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Phase IV NPDES Program will transfer to Alaska on October 31, 2012
Background
On October 31, 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the State of Alaska's application to administer and enforce the Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) program in lieu of EPA's managing the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program in Alaska. The approved State program includes an implementation plan that transfers the administration of specific program components from EPA to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) in phases over a multi-year period. Phases I-III have successfully transferred from EPA to ADEC.
Transfer of the final phase, Phase IV, was scheduled for October 31, 2011. In March 2011, ADEC proposed a one year extension of the transfer of Phase IV. Phase IV facilities include oil and gas, cooling water intakes and discharges, munitions and all other remaining facilities not previously transferred in Phases I-III.
The EPA accepted comments from the public on the proposed transfer extension through a public comment period and a public hearing. The EPA received comments in support of the Phase IV extension and did not receive any comments urging the EPA to disapprove the program revision. All public comments are addressed in the EPA response to comments document dated August 2011, provided below.
On August 11, 2011 EPA approved ADEC's request for a transfer extension and Phase IV facilities will now transfer to ADEC on October 31, 2012. The EPA’s decision is published in the August 23, 2011 Federal Register, provided below.
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