A Fact Sheet and associated documents are available for review. 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 Street, Suite 303

Juneau, AK 99801

 

Phone: 907-465-5336

Fax: 907-465-5177

E-mail: Jackie.Ebert@alaska.gov

Draft Permit Public Notice Period:

Public Notice Start Date: February 26, 2021

Public Notice Expiration Date: April 27, 2021

 

Permit No.: AKG521000

 

Permit Name: Onshore Seafood Processors in Alaska Wastewater Discharge General Permit

 

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. New proposed project area ZODs not listed in Appendix D will be public noticed in accordance with 18 AAC 83.120.

 

Tentative Determination:

DEC has tentatively determined to issue 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 within 60 days of the issuance of this public notice. Please direct written comments to the attention of Jackie Ebert at the address or email 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. Comments may be submitted electronically via our public notice site at http://water.alaskadec.commentinput.com/?id=4h9K6.

 

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’s final decision.

DEADLINE FOR WRITTEN COMMENTS OR REQUEST FOR PUBLIC HEARING   

April 27, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. [AKDT]

Administrative Record:

The APDES draft permit, fact sheet, and associated documents are available for public review at the DEC 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, Suite #103

Soldotna, AK 99615                                                                       Wasilla, AK 99654

907-262-5210                                                                                   907-376-1850

 

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

 

The documents are also accessible from the DEC website at:

 

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.

 

 

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 Brian Blessington at (907) 269-6272 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.