Facility/Site Interaction Types

Facility/Site Interactions explain how a site is tied to Ecology. Interactions are defined according to Ecology the environmental program within Ecology. For example, a gas station site with leaking tanks is in Facility/Site because it is part of the Voluntary Cleanup Program within the Toxics Cleanup Program.

The Facility/Site database uses many acronyms to represent the interaction a facility or site has with Ecology. This table outlines the codes we use and gives an explanation of what each one means. Acronyms are specific to each program. Use the links below to jump to each program's acronyms.

All Programs
Air Quality (AIRQUAL)
Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction (HAZWASTE)
Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA)
Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (SPILLS)
Toxics Cleanup (TOXICS)
Waste 2 Resources (W2R)
Water Quality (WATQUAL)
Water Resources (WATRES)

All Programs

Interaction Type Acronym	Interaction Type	Interaction Type Definition
ENFORFNL	Enforcement Final	An Enforcement action (i.e. Penalty, Order, Notice) was finalized and issued to the respective party, indicating the enforcement action was taken. The start and end date listed in the database are both the date the action was issued to the responsible party.
NONENFNL	Non-Enforcement Final	A Non-Enforcement action (i.e. permit, notice of construction, etc.) was finalized, issued to the respective party, indicating the non-enforcement action was taken.

Air Quality (AIRQUAL)

Interaction Type Acronym	Interaction Type	Interaction Type Definition
AQARS	Air Qual Annual Reg Source	Small sources NOT governed by state or federal operating permit programs because actual or potential emissions fall below program thresholds. See Chapter 173-400 WAC.
AQGSR	Air Qual Gas Sta Reg	Gas stations and gasoline storage facilities. See Chapter 173-491 WAC.
AQLA	Air Qual Local Authority Reg	Small sources governed only by local air authorities.
AQOPS	Air Qual Oper Permit Source	Sources with actual or potential emissions greater than 100 tons of (or 10 tons of any one hazardous air pollutant or 25 tons per year of a combination of hazardous pollutants) fugitive air emissions per year. These are generally large industrial facilities governed by the federal and state operating permit program. See Chapter 173-401 WAC.
AQPR	Air Qual Periodic Reg	Small sources governed by state or federal operating permit programs, requiring periodic registration. See WAC 173-400-102.
AQPS	Air Qual Permit Source	Facilities that as part of their process will emit air pollutants and are seeking construction permits for either a new source or changes to their existing facility. See WAC 173-400-110 or -114.
AQPSD	Air Qual PSD Source	All facilities that emit more than 250 tons per year of air pollutants, or 100 tons per year if the pollutants are within 28 listed categories.
AQSYNMNR	Air Qual Synth Minor Source	Facilities that would be regulated under the operating permit program but have opted to keep their emission limits lower than the threshold for the program Their enforceable emission limits keep them out of the operating permit program. See WAC 173-400-030-77 and 091.

Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction (HAZWASTE)

Interaction Type Acronym	Interaction Type	Interaction Type Definition
TIER2	Emergency/Haz Chem Rpt TIER2	Businesses that store 10,000 pounds or more of a hazardous chemical or 500 pounds or less, depending on the chemical, of an extremely hazardous chemical on site at any one time must report annually. Reports are sent to the State Emergency Response Commission (represented by Ecology) Local Emergency Planning Committees, and local fire departments for emergency planning. (product, not waste)
TRI	Toxics Release Inventory	Facilities in specific industries that manufacture, process or use more than the threshold amount of one or more of 600 listed toxic chemicals. Most threshold amounts are 10,000 or 25,000 pounds per year. Some chemicals have much lower thresholds.
HWP	Hazardous Waste Planner	Under Chapter 173-307 WAC, facilities that report under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning/Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA), or that generate more than 2,640 pounds of hazardous waste per year, must prepare Pollution Prevention Plans.
LSC	Local Source Control	The site has received a technical assistance visit from a Local Source Control Specialist.
UW	Urban Waters	The site has been inspected by an Ecology Urban Waters Inspector.
RSVP	Revised Site Visit Program	HWTR engages in a variety of field work, site visits, and contacts with sites. While most compliance related activity is recorded into the EPA's RCRAInfo system, the other types of activities are recorded into the Revised Site Visit Program (RSVP).
HWG	Hazardous Waste Generator	Facilities that generate any quantity of a dangerous waste. They may be classified as SQG, MQG, or LQG depending on hazardous waste generated for a given month.
HWOTHER	Haz Waste Management Activity	Facilities that are required to have a RCRA Site ID# but who do not generate and/or manage hazardous waste (XQG generator status). This includes transporters, used oil recyclers, and dangerous waste fuel marketers and burners.
HWTRNSFR	Haz Waste Transfer Facility	A site owned, leased or operated by a transporter of regulated hazardous waste shipments where any of the following occurs: 1) receives wastes from another transporter, 2) transfers wastes from one transport vehicle to another, 3) transfers waste from one container to another, and 4) stores waste within a vehicle or on property for 10 days or less. Examples include a parking lot, warehouse, truck terminal, barge or steamship loading/unloading facility, or railroad spur loading/unloading facility.
HWTSDF	Haz Treatment Storage Facility	Treats, stores, or disposes of hazardous waste.

Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA)

Interaction Type Acronym	Interaction Type	Interaction Type Definition
401MIT	401CZM Mitigation Site	Compensatory mitigation sites are often required as permit conditions for activities occurring at 401Proj sites, for impacts to the state’s water bodies. They are to be protected into perpetuity. Examples include restoration, creation, enhancement, preservation, and mitigation bank sites.
401PROJ	401CZM Project Site	A 401Proj Site is a location where a proposed activity has triggered an Ecology action based on its authority from Section 401 of the Clean Water Act and/or Coastal Zone Management Act. The activity may be pending or Ecology has taken some action (denied or approved a permit, conducted an enforcement action, etc.). Examples of projects include: commercial, residential, or industrial developments involving fill of wetlands; dredging and other in-water activities; bridge crossings; etc.
401MITOLD	401CZM OLD Mitigation Site	A 401Mit Site is in most cases associated with a 401Proj site. It is a compensatory mitigation site required as permit conditions for activities occurring at the 401Proj site. Mitigation sites are required for impacts to the state’s water bodies and are to be protected in perpetuity. Examples of compensatory mitigation sites include; restoration, creation, enhancement, preservation, and mitigation bank sites.
401PROJOLD	401CZM OLD Project Site	A 401Proj Site is a location where a proposed activity has triggered an Ecology action based on its authority from Section 401 of the Clean Water Act and/or Coastal Zone Management Act. The activity may be pending or Ecology has taken some action (denied or approved a permit, conducted an enforcement action, etc.). Examples of projects Legacy Data -- include: commercial, residential, or industrial developments involving fill of wetlands; dredging and other in-water activities; bridge crossings; etc.

Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (SPILLS)

Interaction Type Acronym	Interaction Type	Interaction Type Definition
CLASS1	Class 1 Facility	Applies to large, fixed shore-side facilities such as refineries, refueling terminals, and oil pipelines. This definition includes facilities that transfer to tank vessels and pipelines. Full definition can be found in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-180-020.
CLASS2	Class 2 Facility	Applies to mobile equipment such as tank trucks, railcars, and portable tanks that transfer to any non-recreational vessel of any size. Full definition can be found in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-180-020.
CLASS3	Class 3 Facility	Applies to small tank farms and terminals that transfer oil to non-recreational vessels that have a fuel capacity of 10,500 gallons or more. Full definition can be found in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-180-020.
CLASS4	Class 4 Facility	Applies to marinas and other small fueling facilities that transfer oil to non-recreation vessels that have a fuel capacity of less than 10,500 gallons. Full definition can be found in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-180-020.
CPLAN	Oil Facility Contingency Plan	Oil handling facilities that are required to file oil spill contingency plans. An oil handling facility can be classified as a structure, equipment, pipeline, or device located on or near navigable waters of the state that transfers oil in bulk to or from a tank vessel or pipeline and is used for producing, storing, handling, transferring, processing, or transporting oil in bulk.
NERTS	Reported in NERTS	A facility that was reported in the Environmental Reports Tracking System.

Toxics Cleanup (TOXICS)

Interaction Type Acronym	Interaction Type	Interaction Type Definition
FCS	Federal (Superfund) Cleanup St	A federal cleanup site listed in CERCLIS where Ecology has been or is currently involved with the cleanup process or has knowledge of the site from another process.
FUDS	Formerly Used Defense Site	The Department of Defense (DoD) is responsible for cleaning up properties that were formerly owned, leased possessed, or operated by DoD. Such properties are known as Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS). The Army is the executive agent for the program and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the organization that manages and executes the program. Information about the origin and extent of contamination, land transfer issues, past and present property ownership, and program policies must be evaluated before DoD considers a property eligible for Defense Environment Restoration Account (DERA) funding under the FUDS program.
INDPNDNT	Independent Cleanup	Any remedial action without department oversight or approval and not under an order or decree.
IRAP	Independent Remedial Action Program	Ecology staff reviewed IRAP reports and provide written determination indicating whether the cleanup meets Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) standards.
LUST	LUST Facility	A leaking underground tank cleanup site being cleaned up with Ecology oversight or review.
SCS	State Cleanup Site	A site is being cleaned up under state regulations. Regulations include Model Toxics Control Act or its predecessors.
SEDIMENT	Sediments	A sediment site is a location of interest at which sediment chemical and/or biological data has been obtained and evaluated for potential impacts to human health or the environment. Sediment sites may exist beneath or be associated with freshwater, marine and estuarine bodies of water. Sediment sites may or may not be linked to a known land-based facility.
VOLCLNST	Voluntary Cleanup Sites	For a fee, Ecology staff will review an independent cleanup report(s) and provide a written decision about the adequacy of the cleanup actions taken and described in the report.
SCI	Source Control Inspection	Source Control Inspection conducted by Ecology or other agency for TCP Cleanup Sites.
UST	Underground Storage Tank	Any one or combination of tanks (including connecting underground pipes) that is used to contain regulated substances and has a tank volume of ten percent or more beneath the surface of the ground. This term does not include any of the exempt UST systems specified in WAC 173-360-110(2) or any piping connected thereto. See WAC 173-360

Waste 2 Resources (W2R)

Interaction Type Acronym	Interaction Type	Interaction Type Definition
INDUSTRL	Industrial Sites	The Industrial Section focuses on three major industries of Washington State: Aluminum Smelters, Oil refineries and Pulp and Paper Mills. The Section's staff is trained to handle the complexities of these industries and is responsible for environmental permitting, site inspections, and compliance issues. They regulate air, water, hazardous waste, and cleanup management activities at pulp and paper mills and aluminum smelters. They also regulate water, hazardous waste, and cleanup management activities at state oil refineries.
BIOSOLIDS	BIOSOLIDS	Biosolids
COMPOST	Composting	Compost facilities turn organic wastes into compost under controlled conditions without attracting pests or creating human or environmental health problems.
LANDAPP	Land Application	An area of land, under the same ownership or operator, where solid waste that has beneficial use for its agronomic or soil-amending properties is applied under controlled amounts and conditions.
LANDFILL	Landfill	A disposal facility or part of a facility at which solid waste is placed in or on land and which is not a land treatment facility.
MRW	Moderate Risk Waste	A solid waste handling facility that is used to collect, treat, recycle, exchange, store, consolidate and/or transfer moderate risk waste (MRW). MRW is limited to conditionally exempt small quantity generator (CESQG) waste and household hazardous waste (HHW).
RECOVERY	Energy Recovery	Energy recovery facilities that recover energy in a useable form from the burning (incineration) of solid waste. These include energy-recovery facilities that burn municipal solid waste and paper manufactures who burn wood waste at a rate of more than twelve tons of solid waste per day.
RECYCLE	Recycling	Recycling facilities are those that transform or remanufacture waste materials into usable or marketable materials for use other than landfill disposal or incineration. Requirements do not include the collection, compacting, repackaging and sorting for the purpose of transport.
STRHAND	Storage & Handling	Various types of facilities that handle solid waste on an interim basis. These include piles of solid waste, surface impoundments holding liquids, drop boxes where solid waste is collected for future transportation, areas storing over 800 tires, and transfer stations where solid waste is collected, compacted, sorted and loaded for transport to a recycling facility or final disposal at a landfill or incineration.

Water Quality (WATQUAL)

Interaction Type Acronym	Interaction Type	Interaction Type Definition
WQDAIRY	Dairy	Any farm licensed to produce milk under Chapter 15.36 RCW. This definition is further restricted to include only those facilities that are producing bovine milk (as opposed to goat milk), and excludes other dairy related operations such as replacement heifer rearing farms. It should be noted that some dairies have more than one milking parlor and therefore have more than one license.
APALGAEGP	AP Aquatic Plant and Algae Management GP	General permit to regulate application of herbicides and other products used in lakes to treat plants or algae in order to protect state waters.
APFISHIP	AP Fish Management IP	Individual permit issued to WA State Fish and Wildlife (WFDW) that regulates the discharge of 2 fish eradication chemicals (rotenone and antimycin A used to control undesirable fish species) in order to protect waters of the state.
APFISHRMGP	AP Fisheries Resource Management GP	Fisheries Resource Management Permit issued to WA WDFW Rotenone permit
APINVAQG	AP Aquatic Invasive Species Ma	General permit issued to regulate the application of chemicals (used to control non-native invasive aquatic animals and non-native invasive marine algae) in order to protect state waters.
APMOSQGP	AP Aquatic Mosquito Control GP	General permit issued to regulate mosquito control districts and government entities that apply specified control chemicals (used to control mosquitoes and mosquito larvae) in order to protect state waters.
APMOTHIP	AP Invasive Moth Control IP	Individual permit issued to WA State Dept of Agriculture to regulate insecticides (used to control invasive moths) applied to vegetation within and overhanging surface waters in order to protect state waters.
APNXWEEG	AP Aquatic Noxious Weed Manage	The general permit covers the indirect discharge of herbicides, adjuvants, and marker dyes into estuaries, marine areas, wetlands, along lake shorelines, rivers, streams, and other wet areas to manage Spartina and freshwater noxious weeds in Washington. An indirect discharge occurs when there may be incidental overspray or dripping of a chemical from the treated plants into waters of the state.
APOYSTERIP	AP Oyster Growers IP	Individual permit issued to Willapa Bay/Grays Harbor Oyster Growers and to Farm and Forest Helicopter Service Inc. to regulate application of carbaryl (used to control burrowing shrimp) to state waters.
APWEEDGP	AP Irrigation System Aquatic Weed Control GP	General permit issued to regulate applicators of herbicides to control aquatic weeds in irrigation water conveyance systems
BOATGP	Boatyard GP	General permit issued to boatyards to regulate discharges of pollutants to state waters from boatyard construction, maintenance and repair activities
BRIDGEWASHGP	Bridge Washing GP	General Permit for bridge washing DOT counties cities etc
CAFOGP	CAFO GP	General permit issued to regulate operators of concentrated animal feeding operations that discharge to state waters.
CAFOIP	Cafo NPDES IP	Individual NPDES permit issued to regulate operators of concentrated animal feeding operations that discharge to state waters.
CONSTSWGP	Construction SW GP	General permit issued to owner/operators of construction projects that disturb 1 or more acres of land through clearing, grading, excavating, or stockpiling of fill material that discharge stormwater to state waters.
DAIRY	Dairy Unpermitted	Unpermitted Dairy (Facility Site Place Holder)
FISHGP	Upland Fish Hatchery GP	General permit issued to operators of upland fin-fish hatching and rearing operations to regulate discharges to state waters
FISHNETPENS	Fish Net Pens	In water structures that raise or hold fish. This separates these facilities from upland hatchery/fish rearing structures. They will all have NPDES permit. Some are in fresh water and some marine, but all will be located in a waterbody, not on land.
FRUITGP	Fruit Packer GP	General permit issued to fruit packers to regulate discharges of process wastewater and stormwater to state waters.
IND2GROUNDSWDP	Industrial to ground SWDP IP	Industrial to ground SWDP IP
IND2POTWPRIVSWDP	Industrial to POTW/Private SWD	Industrial state waste discharge permit for facility that discharges pretreated wastewater to a public or privately owned treatment works (POTW).
INDNPDESIP	Industrial NPDES IP	Individual NPDES and State permits issued to industries to regulate discharges of process wastewater to state waters.
INDSWGP	Industrial SW GP	General permit issued to industries to regulate the discharge of contaminated stormwater to state waters.
MARIJUANA	Marijuana Growers	This interaction is used for marijuana growers that fill out the checklist Ecology provides when they call and ask whether they will need a permit.
MS4P1GP	Municipal SW Phase I GP	General permit issued to municipalities with populations greater than 100,000 to regulate stormwater discharges from municipal stormwater collections systems to state waters.
MS4P2EASTGP	Municipal SW Phase II Eastern WA GP	General permit issued to all operators of regulated small municipal stormwater collection systems to regulate stormwater discharges to state waters in eastern WA.
MS4P2WESTGP	Municipal SW Phase II Western WA GP	General permit issued to operators of small municipal stormwater collection systems to regulate stormwater discharges to state waters in western WA.
MUNI2GROUNDSWDP	Municipal to ground SWDP IP	Municipal to ground SWDP IP
MUNINPDESIP	Municipal NPDES IP	Individual NPDES and State permits issued to municipalities and other public entities to regulate discharges of treated domestic wastewater to state waters.
NONPOINT	NONPOINT	A Facility or Site that is discharging polluted runoff from urban, agriculture, forestry or other practices and does not have a water quality permit.
RECLAIMSWDP	Reclaimed Water IP	Individual permit issued to a generator of reclaimed water that regulates the location, the rate, the quality, and the purpose of use of the reclaimed water.
SANDGP	Sand and Gravel GP	General permit issued to sand and gravel mining operators to regulate the discharge of pollutants to state waters.
VESSELDECONSGP	Vessel Deconstruction GP	Vessel Deconstruction GP
WATERCOLLECTGP	Tributary Wastewater Collection System GP	General permit issued to operators of tributary domestic wastewater collection systems not regulated under an individual permit.
WATERTREATGP	Water Treatment Plant GP	General permit issued to water treatment plants to regulate the discharge of backwash (generated during potable water production) to state waters.
WINEGP	Winery GP	General permit issued to regulate wineries that discharge process wastewater to state waters.
WSDOTMSWGP	WSDOT Municipal SW GP	General permit issues to the WA State Department of Transportation to regulate its discharge of stormwater (runoff from state highways, rest areas, park and ride lots, ferry terminals, and maintenance facilities) to state waters.

Water Resources (WATRES)

Interaction Type Acronym	Interaction Type	Interaction Type Definition
DAM	Dam Site	Under state law, the Department of Ecology is responsible for regulating dams that capture and store at least 10 acre-feet of water or watery materials such as mine tailings, sewage and manure waste. Ecology's Dam Safety Office currently oversees about 870 dams across the state through plan reviews and construction inspections of new dams as well as conducting inspections of existing dams to assure proper operation and maintenance.

Contact information

For more help with the Facility/Site database, contact
Rachael Erickson
IT Specialist
rachael.erickson@ecy.wa.gov

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