What
is permit review and why is Puget Soundkeeper involved?
The Department of Ecology is responsible for issuing
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination (NPDES)
permits which basically allows businesses to pollute
the water in measured quantities. However, the Federal
Clean Water Act calls for the halt of all water pollution
and enables citizens to enforce this through litigation.
Here at PSA, we act as the voice of the Sound in calling
for stronger standards and the reduction of harmful
toxins.
The
Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and its North Sound Baykeeper
(ReSources) and Commencement Baykeeper (Citizens for
a Healthy Bay) are reviewing and commenting on virtually
every Department of Ecology issued NPDES permit affecting
Puget Sound. Our goal is the continued decrease in
effluent limits and attainment of the Federal Clean
Water Act goal to eliminate the discharge of pollutants
into its waters. Program Assistant Derek Wentorf is
our lead on permit reviews.
What
is the Alliance looking for when they review each permit?
The
Alliance is looking for any or all of the following:
- changes
in effluent levels
- description
of Best Mangement Practices
- Discharge
Monitoring Reports
- compliance
history
- Persistant
Bioaccumulative Toxins (PBT)
- mixing
zones
- Antidegredation
- appeals
or pending lawsuits
What
are the current Permits under review?
Please check back frequently as these will change.
The permits are as follows:
- Kitsap
County Sewer District #7 - Major concerns were effluent
discharge (BOD, TSS, and Fecal Coliform Bacteria
were the major contaminants), as well as their mixing
zone that has not been decreased despite the fact
that they just built a new facility to enable them
to make their DOE requirements. This wastewater
plant is located on Bainbridge Island and discharges
into Rich Passage.
- City
of Mount Vernon Wastewater Treatment Plant- Their
compliance record shows that they have had trouble
making the DOE's requirements for BOD and TSS. This
facility discharges into the Skagit River.
- Simpson
Tacoma Kraft Company - The company is located in
the port of Tacoma, and discharges into inner commencement
bay. The major concerns is dioxin (though to their
credit they have done a good job so far), AOX (halogenated
organics, Chlorine being the major concern), as
well as durability with some of heir effluent piping
where leaks have occurred in the past, and decreasing
their mixing zone (or eliminating the mixing zone;
extremely unlikely that will ever occur).
