DEC has prepared a general APDES Preliminary Draft Permit. The preliminary draft permit and associated documents are available to the applicants for a 10-day review. Following the closure of the 10-day applicant review period, DEC will prepare a draft permit and fact sheet for a formal 30-day public review period. Public comments will be accepted during the formal 30-day review period. You can access the documents on DEC’s Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program webpage at https://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater.

DEC Contact: Anne Weaver, (907) 269-7483, anne.weaver@alaska.gov

Review Period:   October 1, 2026 through October 15, 2026 11:59 pm AKDT

Permit: AKG523000 – Offshore Seafood Processors Wastewater Discharge General Permit

Proposed Permit Coverage: DEC proposes to reissue APDES general permit AKG523000 to offshore seafood processing vessels and inland waters discharge vessels that discharge ground fish waste 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. These pollutants result from waste solids, body fluids, slime, stickwater, and oils and fats from cooking and rendering operations. Ammonia and residual chlorine may also be present. Other regulated parameters include color, turbidity, pH, and temperature.

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

Mixing Zone: For each port/discharge pipe where a mixing zone is requested, a standard mixing zone sized as a circle with a 100-foot radius centered at the discharge terminus extending vertically up to the surface and down to the seafloor may be authorized. Applicants may also request non-standard mixing zones.

Zone of Deposit (ZOD): For a stationary processing vessel’s discharge of seafood processing waste to waters less than -120 feet mean lower low water (MLLW) in depth, DEC is proposing location-specific ZODs to allow deposits of seafood residues. The ZOD will limit seafood waste deposits (residues) coverage authorized per discharge location to 1.0 acre. ZODs may be authorized in marine and estuarine waters per 18 AAC 70.210 (June 26, 2003), which allows the water quality criteria of 18 AAC 70.020(b) and the antidegradation requirements of
18 AAC 70.015 to be exceeded.

Administrative Record: The APDES preliminary draft permit, fact sheet, and associated documents are available for review via the DEC’s Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program webpage at https://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater or at the DEC 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.

To receive email notifications about the APDES Program, including when permits are available to review, 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 (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 Kristin Mabry, kristin.mabry@alaska.gov, 1-907-334-0884; or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 at least 3 days prior to the expiration/closure date of this public notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.