OLYMPIA — The state Department of Ecology is taking public comment on a draft of a new permit to allow vessels to be dismantled while afloat.
Ecology is collecting public comments on the draft permit until Aug. 22. The agency expects to finalize the permit in October.
Details about the Vessel Deconstruction General Permit can be found at http://tinyurl.com/pdn-scrap.
Ecology is developing the new water quality permit to ensure that old or abandoned vessels can be removed safely.
Such vessels can be at risk of sinking and can contain oil, fuel and hazardous materials.
Relatively few facilities are permitted to perform the work of taking vessels apart, and there is no water quality permit for taking vessels apart over water, Ecology said.
The new permit would fill the void but would not replace permits for existing facilities.
Prevent discharge of pollutants
The proposed vessel deconstruction general water quality permit would define the appropriate requirements to prevent the discharge of pollutants while vessels are taken apart.
The new permit would cover individual vessels, allowing permittees to dismantle the vessel while afloat.
That would save money when deconstruction at a shipyard isn’t feasible, Ecology said.
Final dismantling would need to be done at facilities permitted to perform this work.
Ecology enlisted an advisory committee of industry experts in developing the permit.
Ecology will hold a public hearing and workshop at 1 p.m. Aug. 19 at South Seattle Community College Georgetown, Room C-122, 6737 Corson Ave. S., Seattle.
Comments can be emailed to Vincent McGowan at vincent.mcgowan@ecy.wa.gov or mailed to McGowan at the Washington Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600.