Public Notice: Proposed Permit for Borough of Petersburg Wastewater Treatment Plant in Alaska
Summary
EPA is proposing to reissue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to the Borough of Petersburg Wastewater Treatment Plant in Alaska.
The Borough of Petersburg owns and operates the wastewater treatment plant, a publicly-owned treatment works serving the population of Petersburg, Alaska. The treatment plant discharges primary treated effluent to Frederick Sound under a section 301(h)-modified NPDES permit.
EPA retains jurisdiction over Clean Water Act section 301(h)-modified permits in the state of Alaska because that portion of the NPDES program may not be delegated to the state.
The Borough of Petersburg has requested EPA to renew the wastewater treatment plant's variance from the secondary treatment requirements contained in section 301(b)(1)(B) of the Clean Water Act, and to reissue the 301(h)-modified NPDES permit.
Applicant
Borough of Petersburg Wastewater Treatment Plant
1404 14th Street
Petersburg, Alaska 99833
NPDES permit number: AK0021458
Tentative 301(h) Decision
The EPA Region 10 Regional Administrator has tentatively decided to renew the Borough of Petersburg Wastewater Treatment Plant’s variance from secondary treatment requirements in accordance with the terms, conditions, and limitations of the draft 301(h)-modified NPDES permit. EPA's 301(h) Tentative Decision is available for review and comment (see "Related Documents" below).
Tentative Permit Determination
EPA Region 10 has tentatively determined to issue a 301(h)-modified discharge permit to the Borough of Petersburg Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification
EPA may not issue a permit until the State of Alaska through its Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) grants or waives a certification in accordance with section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
ADEC is accepting comments on EPA’s request for certification and on ADEC's draft certification (see Appendix G and Appendix H in the NPDES Permit Fact Sheet below).
To comment or request a public hearing on EPA's notice of application or on ADEC's proposed certification, submit comments electronically to Marie Klingman ([email protected]) on or before September 23, 2024.
For technical questions regarding ADEC's draft 401 certification, contact Marie Klingman at 907-451-2101 or [email protected].
EPA will not issue a permit until ADEC has granted or waived certification.
Clean Water Act Section 401(A)(2) Review
Section 401(a)(2) of the Clean Water Act requires that EPA, as the permitting authority, shall notify a neighboring state or Tribe with Treatment as a State when EPA determines that the discharge may affect the quality of the neighboring state or Tribe’s waters.
As stated above, ADEC is the certifying authority and is accepting comments on the draft Clean Water Act section 401 certification. After EPA receives final certification from ADEC, EPA will determine whether the discharge may affect the quality of a neighboring jurisdiction’s water.
Related Documents
Copies of the draft permit, 301(h) Tentative Decision, and other supporting documents are available below:
- Draft NPDES Permit, Borough of Petersburg Wastewater Treatment Plant, #AK0021458 (pdf)
- NPDES Permit Fact Sheet, Borough of Petersburg Wastewater Treatment Plant, #AK0021458 (pdf)
- 301(h) Tentative Decision Document, Borough of Petersburg Wastewater Treatment Plant, #AK0021458 (pdf)
- Mixing Zone Dilution Modeling for Six Alaska POTWs (pdf)
A copy of the current permit is also available. Other information, including the application and all data submitted by the applicant, all documents cited in the fact sheet, and other supporting documents may be requested by contacting Abigail Conner ([email protected]), 206-553-6358.