Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program
555 Cordova Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99501

NOTICE OF REVIEW OF AN
ALASKA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (APDES)
PRELIMINARY DRAFT GENERAL PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE TO WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES

DEC has prepared an APDES preliminary draft of the Onshore Seafood Processors in Alaska Wastewater Discharge General Permit. Prior to the formal public notice period, ADEC invites you to review the preliminary draft general permit, fact sheet, and associated documents. You can access the documents from ADEC’s Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program web page at: http://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/.

Preliminary Draft General Permit Review:

Start Date:   October 5, 2020
End Date:    October 16, 2020

Permit No.: AKG521000

Proposed Permit Coverage:

Permit Coverage: DEC proposes to issue APDES general permit (permit) AKG521000 to Onshore Seafood Processing operator(s) or owner(s) in Alaska that discharge process waste and wastewater to waters of the U.S.

Description of Discharges: The pollutants of concern associated with seafood processing and ground fish waste discharges include: residues, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), and non-petroleum oil and grease (polar). These pollutants result from the waste solids (shell, bones, skin, scales, flesh, and organs), blood, body fluids, slime, stickwater, and oils and fats from cooking and rendering operations. Ammonia or chlorine may also be present intermittently. Other regulated parameters include color, turbidity, pH, and temperature.

The permit also authorizes the discharge of cooling water, boiler water, freshwater pressure relief water, refrigeration condensate, refrigerated seawater, cooking water, scrubber water, catch transfer water, and live tank water. Pollutants in these discharge streams may include TSS, BOD, fecal coliform, non-petroleum oil and grease (polar), pH, and temperature.

Mixing Zone: For each outfall where a mixing zone is requested and can be approved, a standard mixing zone sized as a circle with a 100 foot radius centered at the outfall pipe or discharge terminus extending from the seafloor up to the surface will be authorized for those permittees meeting the conditions of the permit. Permittees have the option to request a mixing zone larger than the general permit defined standard mixing zone. To request a larger mixing zone, permittees must also submit form 2G and include sufficient information for the Department to complete an antidegradation analysis and make findings under 18 AAC 70.016(b), (c), and (d). Mixing zones requested to differentiate from the standard 100-foot mixing zone will be public noticed in accordance with 18 AAC 83.120.

Zone of Deposit (ZOD): As allowed by the State Water Quality Standards in accordance with 18 AAC 70.210, DEC is proposing project area ZODs to allow deposits of seafood residues in marine and estuarine waters. The seafood processing waste residues are limited to a cumulative total of 1.0 acre (43,560 sq. ft.) of coverage within the project area ZOD. The authorized project area ZOD will be based on the summation of areas with continuous coverage (defined as 95-100%) and 50% or greater discontinuous coverage of seafood waste deposits to determine compliance with the 1.0 acre limitation. After the submittal of a complete Notice of Intent, ZODs will be issued to permittees meeting the conditions of the permit.

For inquiries or to request copies of documents, contact:

DEC Contact:              Jackie Ebert
                                  Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
                                  Division of Water
                                  Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program
                                  410 W. Willoughby Ave., Suite 303
                                   Juneau, AK 99801
                                   Phone: (907) 465-5336
                                   Fax: (907) 465-5177
                                  Jackie.ebert@alaska.gov

Administrative Record:

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

If you would like to see any additional supporting technical documents, contact Jackie Ebert.

The documents are also accessible from the DEC website at: http://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/

To receive email notifications about the APDES Program, including when permits are available to review, follow the link below to join the APDES email list.

http://list.state.ak.us/mailman/listinfo/DEC-APDES/

Disability Reasonable Accommodation Notice

The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation complies with Title II of the American 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 review, please contact Kate Orozco at (907) 465-6171 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 within 10 days of publication of this notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.