For inquiries or to request copies of documents, contact:

DEC Contact: Marie Klingman, 610 University Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99709; 907-451-2101; Marie.Klingman@alaska.gov

Public Notice Period:
Public Notice Start Date: 9/25/2023
Public Notice Expiration Date: 10/24/2023 11:59 p.m. Alaska Standard Time

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Number (NPDES): 
AK0021385

 Applicant:
Haines Borough
Haines Borough Wastewater Treatment Plant
P.O. Box 1049, Haines, AK 99827
229 West Fair Drive, Haines, AK 99827

Proposed Project and Location:
Clean Water Act Section 401 Draft Certificate of Reasonable Assurance for the Haines Borough Wastewater Treatment Plant NPDES Permit No. AK0021385. The Draft Certificate contains a proposed five-year compliance schedule for fecal coliform and enterococcus bacteria. Chronic and acute mixing zones are proposed for copper, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and whole effluent toxicity. The applicant’s required Antidegradation Form 2G is included with the public notice of the Draft Certification of Reasonable Assurance.

 Discharge Location:
The Haines Wastewater Treatment Plant discharges to Portage Cove at 59.23710^o north latitude, 135.431138^o west longitude.

 Mixing Zones:
Chronic and acute mixing zones are proposed for copper, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and whole effluent toxicity.

The chronic mixing zone has a dilution of 19:1 and is defined as a rectangular area with a length of 52 meters and width of 15 meters centered over the diffuser with the length oriented in a northerly/southerly direction.

The acute mixing zone has a dilution of 11:1 and is defined as a rectangular area with a length of 26 meters and width of 9.4 meters centered over the diffuser with the length oriented in a northerly/southerly direction.

Tentative Determination:
DEC has tentatively determined to issue a Final Certificate of Reasonable Assurance for the Borough of Haines Wastewater Treatment Plant NPDES Permit No. AK0021385.

 Public Comments:
Written comments or requests for a public hearing on the Draft Certificate of Reasonable Assurance and Antidegradation Form 2G must be submitted within 30 days of the issuance of this public notice. Any person desiring to comment on these documents may submit comments electronically via the DEC public notice site (preferred) at   AK0021385-Draft Certificate of Reasonable Assurance Haines Borough Wastewater Treatment Plant .

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 mixing zone condition(s) and the relevant facts upon which the comment is based. 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 mixing zone authorization. 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 authorization 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:
10/24/2023 at 11:59 p.m. Alaska Standard Time

 Administrative Record:
The APDES draft authorization, 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.