Upland Finfish Hatching & Rearing General Permit
The Upland Finfish Hatching and Rearing General Permit regulates the discharge of wastewater from fish hatcheries in Washington state. Salmon, trout, and other finfish species are grown for a variety of reasons, such as commercial sales, fishing opportunities, and conservation.
The current permit went into effect Oct. 1, 2021, and it expires Sept. 30, 2026.
Current permit documents
- 2021 general permit, effective Oct. 1, 2021
- Fact Sheet for the draft 2021 general permit with Appendix C: Response to Comments
- Small Business Economic Impact Analysis, December 2020
Permit reissuance
The draft permit is now available for review and public comment. A public notice was published in the Washington State Register on April 1, 2026.
- Draft 2026 Upland Finfish Hatching and Rearing General Permit
- Fact sheet on the draft 2026 general permit
- Small Business Economic Impact Analysis, February 2026
- Proposed application for coverage: Notice of Intent (NOI)
- Proposed form for permit coverage transfer: Notice of Transfer
Public involvement
Ecology invites comments on the draft permit from 9 a.m. April 1, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. May 22, 2026. Ecology prefers online comment submissions. Written comments by mail must be postmarked by May 22, 2026, to be included in the public record. Comments should reference specific permit text when possible.
Ways to comment
- Submit comments online
- By U.S. mail (postmarked by May 22, 2026)
Laurie Niewolny
Washington Department of Ecology
PO Box 47775
Olympia, WA 98504-7775 - At our public hearings
Public meetings and hearings
We will host two online public meetings via Zoom in May: one in the afternoon and one in the evening. We will share the same informational presentation at each session about the permit reissuance process and our proposed changes in the draft permit. A question-and-answer session will follow, then a formal public hearing.
The hearings provide an opportunity for the public to give formal spoken testimony on the proposed draft permit. The public hearings begin immediately following the meetings and conclude when public testimony is complete. Spoken testimony will receive the same consideration as written comments.
Afternoon Public Meeting and Hearing
May 5, 2026 – 1:30 p.m.
Register in advance for this meeting
Evening Public Meeting and Hearing
May 6, 2026 – 5:30 p.m.
Register in advance for this meeting
Next steps
Ecology will review and consider all comments received. We will make appropriate revisions based on public comments, publish an official Response to Comments as an appendix to the fact sheet, and make a final decision on permit issuance in late summer 2026.
Anticipated timeline
April 1 – May 22, 2026: Formal public comment period on the draft permit
May 5 and 6, 2026: Public meetings and hearings
Late Summer 2026: Decision on reissuance
Sept. 30, 2026: Current permit expires
For facilities located in the following counties:
King and Kitsap
Laurie Niewolny
laurie.niewolny@ecy.wa.gov
360-584-8852
Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom
Chris Smith
chris.smith@ecy.wa.gov
206-594-0169
For facilities in the following counties:
Pierce
Honor Carpenter
honor.carpenter@ecy.wa.gov
360-485-2701
Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston
Adonia McKinzi
adonia.mckinzi@ecy.wa.gov
360-480-1434
Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania, and Wahkiakum
Yago Perniciaro
yago.perniciaro@ecy.wa.gov
360-790-3343
For facilities located in the following counties:
Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Yakima
Marcia Porter
marcia.porter@ecy.wa.gov
509-454-7864
For facilities located in the following counties:
Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman
Ridwan Akogun
ridwan.akogun@ecy.wa.gov
509-904-5190
Contact information
Laurie Niewolny
Aquaculture Specialist and Statewide Permit Coordinator
laurie.niewolny@ecy.wa.gov
360-584-8852