The Washington Department of Ecology will be gathering feedback during eight "listening sessions" across the state as its first step to update municipal stormwater permits.

The permits describe how cities, counties and other public entities must manage and prevent polluted stormwater runoff. They expire in 2012.

Listening sessions provide a forum for the regulated municipalities and all interested parties to offer suggestions to Ecology to improve the municipal stormwater permits. Ecology will consider the feedback when writing the next round of permits.
 
Sessions scheduled for the South Sound include:

• Tacoma – 1- 4 p.m., Aug. 4 at Pierce County Library Administration Center, 3005 112th Street East.

• Lacey  – 1 - 4 p.m., Aug. 19 at Lacey Timberland Library, 500 College Street S.E.
      
Click here for more information.