DEC has prepared draft documents for an APDES/State Individual Permit AK0055891 – Petro Star Inc. (PSI), Valdez Refinery (Permit) to authorize storm water discharges from the refinery to Abercrombie Creek under the authority of 18 AAC 83 – APDES Program and disposal of treated contact storm water and process wastewater to the subsurface under authority of 18 AAC 72 – Wastewater Disposal. The Draft Permit, Fact Sheet, and associated documents are available for a formal 30-day public review period. Public comments will be accepted during the formal 30-day review period. You can access the documents on the DEC Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program webpage at: http://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/

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

DEC Contact:
Gerry Brown
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Water - Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program
555 Cordova St.
Anchorage, AK 99501
907-269-4874
Gerry.Brown@alaska.gov.

Draft Permit Public Notice Period:
Public Notice Start Date: October 17, 2019
Public Notice Expiration Date: November 18, 2019, 5:00 pm Alaska Standard Time

Permit Number: AK0055891

Applicant: Petro Star Inc.
Attn: Mr. Al Weber,
Mile 2.5 Dayville Road,
Valdez, Alaska 99686

Proposed Permit Coverage:
The refinery has been in operation since 1993 and is located on a 26-acre parcel at mile 2.5 of Dayville Road in Valdez, Alaska near Abercrombie Creek and Port Valdez. The refinery receives oil for the refinery from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and processes 60,000 barrels per day into jet fuel, marine diesel, heating fuel, turbine fuel and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. In addition to fuel production, the facility operates a 12,000 bbl/d distillate hydro treater and associated processing units. Wastewater sources at refinery are categorized as Contact Storm Water commingled with Process Wastewater (CSW/PWW), and Noncontact Storm Water (storm water) as described below:

Disposal 001 – Contact Storm Water/Process Wastewater (CSW/PWW): The CSW/PWW Treatment system treats a combination of process water and contact storm water and disposes the effluent to an existing subsurface disposal field under the authority of 18 AAC 72 – Wastewater Disposal. The proposed Permit requires effluent and groundwater monitoring based on batch analysis initially and transitions to continuous during the term of the permit.

Discharge 002 – Storm Water: The storm water system discharges noncontact storm water to Abercrombie Creek under the authority of 18 AAC 83 – Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) Program.

Tentative Determination:
DEC has tentatively determined to issue a discharge permit to the above listed applicant.

Public Comments:
Written comments or requests for a public hearing on the APDES draft permit must be submitted within 30-days of the issuance of this public notice. Please direct written comments and requests to the attention of the permit writer at the address or email shown on page 1. 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 that are directed at specific, cited permit requirements are appreciated. Mailed comments and requests must be postmarked on or before the expiration date of the public notice.

DEC will consider all substantive comments when making the final decision, and will respond to comments received 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.