Public Workshop on Solid Waste Disposal for Stehekin

Date: September 8, 2015
Contact: Kerri Cook, 360-854-7280

The public is invited to participate in a series of public workshop meetings to discuss both the proposed rule to authorize a solid waste transfer station within the boundaries of Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and the reduced rate proposal for solid waste management service. The meetings previously scheduled in September were postponed due to fire activity in Eastern Washington.Public meetings will begin with a 30-minute presentation with a question and answer period, followed by a workshop of small breakout groups to discuss various elements of the proposed solid waste management service. The public comment period for this proposed rule is open until October 13, 2015. 

The workshop meetings will be held at these locations and times:

Wenatchee     October 7,5:00-7:00 pm

             Red Lion Hotel, Chelan Room

            1225 N. Wenatchee Avenue

             Wenatchee, WA 98801

Stehekin         October 8,6:30-8:30 pm

            Community Hall

            Stehekin, WA 98852

Documents that describe the NPS proposed waiver request and reduced rate structure will be provided at the meetings and can be found athttps://parkplanning.nps.gov/SMFRPin a folder titled Waiver Request (under the Document List). Specific discussion topic questions are also posted on this website, and Stehekin residents (both seasonal and year-round) are encouraged to respond to these questions, either in written via the website or orally during public meetings. The public comment period for the reduced rate structure proposal and general solid waste management is open untilNovember 1, 2015.

In addition to the workshops, the public is invited to submit written comments specific to the proposed rule online atwww.regulations.govthen search for RIN: 1024-AE09.

The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2015 and is intended to bring the NPS current practice of accepting solid waste from the private residents and businesses of the Stehekin community into regulatory compliance. The special regulation would allow the NPS to: 

• accept solid waste generated within the park boundary from non-NPS activities, and
• relocate from the floodplain to a site that does not meet all regulatory siting criteria for a new solid waste facility due to geographic constraints within the Stehekin River valley

In addition, a request will be submitted to waive NPS policy in regards to cost recovery requirements for certain elements of the solid waste disposal in response to comments received during the Replacement of Administrative Facilities at Stehekin Environmental Assessment public comment period earlier this year.

Comments specific to the proposed waiver request and reduced rate structure may be submitted throughNovember 1, 2015, via regular mail or hand delivery to: Superintendent's Office, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 810 State Route 20, Sedro Woolley, WA 98284, or via email to:e-mail us.

www.nps.gov/noca