As Water Protector for Spokane Riverkeeper, I evaluate permits, advocate for tougher pollution limits, and go after those violating the terms of their permits. We submit comment letters to challenge the Washington Department of Ecology, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other similar agencies to ratchet back pollution limits and adopt policies to reduce the toxic pollution that reaches our river. While it is not the most glamorous work to push state and federal agencies to adopt better pollution limits, it is a key part in what we do to protect our river, and our communities who catch and eat fish from toxics!
Recent Comment on Stormwater Permits
Many pipes discharge water into the Spokane River. In November of 2023, we submitted comments on the Eastern Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit and Draft 2024 Stormwater Management Manuals. This permit regulates discharge from municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) operated by City of Spokane, Spokane Valley, and Spokane County, among others in the region. This new permit will be effective from August 1, 2024 through July 31, 2029.
Stormwater is water from rain or snow that runs off of surfaces like roads, rooftops, and parking lots. As the water runs over these surfaces, it picks up various toxic pollutants that then end up in our waterways. The draft permit for Eastern Washington failed to adequately protect the Spokane River and its watershed from pollutants in runoff. Most notably, the draft permit and manual failed to mention or consider current discharges into Hangman (Latah) Creek. Washington Department of Ecology is required to follow the standards it established in its Hangman (Latah) Creek Watershed multi-parameter Total Maximum Daily Load: Water Quality Implementation Plan, and the Settlement Agreement it entered into with Spokane Riverkeeper in 2018.
MS4s in the Spokane region, including the City of Spokane, discharge stormwater directly into Hangman (Latah) Creek. Failing to consider the impacts of stormwater on Hangman (Latah) Creek and its tributaries, and establishing specific, clear inspection and maintenance guidelines for those outfalls increases the risk of illicit discharges and use of outdated systems. As such, Spokane Riverkeeper strongly urged Ecology to consider including specific permit standards for outfalls into Hangman (Latah) Creek.
You can read the full comment letter here.
Please note this permit does not include stormwater from state highways, rest areas, park-and-ride lots, ferry terminals, and maintenance facilities within the urbanized areas of the state. A separate permit, Washington State Department of Transportation Municipal Stormwater Permit, governs the discharges by WSDOT, and expires in April of 2024. We anticipate the comment period to open in December for the new WSDOT permit.
Recent Comment on Ecology TMDL Prioritization
The Clean Water Act requires Ecology to draft and implement water quality improvement projects - called Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) - for waters that have been determined to be impaired under the Clean Water Act. Each TMDL project is unique to address the pollutant causing the water quality problem, and are approved by the U.S. EPA prior to implementation. Each year, Ecology asks for public comment on its future prioritization list for new TMDL projects. This year, Ecology has indicated that they intend to focus on implementing previously issued TMDLs on the Spokane River and Little Spokane River.
Spokane Riverkeeper is strongly urging Ecology to develop a temperature TMDL for the Spokane River. Two segments of the Spokane River are already on the Impaired Waters list for temperature, stretching from the Idaho state line to Myrtle Point near Plante’s Ferry Sports Stadium, and often the water temperature in these stretches exceeds standards suitable for our native redband trout. Despite being listed 25 years ago, these portions of the river still do not have a TMDL in place for temperature. Having strong temperature limits on the Spokane River will help to protect this native aquatic life and our river ecosystem.
High water temperatures are catastrophic for native fish populations. To read more about the effects high temperatures have on native fish populations and why temperature regulation is important, take a look at our 2021 Water Temperature Report for a comprehensive review of the issues, and check out our Water Temperature page for monitoring reports, current temperatures, and more.
You can read the full comment letter here.
Spokane Riverkeeper is also monitoring progress on a new PCB TMDL being implemented by EPA. Stay tuned for future ways you may be able to get involved in public comments. Follow Spokane Riverkeeper on social media and sign up for our newsletter to always get the latest updates.