ADEQ Announces Significant Cost Savings for State

PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today significant cost savings for the State of Arizona as part of its most recent accomplishments in support of Governor Douglas A. Ducey’s commitment to efficient, accountable government.

ADEQ made significant changes to its office layouts and overall footprint, which resulted in ADEQ vacating nearly 30,000 square feet of office space at its headquarters location (1110 W. Washington St.) and an entire building previously used by ADEQ’s Vehicle Emissions Inspection (VEI) program near 40th St. and State Route 202 in Phoenix. ADEQ also returned 26 vehicles.

ADEQ’s changes are saving the State of Arizona close to $600,000 in annual rent, are expected to generate income for the State from auction sales of the former VEI property, appraised at approximately $1.5 million, and its returned fleet vehicles. Working in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Administration, the headquarters space now will be rented by other State agencies, creating additional cost savings for Arizona.

Not only have ADEQ’s actions saved money, but as part of its headquarters office re-organization, ADEQ relocated personnel to make sure cross-functional teams are seated together to provide efficient customer service. ADEQ also sent more than 17 tons of paper to be recycled and reduced office equipment expenses.

“At ADEQ we love to reduce waste to the environment AND reduce waste in our operations,” said ADEQ Director Misael Cabrera.

PUBLIC NOTICE: City of Cottonwood AZPDES Renewal Permit

PROPOSED ARIZONA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (AZPDES) RENEWAL PERMIT

Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and in accordance with §40 CFR 131, §40 CFR 25, and Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R18-9-A907, the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) proposes to issue an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Permit to discharge pollutants to Waters of the United States to the following applicant, subject to certain effluent limitations and special conditions:

Public Notice No.16-70        Published on May 15, 2016 Published in the Prescott Courier

AZPDES Permit No. AZ0024716
City of Cottonwood
827 N. Main Street
Cottonwood, Arizona 86326

The City of Cottonwood applied for a renewal AZPDES permit for the proposed discharge of up to 1.5 million gallons per day (mgd) of treated domestic wastewater from the City of Cottonwood Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to the Del Monte Wash in the Verde River Basin in Township 16 N, Range 3 E, Section 32, in Yavapai County, Arizona. The Cottonwood WWTP is a publicly owned treatment works that receives domestic wastewater from residential, commercial, and industrial sources in the City of Cottonwood. Sludge is dewatered for land application by a contractor. Variances from the Verde River standards for nitrogen and phosphorus are proposed in the draft permit.

The permit and fact sheet may be viewed online at http://www.azdeq.gov/cgi-bin/vertical.pl by typing the permit number in the box left of “Search Event”. The public notice and related documentation also are available for public review, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the ADEQ Records Center, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona, 85007. In Phoenix, please call (602) 771-4380 or e-mail recordscenter@azdeq.gov 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment to review the file.

Persons may submit comments or request a public hearing on the proposed action in writing, to Jacqueline Maye, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division, 1110 W. Washington St., 5415B-3, Phoenix, Arizona 85007. All written comments received by ADEQ by the close of business on the date 45 days after publication of this notice will be considered in the final permit decision. A public hearing request must be in writing and must include the reasons for such request. If there is a significant degree of public interest, the Director will hold a hearing in accordance with A.A.C. R18-9-A908(B).

ADEQ, ADOT and Keep Arizona Beautiful Host Free Environmental Resources Roadshows in Williams and Prescott Valley

PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and Keep Arizona Beautiful (KAZB) staff will conduct two “Environmental Resources Roadshows,” where attendees will learn about ways to improve their local environment.

The meetings will be held at:

  • Williams
    Tuesday, May 24, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
    Williams Council Chambers
    113 S 1st Street
    Williams, AZ 86046
  • Prescott Valley
    Wednesday, May 25, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
    Chamber of Commerce
    7120 Pav Way, Suite 102
    Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

ADEQ Ombudsman and Tribal Liaison Ian Bingham Expands Role as ADEQ Communications Director

Karin Harris, CEO of eGreen IT Solutions, receives a certificate of achievement from ADEQ Ombudsman Ian Bingham for being an original member of the agency’s Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program (VESP)

Karin Harris, CEO of eGreen IT Solutions, receives a certificate of achievement from ADEQ Ombudsman Ian Bingham for being an original member of the agency’s Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program (VESP)

PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today the appointment of Ian Bingham, ADEQ Ombudsman and Tribal Liaison since 2010, to ADEQ Communications Director. This appointment expands Mr. Bingham’s current service, as he is continuing his role as Ombudsman and Tribal Liaison. In his new capacity, Mr. Bingham will counsel agency executive leadership and direct and manage strategic, proactive marketing and branding activities, internal and external communication and outreach.

Of additional benefit to ADEQ and Governor Douglas A. Ducey’s governmental transformation initiative, Mr. Bingham has designed and implemented processes that remove process waste, increase efficiency and dramatically improve performance since the mid-1990s.

“Widely admired and respected inside and outside of the agency, Mr. Bingham exhibits a true passion for and deep understanding of the value effective communication brings to furthering the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality mission of protecting and enhancing public health and the environment,” said Director Cabrera. “Mr. Bingham leads by example – his commitment to the environment and our community go far beyond his work at the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality in his service as a member of the Board of Directors for the Stewardship Action Council, Arizona Environmental Strategic Alliance Advisor, and mentoring youth by coaching basketball since 1989,” Director Cabrera added.

Now in his 25th year of agency service, his prior experience includes management positions in the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Inspections and Compliance and Corrective Action programs, Waste Programs Division Enforcement Coordinator, technical advisor for UST, Arizona Environmental Performance Track Program Administrator, and most recently, Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program Coordinator, and Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee Representative.

ADEQ Issues Three New Fish Consumption Advisories

800-adeq-fish-1The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), in association with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD), has issued three new advisories that recommend fish consumption amounts to protect public health. These advisories are based on recent analysis of data from fish tissue samples taken from these lakes, which showed these fish have elevated levels of mercury.

ADEQ encourages residents and visitors to Arizona to continue to enjoy the wide variety of recreational activities at each of these lakes, such as fishing, bird watching, and swimming, which are not affected by this advisory.

Fish can be an important part of a healthy, diverse diet because they are an excellent source of protein and low in saturated fat. The American Heart Association recommends eating two fish or seafood meals weekly as part of a healthy diet.

Any potential health risks from eating fish on ADEQ’s advisory list are based on long-term consumption, not eating fish occasionally.

RESOURCES:

ADEQ Fish Consumption Advisory Fact Sheet:

https://www.azdeq.gov/environ/water/assessment/download/fca.pdf

Arizona Game and Fish Department – Arizona Fish Consumption Advisory List:

https://www.azgfd.com/fishing/fishconsumption/

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration Guidance regarding Mercury and Fish Consumption:

http://www.fda.gov/food/foodborneillnesscontaminants/metals/ucm393070.htm 

ADEQ Achieves Landmark Judgement of $1.3 Million in Civil Penalties and Direct Costs for Underground Storage Tank Noncompliance

PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today the first Superior Court judicial judgment related to state leaking underground storage tank (UST) non-compliance, since the state’s UST laws were overhauled in 1997. William W. Arnett will pay $1.3 million in civil penalties and direct costs for UST law violations beginning in the late 1980s at his property, 411 N. 5th Avenue in Tucson, Arizona, where a UST used for storing and dispensing gasoline was located. The judgment concludes a September 2010 lawsuit filed by ADEQ and the attorney general’s office against Arnett in Maricopa County Superior Court following many years of effort to work cooperatively with him to clean up soil and groundwater contaminated with gasoline at his Tucson property.

Three reasons this judgment is significant:

  • It is the first leaking UST case to result in a Superior Court judicial judgment since the state’s UST laws were overhauled in 1997;
  • It establishes, as a matter of law, that defendants in civil actions brought by ADEQ for violations of state environmental laws are not entitled to a trial by jury; and
  • It establishes that defendants cannot misrepresent the true owner of a UST to block ADEQ from seeking sanctions against that owner at a later date.

“Our mission is to protect and enhance Arizona’s public health, air, water, and soil, and support environmentally responsible economic growth,” said ADEQ Director Misael Cabrera. “Each and every day, we work cooperatively with our customers to adhere to environmental requirements and best practices to prevent issues from occurring.” Director Cabrera added, “Our next line of defense is to take proper actions, including enforcement, to address threats to our environment when they are found.”

Because the UST owner and operator were uncooperative, ADEQ stepped in and performed the necessary cleanup of Arnett’s gasoline leak to subsurface soil and groundwater to protect public health and the City of Tucson’s drinking water supply. ADEQ’s cleanup work began in October 2012, and was completed in April 2014.

“ADEQ proactively strives to educate and assist our customers to avoid time consuming and costly litigation,” ADEQ Waste Programs Division Director Laura Malone commented. “While we ultimately achieved environmental protection, had Arnett cooperated with ADEQ from the beginning, a positive outcome would have been achieved years sooner and at a fraction of the cost incurred by the state and its taxpayers.”


About ADEQ UST Program
ADEQ has three active programs to support state laws regarding statewide UST operations and associated environmental investigations and cleanups. These programs work in concert to ensure proper operation and maintenance of USTs, to protect public health and natural resources through requiring UST owners and operators to undertake timely investigations and cleanups of contamination resulting from UST releases, and to provide funds for these actions when needed. To find out more about these programs, please visit:

http://azdeq.gov/environ/waste/ust/index.html

ADEQ Issues Renewable Energy Permit to Facility in Rural Arizona Creating New Jobs and Protecting the Environment

PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today issuance of a first of its kind air quality permit in Arizona to Concord Blue Eagar, LLC (Concord) for a new facility in Apache County, to produce renewable electricity and wood char using innovative processes. In record time for a class II permit, it took ADEQ only 85 days to complete the process from an administratively complete application to issuance, which gives the company authorization to construct and operate the facility.

Located in rural Arizona, the new facility is expected to create more than 40 new jobs – 30 during construction and 12 full-time once operation begins – benefitting the local economy, community and the environment. According to Concord, the facility will process 75 tons per day of wood fuels to operate.

“The Concord Blue facility in Eagar, Arizona offers the potential to increase the market value for small diameter ponderosa pine stands that we need to thin in order to create fire adapted communities and resilient ecosystems in the forested regions of our state,” said the State Forester, Jeff Whitney.

Using a unique technology that heats wood to create a natural-gas-like fuel, Concord plans to generate electricity from materials collected during forest thinning operations, as well as community plant trimmings and sawmill wood debris. Applying this technology at its Eagar plant will produce one megawatt of electricity for the Navopache Electric Co-Op Incorporated, as well as generate enough power to run the plant.

“Concord’s plan to use wood from forest thinning would help foster healthy forests, reduce excess wood that could fuel larger forest fires, clean up unwanted wood debris, and promote community safety,” ADEQ Director Misael Cabrera said. “Swiftly permitting the Concord facility also is an outstanding example of how ADEQ is working with industry to support environmentally responsible economic growth in Arizona.”

Concord Blue Vice President Project Management Scott Noll stated, “Throughout the permitting process, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality air permitting staff provided very helpful guidance regarding air dispersion modeling and did an excellent job expediting their review process once our full application was deemed complete.”

Thanks to significant process improvements implemented agency-wide, ADEQ now issues air quality permits 70 percent faster than just four years ago. Governor Ducey has challenged all state agencies to operate at the speed of business and ADEQ is delivering with faster, cheaper, better government without sacrificing environmental protection. Additional examples include:

  • A 25 percent reduction in vehicle emissions testing fees for more than one million Maricopa County residents;
  • A more than 50 percent reduction in the average time required to return facilities to compliance; and
  • Reducing the time it takes for customers to obtain public records by 70 percent by being the first Arizona agency to leverage technology to make its public record metadata available through an online application called MegaSearch.

Concord plans to begin operating the power plant by the end of 2016 and is working to secure the necessary wood fuel contracts. For more information about the Concord technology, please visit: http://www.concordblueenergy.com/

AZPDES for the Town of Jerome

PROPOSED ARIZONA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (AZPDES) RENEWAL PERMIT – EXTENSION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and in accordance with §40 CFR 131, §40 CFR 25, and Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R18-9-A907, the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) proposes to issue an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Permit to discharge pollutants to Waters of the United States to the following applicant, subject to certain effluent limitations and special conditions:

Public Notice No. 16-31A Published on February 3, 2016
Published in the Verde Independent

AZPDES Permit No. AZ0021804
Town of Jerome
P.O. Box 335
Jerome, Arizona 86331

The Town of Jerome has applied for a renewal AZPDES permit for the proposed discharge of up to 0.07 million gallons per day (mgd) of treated domestic wastewater from the Town of Jerome Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to Bitter Creek in the Verde River Basin in Township 16 N, Range 2 E, Section 23, in Yavapai County, Arizona. The Town of Jerome WWTP is a publicly owned treatment works that receives domestic wastewater from residential and commercial sources in the Town of Jerome. Dewatered sludge is hauled to an approved landfill for disposal. Variances from the water quality standards and interim limits are proposed for nitrogen and phosphorus in the draft permit.

This notice was previously published from December 9, 2015 to January 11, 2016. The draft permit contains water quality standard variances which require a 45 day public notice period, therefore, this notice is being re-published for a period of 15 days to meet this requirement. The permit and fact sheet may be viewed online at http://www.azdeq.gov/cgi-bin/vertical.pl by typing the permit number in the box left of “Search Event”. The public notice and related documentation also are available for public review, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the ADEQ Records Center, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona, 85007. In Phoenix, please call (602) 771-4380 or e-mail recordscenter@azdeq.gov 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment to review the file.

Persons may submit comments or request a public hearing on the proposed action in writing, to Ramona Chomor, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division, 1110 W. Washington St., 5415B-3, Phoenix, Arizona 85007. All written comments received by ADEQ by the close of business on the date 15 days after publication of this notice will be considered in the final permit decision. A public hearing request must be in writing and must include the reasons for such request. If there is a significant degree of public interest, the Director will hold a hearing in accordance with A.A.C. R18-9-A908(B).

AZPDES for Queen Creek

PROPOSED ARIZONA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (AZPDES) RENEWAL PERMIT- EXTENSION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and in accordance with §40 CFR 131, §40 CFR 25, and Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R18-9-A907, the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) proposes to issue an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Permit to discharge pollutants to Waters of the United States to the following applicant, subject to certain effluent limitations and special conditions:

Public Notice No.16-42 Published on February 3, 2016
Published on Northern Arizona Gazette

AZPDES Permit No. AZ0024708
Utility Source
20525 E. Chandler Heights Rd.
Queen Creek, AZ 85142

Utility Source applied for renewal of an AZPDES permit for the proposed discharge of up to 0.125 million gallons per day (mgd) of treated domestic wastewater from the Flagstaff Meadows Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to an unnamed wash, tributary to Volunteer Wash, eventual tributary to the Verde River in the Verde River Basin.in Township 21 N, Range 5 E, Section 1, in Coconino County, Arizona. Notice of ADEQ’s decision to issue this renewal was originally published on December 23, 2015, and ADEQ is hereby extending the comment period an additional 15 days, to February 18, 2016, to allow for interested parties to comment. Variances from the water quality standards and interim limits are proposed for nitrogen and phosphorus.

The permit and fact sheet may be viewed online at http://www.azdeq.gov/cgi-bin/vertical.pl by typing the permit number in the box left of “Search Event”. The public notice and related documentation also are available for public review, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the ADEQ Records Center, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona, 85007. In Phoenix, please call (602) 771-4380 or e-mail recordscenter@azdeq.gov 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment to review the file.

Persons may submit comments or request a public hearing on the proposed action in writing, to Richard Mendolia, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division, 1110 W. Washington St., 5415B-3, Phoenix, Arizona 85007. All written comments received by ADEQ by the close of business on the date 30 days after publication of this notice will be considered in the final permit decision. A public hearing request must be in writing and must include the reasons for such request. If there is a significant degree of public interest, the Director will hold a hearing in accordance with A.A.C. R18-9-A908(B).

City of St. Johns Joins ADEQ Small Communities Environmental Compliance Assistance Program

PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today that the City of St. Johns has joined the ADEQ Small Communities Environmental Compliance Assistance Program (SCECAP).

SCECAP is a statewide program designed to help small cities, towns and special districts comply with state and federal environmental regulations. Smaller cities, towns, and special water and wastewater districts often lack resources and staff to sustain compliance with state and federal environmental laws, so ADEQ began this voluntary program in 2007 to help these, mostly rural, communities affordably protect their public health and air, land and water resources.
stjohns_original
With the addition of the City of St. Johns, SCECAP members include the following municipalities: Taylor, Holbrook, Show Low, Springerville, Eagar, Winslow, Snowflake, and Huachuca City. Sanitary Districts of Naco and Pinetop-Lakeside also participate in the program.

As part of the SCECAP, St. Johns agrees to perform a compliance evaluation to identify environmental laws that apply to city operations, promptly disclose and correct environmental violations if they occur and prepare a Small Community Environmental Protection Plan (SCEPP). A SCEPP establishes policies, management programs and standard operating procedures for addressing environmental concerns. In doing so, the city will be eligible for up to a 100 percent penalty reduction if it has future environmental violations.

“We are committed to helping small communities in the state achieve and maintain environmental compliance,” said ADEQ Director Misael Cabrera. “We congratulate St. Johns for being a leader in the effort to reduce its environmental footprint and hope other small municipalities and wastewater and water districts join the program.”

City of St Johns Interim Manager Paul Ramsey added, “The City of St. Johns is pleased to partner with ADEQ in this endeavor as we focus on maintaining compliance with environmental laws. Our participation in Arizona’s Small Communities Environmental Compliance Assistance Program will help us with continuous improvement and sustaining a high quality of life for our residents.”

In 2015, City of St. Johns staff moved into the new City Hall – the outcome of redeveloping a brownfields property by working with ADEQ Brownfields, State Lead UST and Voluntary Remediation Programs to leverage its expertise and obtain grant funds to cleanup and remove a leaking underground storage tank and asbestos.
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