Monthly Lunch & Learn Series – Section 401 Water Quality Certifications

Did you feel like we only scratched the surface on all things water quality certifications at last month’s Lunch & Learn? Are you wondering about the state’s role in the permitting process? The federal Clean Water Act grants states the authority to review and make a decision on proposed projects and actions directly affecting waters of the United States. In Washington, the Department of Ecology is a key organization responsible for the issuance of Section 401 water quality certifications and works directly with the USACE through the permitting process. Just like with the USACE, connecting early in your project process with regulatory staff at Ecology can help you plan and consider necessary design changes to help make your permitting process go smoothly.

Join us at the next FbD Lunch & Learn on Thursday, June 1st from 12pm – 1pm where we’ll hear from Department of Ecology staff Loree Randall, Section 401 Policy Lead and Federal permit Unit Supervisor, and Erin Hanlon-Brown, Federal Permit Manager and Nationwide Permit Liaison on partnering with Ecology during the Section 401 review process.

Loree and Erin will be joined by Joshua Fleischmann – Natural Resources Specialist with the River & Flood Division of Whatcom County Public Works. Among his other duties, Joshua acts as the agent/applicant for Whatcom County River and Flood Capital projects subject to regulatory review. At the June Lunch & Learn, Joshua and the Ecology team will continue discussing the Cougar Creek project (featured during last month’s Lunch & Learn webinar) but now with an eye on efficiencies for getting through the Section 401 water quality certification process.

This segment is the second installment of a multi-part Permitting Pathways series that will wrap up with the July Lunch & Learn featuring staff from the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation presenting on the Governors Executive Order 21-02 cultural resource review process. If you have comments, questions, or even just frustrations with the permitting process you’d like to share, please submit them here and the backbone team will integrate them into our efforts to help streamline processes.

As always, we welcome feedback and ideas for upcoming topics so please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Lunch and Learn team: Allan Warren (awarren@b-e-f.org), Carol MacIlroy (cmacilroy@gmail.com), Lisa Nelson, (lnel461@ecy.wa.gov) or Matt Gerlach, (mger461@ecy.wa.gov).

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