We are accepting public comment on certification conditions for the following EPA draft permit.
We are looking for your feedback on what water quality conditions we should consider to make sure EPA’s permits for the United States Department of the Navy Naval Base Kitsap Bangor National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit (#WA0025577) meet Washington state’s water quality standards.
Please read the public notice and application for more information.
The EPA is holding its public comment period on the proposed permits from Feb. 14 to March 16, 2023. We are not accepting comments on the contents of the draft permits. Please direct any comments you have on the draft permits to EPA.
Read our announcement: Comment period on our 401 certification of two EPA permits
Background on 401 certifications
We review federal projects and permits that expect to release (discharge) water into streams, lakes, wetlands, and other waterbodies that are defined as waters of the United States under federal law in Washington state.
Our water quality standards are often stricter than federal standards in order to protect aquatic species that make our waterways home, such as salmon and orca. The Clean Water Act gives us the authority to make sure that federal permits and licenses meet state standards.
We work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency NPDES permit process to address water pollution from federal and tribal facilities into surface waters such as rivers, lakes, and streams. See our 401 certifications of federal NPDES permits webpage for more information.