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Department of Ecology News Release - December 18, 2006
06-262
OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Ecology will delay the issuance of three municipal stormwater permits until Jan. 17 to accommodate cities that need time to examine the provisions of the permit.
The permits were originally scheduled to be issued Dec. 20 and would have become effective Jan. 19.
Delaying the issuance of the permits will avoid the holiday season when officials and staff may not be available to review the new requirements before they take effect.
"The Association of Washington Cities appreciates Ecology agreeing to this delay to accommodate the schedules of city councils around the state. It's important that cities have time to fully review the new permits so they can decide on the proper course of action," said Dave Williams the Municipal Policy Associate with Association of Washington Cities.
The short postponement applies to three municipal stormwater permits: the Eastern Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit, the Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit and the Phase I Municipal Stormwater Permit. The permits are required by federal law, and issued by Ecology.
The permits will require cities and counties to develop and use a stormwater management program to control stormwater discharges into their storm sewer systems. The stormwater management program is a plan to reduce the discharge of pollution, reduce harm to receiving waters, and eliminate illegal non-stormwater discharges. The program also includes controls on new development and re-development to ensure stormwater runoff is properly managed to prevent pollution.
Separate phase II municipal stormwater permits tailored for Eastern and Western Washington will regulate stormwater runoff from 102 cities and 13 counties across the state that have never before been subject to the regulations.
The Phase I Municipal Stormwater Permit applies to Clark, King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, as well as the cities of Seattle and Tacoma. These jurisdictions have been operating under a municipal stormwater permit since 1995.
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Contact: Dave Workman, 360-407-7004; pager 360-786-3074
Municipal Stormwater permits: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/stormwater/municipal/index.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
