Notice of Revision to Hecla Mining Company's Lucky Friday Mine NPDES Permit. Comment Period from May 30, 2008 to June 30, 2008.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Region 10
Park Place Building, 13th Floor
1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, OWW-130
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 553-0523
1-800-424-4372 (within Region 10 only)
NOTICE OF PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF A NATIONAL POLLUTANT
DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT TO
DISCHARGE TO WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES
and
NOTICE OF STATE CERTIFICATION
Public Notice No.: ID-000017-5
Technical Contact:
Kai Shum, (206) 553-0060
1-800-424-4372 (within Region 10)
shum.kai@epa.gov
Public Notice Issuance Date: May 30, 2008
Public Notice Expiration Date: June 30, 2008
1. Applicant
Hecla Mining Company, Lucky Friday Mine
P.O. Box 31
Mullan, Idaho 83846
Permit No.: ID-000017-5
The Lucky Friday Mine, owned by Hecla Mining Company, is located in Shoshone County Idaho, approximately one mile east of Mullan. The facility is a silver, lead, and zinc mine and mill. EPA Region 10 issued an NPDES permit for the facility in 2003 that authorized the discharge from three outfalls into the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River. Region 10 is proposing to modify one of the NPDES permit conditions, namely, for the pH effluent limit. The remainder of all other permit conditions are not subject to this modification. The Region is requesting comments on only the condition proposed for modification.
A Fact Sheet describing the conditions proposed for modification is available.
2. Tentative Determination
The Region 10 Office of EPA has tentatively determined to modify the discharge permit to the above listed applicant. The modification is a result of a revised Clean Water Act Section 401 certification issued by the State, and a request for modification from Hecla Mining Company.
3. State Certification
This Notice will serve as Public Notice of the intent of the State of Idaho, Department of Environmental Quality to consider certifying that the subject discharges will comply with the applicable provisions of the Sections 208(e), 301, 302, 303, 306 and 307 of the Clean Water Act. The NPDES permit will not be issued until the certification requirements of Section 401 have been met.
4. Public Comments
Persons wishing to comment on the tentative determinations contained in the draft permit or wishing to request that a public hearing be held, may do so in writing to the above address or by e-mail to shum.kai@epa.gov within 30 days of the date of this public notice. A request for a public hearing must state the nature of the issues to be raised as well as the requester's name, address and telephone number. Comments must be received within the 30 day period to be considered in the formulation of final determinations regarding the application. All comments should include the name, address and telephone number of the commenter and a concise statement of the exact basis of any comment and the relevant facts upon which it is based.
All written comments and requests should be submitted to EPA at the above address to the attention of the Director, Office of Water and Watersheds.
Persons wishing to comment on State Certification should submit written comments within the 30 day period to: June Bergquist, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Coeur d’Alene Regional Office, 2110 Ironwood Parkway, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814 or fax number (208) 769-1404.
5. Administrative Record
The proposed NPDES permit and other related documents are on file and may be inspected at the EPA Region 10 office at the above address any time between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Copies and other information may be requested by writing to the EPA at the above address to the attention of the NPDES Permits Unit or by sending an e-mail to shum.kai@epa.gov, or by calling (206) 553-0060. Copies of the draft permit modification and fact sheet can also be downloaded from the internet at http://www.epa.gov/r10earth.The draft permit modification and fact sheet are also on file at the following locations:
EPA Coeur d’Alene Field Office
1910 NW Boulevard
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814
(208) 664-4588
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
Coeur d’Alene Regional Office
2110 Ironwood Parkway
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814
(208) 769-1422
Wallace Public Library
415 River Street
Wallace, Idaho 83873-2260
(208) 752-4571
Disability Reasonable Accommodation Notice:
If you need a reasonable accommodation for a disability, please contact Patty McGrath at the phone numbers or email address at the top of this public notice. TTY/TDD user please dial Washington Relay Service at 1 (800) 833-6388. Please provide one week advance notice for special requests not related to ongoing programs and services.
Hecla Mining Company Lucky Friday Mine Draft Modified Permit (PDF) (39 pp. 256K)
Hecla Mining Company Lucky Friday Mine Draft Modified Fact Sheet (PDF) (9 pp. 167K)