The State of Washington’s Department of Ecology today issued 401 certification, so named because of the section of the Clean Water Act it references, for the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery.
Certification enables the federal Environmental Protection Agency to proceed with permitting the Hatchery to operate legally — something it has not done since 1979, when its permit officially expired. But certification comes with a long list of restrictions, considerations, qualifications and provisions, many with timelines attached well into the future.
Most stakeholders contacted by The Watchery deferred comment till they and their legal representatives have had a chance to review the official 10-page order. Parties have 30 days to file an official appeal.
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