Seafood Processing & Hatchery Section
APDES Permitting for Wastewater Discharges from Seafood Processing and Hatchery Facilities in Alaska
- About
- General Permits
- Individual Permits
- Other Info
An Operator of a seafood processing or hatchery facility seeking authorization to discharge wastewater to surface waters must apply for an APDES permit. Two types of permits are available for seafood processors.
A general permit ( GP) is issued on a state-wide, regional, or geographical basis for a category of disposal activities that are similar in nature and will comply with applicable water quality standards. A general permit application, known as a notice of intent ( NOI) form, shall be submitted by the permittees that seek to obtain discharge authorization under the general permit. ***Note: Submit General Permit NOI's separately from Annual Reports. Please send NOI's to DEC.Water.SeafoodPermitting@alaska.gov .
An individual permit is issued to a specific facility that is not eligible for coverage under a general permit.
Contacts
- Anne Weaver - Permit Writer
- Environmental Specialist III
- 555 Cordova Street
- Anchorage, AK 99501
- Phone: 907-269-7483
- Fax: 907-269-3487
- Email: Seafood Permitting
- Jackie Ebert - Seafood Section Lead
- Environmental Specialist IV
- 410 Willoughby Ave, Suite 303
- Juneau, AK 99801
- Phone: 907-465-5336
- Fax: 907-465-5177
- Email: Seafood Permitting
- Benjamin Schmitt - Permit Writer
- Environmental Specialist II
- 555 Cordova Street
- Anchorage, AK 99501
- Phone: 907-269-0103
- Fax: 907-269-3487
- Email: Seafood Permitting
- Earl Crapps - Section Manager
- Environmental Program Manager II
- 555 Cordova Street
- Anchorage, AK 99501
- Phone: 907-269-7681
- Fax: 907-269-3487
- Earl.Crapps@alaska.gov
All applicants requesting an individual permit must complete the following APDES Forms along with any category specific applications, such as existing source, new source, or mixing zone. Individual permits are issued to large facilities and those processors discharging to restricted waters that are not covered by a general permit.
Form | Description |
---|---|
APDES Form 1 (PDF) |
General Application Form Must be completed by all applicants required to obtain an individual APDES permit. |
APDES Form 2C (PDF) |
Existing Industrial Facilities Includes Seafood Processors. |
APDES Form 2D (PDF) |
New Sources and New Dischargers Application for Permit to Discharge Seafood Process Wastewater for facilities without prior permits. |
APDES Form 2M (PDF) |
Request for a Mixing Zone Must be completed by an applicant requesting a mixing zone for a discharge. |
AKG520000 Seafood Processors in Alaska GP
( Expired/Administratively Continued)
Covered shorebased facilities and vessels operating within 3.0 nautical miles (nm) of shore at mean lower low water ( MLLW) or baseline. No new permittees can be authorized under this permit.
A number of Alaskan seafood processors are authorized to discharge wastewater under general permit AKG520000, which expired in 2006. Since AKG520000 expired, DEC has issued a new general permit for offshore processors, AKG523000, and is developing a new shore-based general permit, AKG521000, to replace the old permit. During this transitional period, permittees covered by administrative continuation of the expired permit need to know that continued authorization to discharge is contingent upon:
- Compliance with AKG520000 permit requirements.
- Permittees must submit Annual Reports and updated NOIs for material changes to facilities in a timely manner.
- Some permittees previously covered by AKG520000 must now be covered under AKG523000, if they discharge seafood processing waste from shore (0.0 nm) to 3.0 nm from MLLW shore or baseline.
- Seafood Processing Vessels discharging between shore and 0.5 nm at MLLW must apply for permit coverage under the re-issued AKG5230000. This excludes permanently moored craft and barges, and moored vessels or moored barges that act as support facilities to an onshore seafood processing facility, who may continue permit coverage under AKG520000 until the new permit AKG521000 is in effect.
- Other permittees may no longer be covered by AKG520000 if they discharge seafood processing waste at sea more than 3.0 nm from shore. Permittees should contact EPA to establish the type of permit coverage needed to discharge more than 3.0 nm from shore.
Permit Documents and Forms
Remote Onshore Seafood Processors Wastewater Discharge GP ( Under Development) DEC is developing this general permit for onshore seafood processing facilities discharging to marine and fresh water.
Alaska Offshore Seafood Processors GP (2018 re-issuance)
This statewide general permit is a re-issuance of the Alaska Offshore Seafood Processors GP previously issued on May 23, 2011, and modified on August 21, 2012. The re-issued AKG523000 GP applies to stationary seafood processing vessels discharging between shore (0.0 nautical miles (nm) at MLLW) and 3.0 nm from shore, and in-transit seafood processing vessels and inland water discharge vessels discharging between 0.25 nm and 3.0 nm from Alaska’s shore as delineated by MLLW. The permit became effective January 1, 2019 and expires December 31, 2023.
Owners or Operators as defined in 18 AAC 83 must submit a NOI form for each vessel seeking permit coverage. Applicants can apply online via the AKG523000 electronic (eNOI) webpage. Once permittees are issued an APDES AKG523000 Authorization, continued authorization to discharge is contingent upon:
- Compliance with AKG523000 permit requirements.
- Permittees must submit:
- Monthly DMRs (due quarterly)
- Annual Reports by March 15 each year, and
- Updated NOIs for material changes to facilities in a timely manner. A new NOI* is required if your vessel's discharge locations are different than the previous year.
2018 Permit Documents and Forms
This general permit is a re-issuance of the Seafood Processors Operating Shorebased Facilities in Kodiak, Alaska GP previously issued on March 16, 1998. The re-issued AKG528000 GP applies to seafood processors operating onshore facilities in Kodiak, Alaska that discharge seafood waste to marine waters. The permit is effective June 1, 2021 and expires May 31, 2026. Until the effective date, currently authorized discharges remain covered under the administratively extended GP.
Owners or Operators as defined in 18 AAC 83 must submit a NOI form for each facility seeking permit coverage. Applicants can apply online via the AKG528000 electronic (eNOI) webpage. Once permittees are issued an APDES AKG528000 authorization, continued authorization to discharge is contingent upon:
- Compliance with AKG528000 permit requirements.
- Permittees submitting:
- Monthly DMRs;
- Annual Reports by March 15 each year; and
- Updated NOIs for material changes to facilities in a timely manner.
Permit Documents and Forms
- AKG528000 Permit Documents (PDF)
- Individual Permit Forms
- Ownership Transfer Form (PDF)
- Notice of Termination (NOT) Form (PDF)
2020 Permit Documents and Forms
- AKG528000 General Permit
- AKG528000 Appendices
- AKG528000 Attachments
- AKG528000 Notice of Intent (NOI) Form
- AKG528000 Notice of Intent (NOI) Attachment
- AKG528000 Sea Surface and Shoreline Visual Monitoring and Photo Log
- AKG528000 Seafloor Survey Summary Report
- AKG528000 Annual Report Form
- AKG528000 Annual Report Attachment
- AKG528000 Electronic NOI (eNOI)
- Name Change / Ownership Transfer Form
- Notice of Termination (NOT) Form
This statewide general permit applies to all concentrated aquatic animal production facilities (Aquaculture Facilities or Hatcheries) in Alaska that produce, hold, or contain 20,000 pounds or more of aquatic animals per year in ponds, raceways, or other similar structures; feed 5,000 pounds or more of food during a calendar month; and discharge at least 30 days per year.
The permit becomes effective March 1, 2018 and expires midnight February 28, 2023.
Owners or operators of multiple facilities must submit a separate NOI form for each site or facility. If requesting a Zone of Deposit, applicants must submit the information required in 18 AAC 70.210(b) with the NOI form.
The eNOI form is not yet available for the permit, so applicants must submit the paper copy form to:
- Department of Environmental Conservation
- Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program
- 555 Cordova Street
- Anchorage, AK 99501
- Email: DEC.Water.WQPermit@alaska.gov
Permit Documents and Forms
- AKG130000 General Permit Documents (PDF)
- AKG130000 Notice of Intent (NOI) Form (PDF)
- Ownership Transfer Form (PDF)
- Notice of Termination (NOT) Form (PDF)
Deliverable Due Dates for Existing Facilities that Require Coverage Under the General Permit
Deliverable | Due Date |
---|---|
Notice of Intent with Carcass Disposal Plan | April 30, 2018 |
Operations and Maintenance Plan notice letter | August 28, 2018 |
Quality Assurance Project Plan notice letter | August 28, 2018 |
- NPDES AKG524000 Offshore Seafood Processors in Alaska GP
Covers seafood processors that discharge more than 3.0 nm from shore at mean lower low water or baseline, whichever is farther. Permittees must contact EPA and submit the AKG524000 NOI to request authorization to discharge. See EPA's webpage for further information (permit and NOI). - NPDES Vessel General Permit - Covers seafood processing vessel discharges when they are not operating as a processing vessel, but only acting in a mode of transportation. See EPA's webpage for further information (permit and NOI).
Engineering Support and Plan Review
Applicants who construct, alter, install, modify, or operate any part of a nondomestic wastewater treatment works or disposal system must first have written department approval of engineering plans (Per Article 6. Nondomestic Wastewater System Plan Review 18 AAC 72.600). Written approval is not required for an emergency repair or routine maintenance; however, contact with the DEC must be made prior to emergency repair.
The review, construction and approval process for getting approval of an engineered wastewater disposal system can be found on the Engineering Support and Plan Review webpage.
- ESPR Contact:
- Tanya Bear, P.E., ESPR Acting Section Manager
- Division of Water
- Department of Environmental Conservation
- 610 University Ave. Fairbanks, AK 99709
- 907-451-2177
- Email: Tonya.Bear@alaska.gov