Hearing Sept. 24 about wastewater fees

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) seeks public comment on proposed changes to fees it collects for several categories of wastewater discharge permits.

The following permit categories would be increased by the state's fiscal growth factor. This would amount to 4.55 percent for state fiscal year 2014 (July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014) and 4.63 percent for fiscal year 2015 (July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015):

Aquatic Pest Control, Boatyards, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, Dairies, Industrial, Municipal, and Construction Stormwater General Permits and Individual Stormwater Permits,

Private and Government-Owned Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plants, Municipal Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plants that treat water for more than 250,000 households and businesses

Learn more by attending a statewide public hearing by video-conference at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at any of the following Ecology offices:

Yakima: Central Regional Office, 15 W Yakima Ave., Suite 200, 98902-3452, Sundance Room 309.

Spokane: Eastern Regional Office, 4601 N Monroe St., 99205-1295, Room 1-SW-11.

Ecology is accepting public comments on the proposal until Oct. 1 in the following ways:

Testify or submit written comments at the public hearing.

Email your comments to: bpos461@ecy.wa.gov.

Fax your comments to Bev Poston at 360-407-7151.

Mail comments to: Department of Ecology, Bev Poston, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600.

Ecology expects to adopt this change no earlier than Oct. 30.