APDES Public Comment Period: AK0055875 - UAS Anderson Building Facility Seawater System Discharge Permit

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced a tentative determination to reissue an Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) permit, number AK0055875, for the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) Anderson Building facility. The facility discharges flow-through seawater from aquatic life holding tanks into Auke Bay. The proposed permit allows for a maximum daily discharge rate of 100,800 gallons per day. The discharge location is specified at 58.38000 North latitude and -134.64420 West longitude. The DEC has stated that no mixing zone is authorized for this discharge. A public comment period is currently open, running from October 6, 2026, through November 6, 2026. Interested parties may submit comments electronically or via mail to the designated permit writer, Amber Bennett. The DEC will review all submitted comments and issue a formal Response to Comments document alongside the final permit decision. Requests for a public hearing may also be submitted during the comment period. The DEC will evaluate such requests based on the level of public interest or the potential for a hearing to clarify issues related to the permit decision.