Ecology Extends Comment Period for Spokane River Variances

The Washington Department of Ecology is extending the comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) scoping from 21 days to 30 days, based on requests for an extension and the broad interest in this work. The new end of the DEIS scoping comment period will be July 11, 2019.   

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) is beginning a rulemaking to consider amending the Water Quality Standards for Surface Waters of the State of Washington, Chapter 173-201A Washington Administrative Code (WAC). Ecology is considering adopting one or more variances to the water quality standards that meet the requirements of WAC 173-201A-420 (Variance section), for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for the Spokane River, in water resource inventory area (WRIA) 57.  

Ecology will consider amending sections of Chapter 173-201A WAC that address variances to the standards, including amendments to 173-201A-420 (Variance) and 173-201A-602 (Table 602 – Use designations for fresh waters by water resource inventory area), as well as any other sections that need to be amended to support adopting the above-noted variances.

More information on the rulemaking and links:

·       Read the CR-101 for details on this rulemaking: https://ecology.wa.gov/1901CR101  

·       Browse the Water Quality Revisions rulemaking web page: https://ecology.wa.gov/VarianceRule

·       Join our ListServ to receive news and information about this rulemaking, and other water quality topics: http://listserv.ecology.wa.gov/scripts/wa-ECOLOGY.exe?A0=ECOLOGY-WATER-QUALITY-INFO

SEPA Scoping Comment Period (June 12 – July 2, 2019)

Ecology is holding a comment period from June 12 through July 2 on the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this rulemaking. The EIS will evaluate the potential environmental impacts of potential amendments and we will use the EIS to guide its development of proposed rule language.

·       Comment on the scope of the EIS: http://ws.ecology.commentinput.com/?id=KTMcA

Contact: 

Susan Braley
WA State Dept. of Ecology
Email: swqs@ecy.wa.gov
Phone: 360.407.6414