The Shellfish Strategic Initiative Lead (SIL) has opened a Request for Proposals to reduce impacts of Wastewater Treatment Plant outfalls to increase harvestable shellfish acreage in Puget Sound.

Visit the Shellfish SIL RFP webpage to apply: Shellfish Strategic Initiative Lead Request for Proposals

Objectives include enabling state, city, utility district, and privately owned wastewater treatment plants to prepare for modifications and/or implement small-scale upgrades that will lead to shellfish classification upgrades, or reduce the frequency of emergency closures that impact shellfish bed harvest around outfalls. This RFP addresses the Shellfish SILs FFY2021–2022 investment priorities, published in the joint SIL FFY2021-2022 Investment Plan (p28-32).

• Solicitation opens April 11, 2023, and will be open for 7 weeks.
• Applications are due May 31, 2023, by 11:59pm.
• $1 million of FFY2021 and 2022 EPA Puget Sound Geographic funds to award.
• Learn more at the Applicant Webinar April 18, 2023, from 10:00 to 11:30am (Zoom link)

Eligible Applicants

This RFP is targeted towards municipal or domestic (sewage) wastewater treatment plant owners and operators - state, city, utility district, nonprofit, and private owners who are in legal authority of a wastewater treatment plant can be eligible for this funding opportunity. Proposed work needs to meet all applicable federal, state and local rules, regulations, and permitting requirements.

Partnerships which include those who own and/or operate a wastewater treatment plant can be eligible as well. Partners could include local governments, nonprofit organizations, state agencies, tribes, tribal consortia, institutions of higher learning, and special purpose districts. Federal agencies are eligible to be applicant partners but are not eligible to receive funding through subawards. Proposals including partnerships should be submitted by the organization that will serve as the primary fiscal agent and the budget should describe any known subawards to partners.

Did you know?

The Department of Health (DOH) is responsible for the classification of commercial shellfish harvesting areas based on federal and state rules, following the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP), with standards and regulations written in a Model Ordinance and adopted through Chapter 246-282 of the Washington Administrative Code. The classification of each growing area involves the evaluation of marine water quality, point and nonpoint pollution sources, and environmental conditions in the area.

Following the NSSP, DOH prohibits shellfish harvest adjacent to WWTP outfalls as a precaution to protect public health during the most common upset condition (loss of disinfection) at the treatment plant. Precautionary Prohibited areas adjacent to outfalls are required regardless of permit discharge limits and regardless of permittees’ compliance with permits.

This RFP supports actions that can be taken that could result in modifications to the Precautionary Prohibited areas adjacent WWTP outfalls following the NSSP.