A Fact Sheet and associated documents are available for review. For inquiries or to request copies of documents, contact Nick Dallman at 601 University Ave., Fairbanks, AK 99709; 907-451-2142; or nicholas.dallman@alaska.gov.
  
Draft Permit Public Notice Period:
Start: 3/25/2021
Expiration: 4/26/2021 

Permit Number:
AKG371000

Permit Name: Medium Suction Dredge Placer Miners General Permit

Proposed Permit Coverage:
The permit authorizes discharges of wastewater from suction dredges with intake diameters greater than six inches and less than or equal to ten inches that process gold placer ores and rely on beneficiation processes based on gravity separation. 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 permit must be submitted within 30 days of the issuance of this public notice. Any person desiring to comment on the permit may submit comments electronically via the DEC public notice site (preferred) at https://water.alaskadec.commentinput.com/?id=5Z4kB. 

Alternatively, you may direct written comments and requests to the attention of the DEC contact/permit writer at the email address or postal address identified above.

All comments should include the name, address, telephone number, and email address 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 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, telephone number, and email address. 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:
4/26/2021 at 11:59 PM

Administrative Record:
The APDES draft permit, fact sheet, permit application, 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 PO Box 1800
 Anchorage, AK 99501 Fairbanks, AK 99709  Juneau, AK 99811-1800
 907-269-6285      907-451-2100  Location: 410 Willoughby Street, Suite 303
 Juneau, AK
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


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, subscribe to the APDES email list at 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 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.