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Home My WebLink AboutDWQ-2025-002664MINUTES UTAH DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY UTAH WATER QUALITY BOARD MASOB OR VIAZoom February 26, 2025 8:30 AM UTAH WATER QUALITY BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT James Webb Jill Jones Joe Havasi Trevor Heaton Michela Harris DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT John MackeyJames HarrisPorter Henze Clanci HawksBen HolcombLonnie Shull Allie RockhillTessa ScheuerAustin Miller Emily CantonJodi GardbergDanielle Lenz Brendon QuirkDan GriffinEric Castrejon Samantha HeusserDedire BeckAlex Hepner Judy EtheringtonJeff KomelAlan Ochoa Rodriguez Paul BurnettJeff StudenkaBenj Morris Leanna Little-WolfToby HookerJen Robinson Sam TaylorLinsey ShaferSandy Wingert Jake Vander LanSkyler DaviesJen Berjerikan OTHERS PRESENT & ONLINE Ty Howared Rob Dubuc Erka Naran Haley Sousa Liz Harris Elliot (no last name) Mr. Webb, Chair, called the Meeting to order at 8:30 AM. ROLL CALL Mr. Webb took roll call for the members of the Board. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF DECEMBER 11, 2024 MEETING Motion:Jill Jones motioned to approve the meeting minutes.Michaela Harris seconded the motion.The motion passed unanimously. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY REPORT Mr. Mackey addressed the Board with the following updates: Mr. Mackey informed the Board that DEQ’s Executive Director, Kim Shelley resigned her position and the Governor and the Senate have moved quickly to get the position filled. Tim Davis has been approved through the First Committee he has accepted the position. There is a 30-day waiting period before he can be approved by the full Senate and then assuming confirmation, Tim Davis will become DEQ’s new Executive Director. Most recently Mr. Davis served as the Deputy Great Salt Lake Commissioner and prior to that he was the Division Director of Drinking Water, so we know him well and he brings broad experience that we like to see in Water Quality. Mr. Mackey noted that there has been a lot in the news regarding changes in priorities with the Federal Government. We have spent a fair amount of time looking at funding and grants, including the funding that comes to the Water Quality Board in the form of SRF Grants. Mr. Mackey explained that there are different buckets of money that those funds come from. We have the Conventional Cap. Grant Capitalization Grant, we have had some supplemental funds that came in under LIJA or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. We also have the Appropriation that comes from the State in form of match. For a while there were holds on our ability to draw on those funds, but we are happy to report the those holds for all the funds we draw on for the WQ Board are open and we are able to draw which is really important for our mission to meet our commitments for our funding projects. Mr. Mackey noted that on the State level, the Governor has issued Executive Order 2025-01. The purposes of this executive order are to: 1) identify ways to expand and improve the use of permitting by rule and general permitting at DEQ and DOGM in Utah Department of Natural Resources: and 2) Improve the PAL permitting process at DEQ. The full order may be viewed via this link- Executive Order 2025-01 Mr. Mackey noted that we passed a Rule having to do with the Great Salt Lake. It’s called, Great Salt Lake Mineral Extraction Operator Certification, R317-16 within the Utah Administrative Code, specifically addressing the certification process f operators of mineral extraction facilities on the Great Salt Lake. The full breakdown of the Rule may be viewed via this link-Water-quality-laws-and-rules-proposed-rule-changes Mr. Mackey introduced two new Water Quality employees. Deidre Beck is the new Groundwater Protection Section Manager and Austin Miller has also joined the GW Protection Section. You may listen to Mr. Mackey’s full Executive Secretary Report via this Zoom Meeting Recording Link-February 2025 WQ Board Meeting Recording COMPLIACNE & ENFORCEMENT: RequestApproval of Administrative Settlement Docket Nos. I22-08, I22-06 & GW23-01 for Kennecott Utah Copper LLC:Trevor Heatona WQ Board Member, excused himself from this discussion and from the approval process as he is an employee of Kennecott. Motion:Mr. Havasimoved to approve the settlement as presented.Ms. Jones seconded the motion.The motion passed unanimously. WATERSHED PROTECTION: Presentation of Prioritization 2.0: Restoration & Protection Planning of Utah’s Waters: Ms. Gardberg’s information is available for review at DWQ Website-Watershed Protection WASTEWATER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM: Recommendations for appointment to the Utah Wastewater Operator Certification Council for February 1, 2025 through January 31, 2028: Ms. Scheuer asked approval from the Board to appoint her three council recommendations Motion:Ms. Jones motioned to approve the staff recommendation to approve Spencer Parkinson, Jonathan Gubler & Matt Goodrich to serve on the Wastewater Certification Council.Ms. Harris seconded the motion.The motion passed unanimously. RULE MAKING: Informational: Rulemaking to Address HB 453 GSL Revisions: Mr. Harris provided the Board information on their scheduled rulemaking for pursuant to House Bill 453, GSL Amendments. They noted the deadline of June 1, 2025 to have this rule completed and approved by the Board and to meet this deadline we’re going to have to go to Formal Public Comment to start the Rule Making Process on April 1, 2025.In order to accomplish this, we need to give the Draft Rule and the Economic Impact to the OAR by March 14, 2025 and that is prior to the next Board Meeting, which that is why we are here is to get your approval of our schedule since we are going to come to the March 26, 2025 Board Meeting to ask for your approval of the Official Rulemaking process to begin. No Motion was needed to be made, Mr. Harris and the Board Discussed the upcoming deadlines and procedures and this will be revisited at the March 26, 2025 Board Meeting. Request to initiate Rulemaking Proposed Amendments to R317-2 Standards of Water Quality of the State & invitation for a Board Member to serve as a hearing officer for rulemaking: Mr. Vander Laan requested from the Board to approve the Division to proceed to Rulemaking to recommend three substantial changes to Utah’s Water Quality Standards. The second part is to obtain a Board Member to serve as the Public Hearing Officer at the end of the Public Comment period. Motion:Mr. Havasi motioned to imitated Rulemaking for the presentation. Mr. Havasi volunteered to be the Hearing Office at the end of the Public Comment Period.Mr. Heaton seconded the motion.The motion passed unanimously. OTHER: PUBLIC COMMENTS N/A MEETING ADJOURNMENT Motion:Ms. Jones motioned to adjourn the meeting.Mr. Heaton seconded the motion.The motion passed unanimously.To view the full recording of the February 26, 2025 meeting please click this link- Zoom Meeting Recording Next Meeting March 26, 2025 MASOB & Via Zoom 195 North 1950 West Salt Lake City, UT 84116 ViaZoom___________________________________James Webb, Chair Utah Water Quality Board DWQ-