NOTICE OF PROPOSED ISSUANCE OF AN ALASKA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (APDES) GENERAL PERMIT TO DISCHARGE TO WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES
For inquiries or to request copies of documents, contact:
Amber Bennett
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Water
Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program
610 University Avenue
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Phone: 907-451-2190
E-mail: Amber.Bennett@alaska.gov
Draft Permit Public Notice Period:
Public Notice Start Date: October 30, 2024
Public Notice Expiration Date: December 2, 2024, 11:59 P.M. AST
Permit Number: AKG380012
Applicant:
Barrow Utilities and Electric Cooperative Inc (BUECI)
1295 Agvik Street
PO Box 449
Utqiagvik, Alaska 99723
BUECI Water Treatment Plant (71.2924° N, 156.7777° W)
Proposed Permit Coverage:
Permit Coverage: The proposed authorization under general permit AKG380000, Wastewater
Discharges from Drinking Water Treatment Facilities, authorizes the discharge of nanofiltration
concentrate effluent from the Barrow Utilities and Electric Cooperative Inc Drinking Water Treatment
Plant (BUECI WTP) located at Utqiagvik, Alaska into the Isatkoak Lagoon consisting of one system and
one freshwater outfall.
Description of Discharge: The maximum daily flow for the BUECI WTP is 146,000 gallons per day (gpd), with an average daily flow of 98,342 gpd. The main potential or expected pollutants present in the discharge are copper, iron, lead, manganese, arsenic, ammonia, temperature, and total residual chlorine (TRC).
Mixing Zone: The Outfall 001A mixing zone is defined as having an acute mixing zone with an 80-
meter radius centered at the outfall and a chronic mixing zone with a 96-meter radius centered at the
outfall.
Antidegradation: For this new discharge, the required form 2G was completed and is included as an
attachment to this Public Notice.
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 permit must be submitted within 30 days of the issuance of this public notice. Any person desiring to comment on the permit 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:
12/2/2024 at 11:59 p.m.
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
Anchorage, AK 99501
907-269-6285
610 University Avenue
Fairbanks, AK 99709
907-451-2100
PO Box 1800
Juneau, AK 99811-1800
Location: 410 Willoughby Street, Suite 303, Juneau, AK
907-465-5300
43335 Kalifornsky Beach Road
Soldotna, AK 99615
907-262-5210
1700 E Bogard Road #B, Suite #103
Wasilla, AK 99654
907-376-1850
If you would like further information or to see any additional supporting technical documents, contact
Amber Bennett. 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 (ADA) of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need
special accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact ADA Coordinator
Mike Kruzinski at 907-334-0884, Mike.Kruzinski@alaska.gov or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-
8973/TTY or dial 711 prior to the expiration date of this public notice to ensure that any necessary
accommodations can be provided.