Pollution Control Hearing Board decision regarding Sierra Club appeal of Ecology NPDES permit for Spokane County Regional Water Reclamation Facility.

The Pollution Control Hearings Board issued Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order regarding Sierra Club and Center for Environmental Law Clinic appeal of Ecology’s NPDES Permit to Spokane County for its Regional Water Reclamation Facility.

The Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB) concluded that portions of the NPDES Permit are invalid. Therefore,

 “The Board REMANDS the permit to Ecology pursuant to WAC 371-08-540, for reissuance consistent with this opinion:

1. Ecology shall modify Condition S12, the “Toxics Control Action Plan” provision consistent with this opinion by

a. including deadlines and mandatory requirements for identification and implementation of measures to reduce PCBs in the Facility’s influent;

b. identifying the expected reductions in toxicant loadings and the schedule for initiating such reductions;

c. requiring the use of ongoing monitoring data to set a numeric effluent limitation at the earliest possible time.

 

2. Ecology shall modify Condition S13, the “Regional Toxics Task Force” provision consistent with this opinion by clearly stating that compliance with the Permit’s requirements takes precedence over the work of the Task Force.”