Sand & Gravel General Permit

Several parties appealed the general permit. The appeals relate to the legal and technical basis for the permit and the feasibility of the new permit’s implementation. The general permit is still in full effect. Ecology will continue to support permittees as they implement the permit.

We will post more information about the appeal and any decisions made by the Pollution Control Hearings Board on this page. You can visit the Pollution Control Hearings Board and use the Case Search Tool (search terms for the two appeals: 26-023 and 26-024) for up-to-date appeal information. The notice of appeal document is available via a public records request.

More information

• Focus sheet: Appeal of the General Permit
  This is an informal guide to your right of appeal. This guide does not cover every situation and is not legally binding.

To submit your permit application through our WQWebPortal to apply for coverage:

• Sign up for a SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account. SecureAccess Washington or SAW is the State of Washington’s secure portal to access and submit applications. 
• Add the WQWebPortal Service to your SAW account to apply for coverage.
• Follow these instructions to apply for an existing permit.

If you require an e-waiver, please fill out the following form or work with your administrator:

• Electronic reporting waiver

If you have an e-waiver, you may use a paper form to apply for coverage:

• Fixed-site coverage form
• Portable operations coverage form

Was your coverage revoked?

Coverage renewals were required 180 days before the general permit expired on April 1, 2026. Renewal applications should have been submitted by Sept. 22, 2025.  If your permit coverage has been revoked and you need permit coverage, use the links above to submit a new NOI.

Application processing

To expedite application processing, after you apply online, please scan or take a photo of all permit forms and email them to your permit administrator and/or manager.

Also, you must mail the original, signed documents to:
Water Quality Program
PO Box 47696
Olympia, WA 98504-7696

The legal responsible party on file will receive all permit coverage documents and permit related information. Please make sure this information remains up to date.

If you have any questions, contact us at the email addresses below.

If you need to update your operating status to either active or inactive, please fill out the following form:

• Activity status change form

If you are reporting a change in ownership, name, or requesting termination of coverage, please fill out the following form:

• Change request form

If you need to update any other permit coverage information, such as adding or removing an activity, updating site acreage, adding or removing a discharge point, etc., please use the following form:

NOTE: Please select "Permit Information Update" as the Application Type in Question 1 on the Fixed Site Coverage Form.

• Fixed Site Coverage Form

If you need to update your monitoring points, please use the following form:

• Monitoring Point Update Form
  This form is not intended to add a surface water discharge monitoring point unless the permittee is permitted to discharge to a surface water body.

If you have permit coverage for a portable operation, please use the following forms for either beginning or completing operations:

• Portable operations — Notice of Intent to Begin
• Portable operations — Notice of Completion

• Annual Reporting Form
  Active fixed permittees must complete this annual report for the previous calendar year and submit it by Jan. 30 each year. It confirms they updated their Site Management Plan, did required inspections, and notes any substantial site changes from the past year.

• Chemical Use Plan Form
  This form is used to report chemicals that may discharge to Washington waters, chemicals used to treat materials that could discharge to state waters, and any significant changes to chemicals that were previously reviewed.
• Sand and Gravel permit guidance
  This guidance explains how to submit quarterly DMRs (due Jan./April/July/Oct. 30) and how to report special situations like inactive sites, oil sheens, and “no discharge,” but it does not replace the permit requirements. Use SecureAccess Washington and the WQWebPortal to submit your Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs).
• 2011 Antidegradation Plan
  Federal and Washington rules set a three-tier antidegradation program to protect and maintain water quality. In Washington, Tier II review is required when a new or expanded action (generally after July 1, 2003) would measurably lower water quality in waters that are cleaner than standards.