OLYMPIA — An appeal of the construction stormwater permit that the state Department of Ecology issues to developers has resulted in changes to the permit, and the public is invited to comment on it through Feb. 10.
The proposed changes are to dust control, pH sampling requirements, engineering calculation requirements and concrete washout.
Comments will be accepted only on modified sections of the permit.
Updates to the permit clarify the threshold for how much recycled concrete on a site requires stormwater monitoring. Rainwater runoff from recycled concrete can be corrosive and harmful to aquatic life, Ecology said.
There are also new specifics about areas where wet, unhardened concrete might be washed from equipment. Concrete drums cannot be washed over soils and concrete washout must be kept away from low-impact development areas, which are designed to keep stormwater from leaving a site.
The permit covers approximately 2,300 construction sites across the state, Ecology said.
Changes were made in a settlement agreement between Ecology and Washington Aggregate and Concrete Association, Associated General Contractors of Washington, Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors, Associated Builders &Contractors Western Washington Chapter, Associated Builders &Contractors Inland Pacific Chapter, Building Industry Association of Washington and American Pavement Concrete Association.
Details, and information about an online webinar and public hearing set at 1 p.m. Feb. 6, can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-stormwaterpermit.
Ecology prefers comments be submitted by email to cswgpcgeneral@ecy.wa.gov.
Written comments also can be submitted to Amy Moon, Washington State Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47696, Olympia, WA 98504-7696.
Interested parties may also provide oral comments by testifying during the online public hearing.
For more information and to join the online meeting, visit Ecology’s website or contact Moon at amy.moon@ecy.wa.gov.
