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51 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, December 10, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 27, 2004 Meeting set on ski area’s sewage treatment permit By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune ASHLAND — Anyone with questions or concerns about the proposed renewal of the Mount Ashland Ski Area’s sewage treatment permit is encouraged to attend an informal informational session this evening at the Ashland City Council chambers. The event, organized by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, begins at 7 p.m. Members of the DEQ’s staff will be on hand to discuss the issues with individuals as well as hold a group question-and-answer session about the permit’s renewal request from the nonprofit Mount Ashland Association, which operates the ski area. The informal meeting will be followed by a formal session beginning at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 in the council chambers. At that point, both formal oral and written comments will be accepted. "We’ll be there as long as there are people wanting to talk into the microphone," said Chuck Costanzo, a DEQ natural resource specialist. Advertisement The council chambers are located at 1175 East Main Street in Ashland. What is officially known as a water pollution control facilities permit was issued in 1999 to the association for the construction and operation of a new sewage treatment system to replace the existing system and provide additional capacity for ski area growth. The permits must be renewed periodically. The association’s permit allows for a sewage flow of 15,750 gallons per day. The agency is proposing renewal of the permit, although with some modifications, Costanzo said. The proposed permit requires the association to test the effluent from its sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treatment system unit every month the plant is in operation. The ski area operators will also be required to test the down-slope monitoring well every month of the year for nitrate levels. The SBR treats raw sewage by using aeration and mixing to accelerate the sewage treatment process, according to the DEQ. The biological sewage treatment system removes pollutants from sewage through microbial oxidation, producing a much higher level of treatment than a septic tank, officials explained. The DEQ closely monitors the test results and looks for any significant increases in pollution to ensure that human health and the environment are protected. After five years of testing, there have been no significant increases in the nitrate level in the groundwater, Costanzo said. "We’re going to continue that monitoring requirement," he stressed. The safe drinking-water standard is 10.0 milligrams per liter, and the samples from the monitoring well have never been above 0.5 milligrams per liter. Deadline for making comments to the DEQ about the permit request is Nov. 15. For more information, contact Costanzo via e-mail: [email protected] Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities