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In March of 2020, the EPA released its final proposed version of the Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) that will replace the 2015 version currently in force. The MSGP authorizes stormwater discharges in areas where the EPA is the permitting authority, e.g., areas not covered by a state general permit. The comment period for the proposed permit ended June 1, and
Over the past several years, regulatory authorities and nonprofits have increased their watch over stormwater compliance. Freer Consulting routinely monitors records for the state of Washington from the Region 10 office of the Environmental Protection Agency for Notices of Intent (NOI) to Sue under the Clean Water Act. In 2019, the EPA received 21 NOIs for Washington businesses and individuals.
This year, a new permit for Industrial Stormwater General Permit (ISGP) for the state of Washington went into effect. Now is a great time to look at how permit holders in King County did over the 2015-2019 period regarding stormwater violations. Data was collected from the Department of Ecology looking at all industrial stormwater violations reported in each year for
In this time of social distancing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s challenging to comply with regulatory requirements due to disruptions in business operations or lowered staff availability. Despite these challenges, there isn’t a legal mechanism that relieves businesses of their duty of regulatory compliance. The pandemic and efforts to fight it continue, yet rain will still fall and stormwater
On March 31, 2020, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) updated CG-CVC Mission Management System Work Instructions CVC-WI-005(2) Request For Recognized Organization Internal Quality Management System Review – “Quality Case” to inform USCG Marine Inspectors to “evaluate situations where objective evidence indicates that a potential failure of a Recognized Organization (RO) or a Third Party Organization (TPO) under 46 CFR
Electronic waste is all too often making its way into local landfills or being exported to countries where it is improperly disposed of, posing a significant threat to the local people and the environment in general. Responsible Recycling Practices Standard, known as R2, was facilitated by the EPA and developed by recycling stakeholders to promote and assess responsible practices for
The new Industrial Stormwater General Permit (ISGP) for the state of Washington went into effect on January 1, 2020 and contains many changes from the 2015 permit that affect both current permittees and businesses that were previously not covered by the permit. Major changes include: When applying for coverage, applicants must identify their industrial category using North American Industry Classification
The ISO 14001 is an internationally accepted environmental system that will increase efficiency within your company, and is needed for getting certified with other leading environmental standards. Keeping an eye out for the environment in this day and age should not only be a top priority for ourselves, but for our businesses as well. Implementing an ISO 14001 management system
Freer Consulting recently took over the management of a “Regulatory Database” for a key maritime transportation client. This database tracks the expiration of important licenses and certifications for the company’s vessels. The maritime regulatory ecosystem is vast, with diverse state, Federal, and international authorities requiring certificates that expire on different dates and can have different renewal intervals. Non-compliance with these
Here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s easy to take our abundance of water for granted. Our region is fortunate to have numerous streams, rivers, and lakes that we depend upon for drinking water, for recreation, and for ecological sustainability. In recent years, greater attention has been paid to understanding the impact that stormwater runoff has had on surface waters, and