Public Notice: Opportunity to Comment on Draft Permit for the Chippewa Cree N.O. Winz Reverse Osmosis Treatment Plant in Montana
Summary
The EPA intends to issue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit under the authority of Section 402 of the Clean Water Act.
Activity
Discharge of wastewater from the N.O. Winz Reverse Osmosis Treatment Plant Reject Pond to an unnamed drainage to the Big Sandy Creek. The facility is located at 10625 US-87 near Box Elder, MT 59521. The facility’s discharge point (Outfall 001) is located within the external boundaries of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation at approximately latitude 48.4023° N, longitude 109.9115° W. Authorization for discharge is limited to only those outfalls specifically listed in the permit.
Public Comments
The public comment period ends 30 calendar days after the date of publication of this notice. Any interested person may submit written comments on the draft permit. Comments should be directed to Paul Garrison using the contact information in the "How to Comment" box. If you are unable to adequately address comments via email, please reach out to Mr. Garrison by phone to discuss alternative arrangements. All comments received prior to the end of the comment period will be considered in the formulation of any final permit determination and will be part of the administrative record. Any interested person may request a public hearing and the EPA will hold a hearing if the response to this notice indicates significant public interest. The EPA is also requesting comments on the possible adverse effects of reissuing the permit on historic properties and/or cultural resources in the area. The EPA is the Clean Water Act (Act) Section 401 certifying authority for this permit, because the Chippewa Cree Tribes have not received authorization to implement section 303(c) of the Act. The EPA is also seeking comments on Section 401 certification considerations.
Permit Availability
The draft permit and the statement of basis for the draft permit are available for download below. The full administrative record – including all data submitted by the applicant – is electronically available upon request for public inspection. For further information, please reach out to Mr. Garrison at the contact information provided.
Notification and details of any public comment period extension will be posted here. Interested parties on our email list will also be notified by email. If you wish to be added to our email list, there is a link to subscribe at About Region 8's NPDES Permit Program.
Permittee
Ted Whitford, Director
Chippewa Cree Tribal Water Resources Department
16 Black Prairie Street
Box Elder, MT 59521