for Next Level Treatment; Section S4
• Exfiltration testing; Section S5.H
• CSO Post Construction Monitoring Plan; Section S14.C.c
• Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force; Section S17.B
• Compliance schedules for pH and PCBs: Section S18
• Reopener clause; Section G3
View draft documents on our webpage
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 Summer 2022.
Karl Rains
Eastern Regional Planner
Karl.Rains@ecy.wa.gov
Spokane River Biofilm Study Review/Other Announcements
Attached is the final draft of the Spokane River Biofilm Study for Task Force review. Ecology will evaluate and consider any comments that are made. Please provide any comments by March 11 to Brandee Era Miller @ BERA461@ECY.WA.GOV and cc lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com.
Here is the link to the report on Ecology’s ezShare site:
Clean Water Act Section 123 Columbia River Basin Restoration Program – Request for Applications – NEW DEADLINE March 8th
EPA is offering a one month extension to the following funding opportunities.
Applications must be submitted electronically by Tuesday, March 8, 2022 11:59 pm (Eastern) through www.grants.gov by following the instructions in the RFA.
Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program – Lower Columbia River Estuary Basin
EPA-R10-OW-CRBRP-2022-01 is available at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=336445.
Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program – Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin
EPA-R10-OW-CRBRP-2022-02 is available at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=336446.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 (EPA), is issuing two Request for Applications (RFA) from eligible entities to improve water quality in the Lower Columbia River Estuary and/or the Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin through specific actions to reduce toxics, increase monitoring, and/or increase public education and outreach. The Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) will assist tribal, state, and local governments; nongovernmental entities, and others as they implement the Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan and the Lower Columbia River Estuary Plan – Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and conduct activities to support EPA national goals for the Columbia River Basin.
Eligible projects must address at least one of the following project categories: eliminating or reducing pollution; cleaning up contaminated sites; improving water quality; monitoring to evaluate trends; reducing runoff; protecting habitat; or promoting citizen engagement or knowledge. Priority for funding will be given to projects which are consistent with federal fiscal years 2021 and 2022 (FY21/22) funding priorities as described in the RFA.
More information about this funding opportunity can be found at: EPA’s Columbia River Basin Website .
Our work to rid schools and buildings of hazardous PCBs
Few would argue there are higher priorities than protecting children from harm. We agree with the need to provide protection for children, and want to see that protection extended to those who work with children in the places where they spend vast amounts of time: schools.
Our work to identify and eliminate toxic chemicals in schools has been ongoing for decades, but a big push in recent years has been targeting polychlorinated biphenyls, also known as PCBs. While the government banned the manufacture of PCBs in the U.S. in 1979, the chemicals remain in buildings that were constructed or renovated before or around that date.
PCBs are a group of human-made compounds found in air, water, land, and sediments. They last for decades in the environment, building up in the food chain causing toxic effects to the immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems in people and animals. PCBs also cause cancer in animals and are believed to cause cancer in people.
State Fiscal Year 2022 Draft Water Quality Funding Offer List
Draft funding list now available for review and comment
Ecology’s Water Quality Program is pleased to announce the publication of the State Fiscal Year 2022 Draft Water Quality Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan (Draft List). The Draft List describes how Ecology proposes to use state and federal dollars, as currently proposed in the Governor’s biennial budget and federal appropriation bills, to fund projects to improve and protect water quality for the State Fiscal Year 2022 (SFY22) Funding Cycle.
Funding Proposed
Ecology is proposing more than $282 million in grants and loans for 108 high-priority clean water projects across Washington state. The total includes roughly $21 million in grants from the Centennial Clean Water Program, $1.6 million in grants from the Clean Water Act Section 319 Program, $35 million in grants from the Stormwater Financial Assistance Program, and $224 million in loans and forgivable loans (loans that do not have to be repaid) from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
Evaluation Process
Ecology evaluated 127 applications from local governments, tribes, conservation districts, other public bodies, and qualified not-for-profit organizations. Funding requests totaled approximately $568 million. To ensure that funds were directed to the highest priority projects, water quality specialists from our regional offices evaluated and scored all eligible project proposals. Scores were compiled, and a statewide priority list was developed. Projects proposed funding are based upon the priority list, the type of project, and the funding source.
Public Comment Period
There is a 30-day public comment period for the Draft List. Comments will be accepted through February 14, 2021. Please submit comments via our online comment system, eComments. If you have questions, please contact Daniel Thompson at Daniel.Thompson@ecy.wa.gov or 360-407-6510. We will be holding a public webinar at 1 p.m. on February 3 via WebEx to explain the evaluation process and answer any questions. Ecology will respond to all comments received during the comment period when we publish the SFY22 Final Water Quality Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan (Final List). Ecology anticipates publishing the Final List by July 1, 2021.
More Information
For more information about the SFY22 Funding Cycle, including access to an interactive map of funded projects and access to a worksheet describing the projects and funding proposed, please visit the Water Quality Combined Funding Program Funding Cycles webpage.For more information about the Water Quality Combined Funding Program in general please visit the Water Quality Combined Funding Program webpage.
March 25, 2020 SRRTTF WebEx meeting/Additional information
The next WebEx meeting of the Spokane River Regional Toxics Task Force is:
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.
March open house on PCB Variances for the Spokane River
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:
- An overview of PCBs in the environment
- The water quality standard for PCBs and how we measure it
- What is a variance and how does it affect compliance with water quality standards?
- How we evaluated each individual discharger variance application
- What to expect during the formal public comment period
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.
PMF Phase 1 Report comments due 5/17 – Ecology letter to EPA regarding WA water quality standards
Hi Task Force members and interested parties,
As a reminder, the PMF phase 1 report comments are due to Mike Hermanson (mhermanson@spokanecounty.org) by next Friday, May 17. Please also cc lara@whitebluffsconsulting.com. Here is the report: PMF Blank Study draft final report_030419
Maia Bellon, the Director of Ecology recently sent a letter to EPA urging them not to reconsider Washington’s water quality standards for human health criteria. The letter can be found here: 5-7-19 Director Bellon Letter to EPA Administrator Wheeler re HHC
Also, here is a research brief provided by Mike LaScoula from Spokane Regional Health District on the breakdown of PCBs to potentially harmful metabolites in humans: SRP_ResearchBrief_293_508
Thanks!