WDOE Announces Public Comment Period on Draft Water Quality Permits

From WDOE Contact: Karl Rains, Water Quality Planner
Karl.Rains@ecy.wa.gov
509-329-3601

Public comment period
Draft Spokane Water Quality Permits

Ecology invites interested people to review and comment on the Kaiser Aluminum Facility (WA0000892) and City of Spokane Facility (WA0024473) draft water quality permits from Dec. 29, 2021 – Feb. 11, 2022.

We are reviewing and drafting new 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 first two draft permits open for comment, we expect the rest of the draft permits to be available for comment in early 2022.

View draft documents on our webpage
Comment on City of Spokane
Comment on Kaiser Aluminum

We are planning two identical workshops to explain the proposed changes to the permits 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, Feb. 1 at 1:30 p.m.
Join the webinar

Thursday, Feb. 3 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 will make decisions on permit reissuance for each facility. We plan to complete this work by Spring 2022.