Draft Industrial Stormwater General Permit Available for Review and Public Comment

Published May 13, 2014

The Department of Ecology has published and posted on its website a draft Industrial Stormwater General Permit.  Ecology will reissue the final permit on November 19, 2014, and it will become effective January 1, 2015. The public comment period runs through June 20, and in the interim, Ecology will hold workshops and public hearings in Tacoma, Mount Vernon, Moses Lake, Vancouver and Seattle.

According to the Department, the permit applies requirements to approximately 1,200 industrial facilities statewide and key changes include “additional pollution prevention requirements for certain facilities near Puget Sound Sediment Cleanup Sites, such as the Lower Duwamish Waterway and Commencement Bay. The permit also incorporates new federal regulations for airport de-icing at facilities with 1000+ annual jet departures. Other changes are proposed to streamline engineering reports when stormwater treatment systems are needed.  However, the permit is largely unchanged to remain consistent with a 2011 ruling by the state Pollution Control Hearings Board.”

Current permit holders must re-apply for permit coverage by July 1, 2014. Ecology states that it will mail application instructions to all existing permittees this month.

  • To view the draft permit and for more information about how to submit comments and workshop details, click here.

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