Ohio EPA will host a public meeting on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, regarding applications for a wastewater discharge permit and a permit to construct a wastewater treatment plant for the AquaBounty aquaculture facility in Pioneer.
The meeting will be held in the North Central Local High School varsity gymnasium, 400 Baubice St., Pioneer.
An information session begins at 6 p.m. with a hearing immediately following, during which the public can submit comments on the record about the applications for the permits.
AquaBounty has proposed a new aquaculture facility that would discharge treated wastewater from the facility.
The facility would be located at 7 Kexon Dr., Pioneer, and would include freshwater tanks to support salmon growth from hatching to harvest.
If the permit is approved, discharges cannot violate Ohios water quality standards that protect human health and the environment.
The proposed average discharge from the multi-step wastewater treatment system is 4.4 million gallons a day with a maximum of 5.3 million gallons a day.
The application proposes to discharge treated wastewater to East Branch of the St. Joseph River, south of County Road S.
Ohio EPA is accepting public comments about the applications until 5 p.m. on Sept. 19. Written comments can be submitted during the hearing; mailed to Ohio EPA-DSW, Attn: Permits Processing Unit, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049; or emailed to epa.dswcomments@epa.ohio.gov.
Please include the permit names or ID number (NPDES permit #2IH00115 and PTI #1493317) in the subject line of emails. To request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, visit: epa.ohio.gov/ada.
