A Fact Sheet and associated documents are available for review. For inquiries or to request copies of documents, contact:

DEC Contact:
Nick Dallman
Alaska Dept. of Environmental Conservation
610 University Ave.
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Phone: 907-451-2142
Email: nicholas.dallman@alaska.gov

Draft Permit Public Notice Period:
Start Date: October 26, 2017
Expiration Date: November 28, 2017

Permit:
Small Suction Dredge Placer Miners General Permit, AKG375000

Proposed Permit Coverage:
The permit authorizes discharges of wastewater from suction dredges that process gold placer ores and have intake diameters less than or equal to six inches and horsepowers less than or equal to 18 (fresh waters) or 23 (marine waters). The permit provides statewide coverage for discharges to waters of the U.S., with certain limitations.

Tentative Determination: DEC has tentatively determined to reissue a discharge permit for the activity described above.

Public Comments:
Written comments or requests for a public hearing on the APDES draft general permit must be submitted prior to 5:00 p.m., November 28, 2017. Please direct written comments to the attention of the DEC contact at the address identified above. All comments should include the name, address, and telephone number of the commenter and a concise statement of comment on the permit condition(s) and the relevant facts upon which the comment is based. Comments of either support or concern which are directed at specific, cited permit requirements are appreciated. Mailed comments must be postmarked on or before the expiration date of the public notice.

DEC will consider all comments when making the final decision, and will respond to received comments in a Response to Comments document issued when DEC issues a final permit. The Response to Comments will be made available to the public.

Any interested person may submit a written request for a public hearing if no hearing has already been scheduled. A request for a public hearing shall state the nature of the issues to be raised, as well as the requester's name, address and telephone number. DEC will hold a public hearing whenever DEC finds, on the basis of requests, a significant degree of public interest in a draft permit. DEC may also hold a public hearing if a hearing might clarify one or more issues involved in a permit decision or for other good reason in DEC’s discretion.

DEC will transmit the final permit, fact sheet (amended as appropriate), and Response to Comments to anyone who provided comments during the public review period or requested to be notified of DEC final decision.

DEADLINE FOR WRITTEN COMMENTS OR REQUEST FOR PUBLIC HEARING    November 28, 2017 at 5:00 p.m., AKST

Administrative Record:
The APDES draft permit, fact sheet, and associated documents are available for public review at the ADEC offices located in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Soldotna, and Wasilla. Please contact the office of your choice to arrange for hard copies of the documents to be available for your review.

555 Cordova Street                   610 University Avenue                        410 Willoughby Ave #303
Anchorage, AK 99501              Fairbanks, AK 99709                          Juneau, AK 99811
907-269-6285                          907-451-2100                                      907-465-5300

43335 Kalifornsky Beach Road                                                             1700 E Bogard Road #B
Soldotna, AK 99615                                                                            Suite #103
907-262-5210                                                                                      Wasilla, AK 99654
                                                                                                            907-376-1850

The documents are also accessible online at: http://www.dec.state.ak.us/water/wwdp/index.htm

To receive email notifications about the APDES Program, including when permits are available to review, join the APDES email list at http://dec.alaska.gov/water/npdes/npdes_email_list.htm.

Disability Reasonable Accommodation Notice
The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need a special accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact Natalie Wolfe at (907) 269-0291 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 within 30 days of publication of this notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.