Alaska Beat

State now controls mining wastewater permits

According to the Anchorage Daily News, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decided to begin transferring its role enforcing provisions of the Clean Water Act in 2008 to Alaska's Department of Environmental Conservation. The state has already begun a phased take over of such duties, and has taken over wastewater regulation permitting for seafood processors, fish hatcheries and many sewage systems. On Sunday, the state accepted the authority to administer wastewater permits for mining operations, including those for Pebble Mine should the project move forward. A year from now, DEC will assume regulatory duties for wastewater connected to oil and gas operations. Read much more, here.

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