Topics Related to Water Resources

The North Carolina State Emergency Response Team is in close coordination with agencies in Virginia regarding the ongoing environmental issue resulting from the South Hill, Virginia, warehouse fire that occurred on July 6.

The Virginia Department of Health has issued a recreational swimming and fish consumption advisory for surface waters, including the Meherrin and Roanoke rivers, that extend to the North Carolina-Virginia border. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) is sharing this advisory for public awareness of residents and visitors in the potentially affected areas of Warren, Northampton and Halifax counties near the Virginia border.

Public Notice North Carolina Environmental Management Commission/NPDES Unit 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Notice of Intent to Issue a NPDES Wastewater Permit NC0041408 Anson County Regional WWTP -The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission proposes to issue a NPDES wastewater discharge permit to the person(s) listed below. Written comments regarding the proposed permit will be accepted until 30 days after the publish date of this notice. The Director of the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) may hold a public hearing should there be a significant degree of public interest. Please mail comments and/or information requests to DWR at the above address. Interested persons may visit the DWR at 512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27604 to review the information on file. Additional information on NPDES permits and this notice may be found on our website: https://deq.nc.gov/public-notices-hearings,or by calling (919) 707-3601. Anson County [575 Hwy 52 South, Wadesboro, NC 28170] has requested renewal of NPDES permit NC0041408 for its Anson County Regional WWTP, located in Anson County. This permitted facility discharges treated municipal wastewater to the Pee Dee River, a class C, water in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin. Currently BOD, ammonia, fecal coliform, dissolved oxygen, and pH are water quality limited. This discharge may affect future allocations in this segment of the Pee Dee River. (Public Notice will run in The Anson Record on 7/17/27.) View Draft Permit NC0041408 and Related Documents Send Comments To: NCDEQ-DWR Water Quality Permitting Section 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Comment Period Ends: 8/16/24

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) has expanded its severe and moderate drought classifications across the state, and introduce the extreme drought classification for part of one county in eastern North Carolina.

Public Notice North Carolina Environmental Management Commission/NPDES Unit 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Notice of Intent to Issue a NPDES Wastewater Permit NC0030716 Central Johnston County Regional WWTP & 210 WWTF The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission proposes to issue a NPDES wastewater discharge permit to the person(s) listed below. Written comments regarding the proposed permit will be accepted 30 days after the publish date of this notice. The Director of the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) may hold a public hearing should there be a significant degree of public interest. Please mail comments and/or information requests to DWR at the above address. Interested persons may visit the DWR at 512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27604 to review the information on file. Additional information on NPDES permits and this notice may be found on our website: https://deq.nc.gov/public-notices-hearings, or by calling (919) 707-3601. Johnston County [PO Box 2263, Smithfield, NC 27577] has requested modification of NPDES permit NC0030716 for its Central Johnston County Wastewater Treatment Plant and 210 Wastewater Treatment Facility, located in Johnston County. This permit modification is for the expansion of the combined flow discharged from the two facilities as well as revision of the permitted Total Nitrogen loading limitation to reflect the inclusion of nutrient offset credits acquired from Restoration Systems, LLC. This permitted facility discharges treated municipal wastewater to the Neuse River, a class WS-V;NSW water in the Neuse River Basin. This discharge may affect future allocations in this segment of the Neuse River. (Public Notice will run in The News and Observer on 7/12/24.) View Draft Permit NC0030716 and Related Documents Send Comments To: NCDEQ-DWR Water Quality Permitting Section 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Comment Period Ends: 8/12/24

Public Notice North Carolina Environmental Management Commission/NPDES Unit 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Notice of Intent to Issue a NPDES Wastewater Permit NC0056065 Marine Maintenance Facility WTP The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission proposes to issue a NPDES wastewater discharge permit to the person(s) listed below. Written comments regarding the proposed permit will be accepted until 30 days after the publish date of this notice. The Director of the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) may hold a public hearing should there be a significant degree of public interest. Please mail comments and/or information requests to DWR at the above address. Interested persons may visit the DWR at 512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27604 to review the information on file. Additional information on NPDES permits and this notice may be found on our website: https://deq.nc.gov/public-notices-hearings, or by calling (919) 707-3601. NC DOT [8550 Shipyard Rd, Manns Harbor, NC 27953] has requested renewal of NPDES permit NC0056065 for the Marine Maintenance Facility, located in Dare County. This permitted facility discharges treated wastewater to the Spencer Creek and Croatan Sound, class SA; HQW waters in the Pasquotank River Basin. Some of the parameters in the permit are water quality limited. This discharge may affect future allocations in Spencer Creek and Croatan Sound. (Public Notice will run in The Coastland Times on 7/14/24.) View Draft Permit NC0056065 and Related Documents Send Comments To: NCDEQ-DWR Water Quality Permitting Section 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Comment Period Ends: 8/14/24

Public Notice North Carolina Environmental Management Commission/NPDES Unit 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Notice of Intent to Issue a NPDES Wastewater Permit NC0020435 Town of Pinetops WWTP The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission proposes to issue a NPDES wastewater discharge permit to the person(s) listed below. Written comments regarding the proposed permit will be accepted until 30 days after the publish date of this notice. The Director of the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) may hold a public hearing should there be a significant degree of public interest. Please mail comments and/or information requests to DWR at the above address. Interested persons may visit the DWR at 512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27604 to review the information on file. Additional information on NPDES permits and this notice may be found on our website: https://deq.nc.gov/public-notices-hearings, or by calling (919) 707-3601. The Town of Pinetops applied to renew NPDES permit NC0020435 Town of Pinetops WWTP (500 Bruton Craft Lane, Pinetops) in Edgecombe County. This facility discharges into Town Creek in the Tar-Pamlico River Basin. Currently biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), ammonia nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, total residual chlorine, total nitrogen load, and total phosphorus load are water quality limited. This discharge may affect future wasteload allocations in Town Creek. (Public Notice will run in the Rocky Mount Telegram on 7/12/24.) View Draft Permit NC0020435 and Related Documents Send Comments To: NCDEQ-DWR Water Quality Permitting Section 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Comment Period Ends: 8/12/24

PUBLIC NOTICE N.C. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INTENT TO ISSUE NPDES WASTEWATER DISCHARGE PERMIT #NC0000396 Public comment or objection to the draft permit is invited. All comments received by August 16, 2024, will be considered in the final determination regarding permit issuance and permit provisions. PERMIT APPLICATION Duke Energy Progress, LLC, 526 South Church St., Charlotte, N.C., has applied for renewal of its NPDES wastewater permit (NC0000396) for Asheville Combined Cycle Plant, 46 Duke Energy Lane, Arden, Buncombe County. The facility discharges treated industrial wastewater to Lek Julian and French Broad River, French Broad River Basin. Some parameters are water quality limited. This discharge may affect future allocations in this portion of the French Broad River basin. The location of Outfall 001 is: Latitude: 35028’03"; Longitude: 82032’56". The location of Outfall 002 is: Latitude: 35028’10"; Longitude: 82032’20". The draft wastewater permit and related documents may be reviewed at the department’s Asheville Regional Office. To make an appointment to review the documents, please call 828-296-4500. Public comment on the draft permit modification should be mailed to: Wastewater Permitting, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C., 27699-1617. Public comments may also be submitted by email to: publiccomments@deq.nc.gov. Please be sure to include "Asheville Plant" in the email’s subject line. Public Notice will run in the Asheville Citizen-Times on 7/12/24. Comment Period Opens: 7/12/24 Comment Period Ends: 8/16/24

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) has classified 10 counties as in severe drought classification, or D2, in the latest drought advisory released Wednesday. In addition, DMAC expanded the moderate drought (D1 classification) to 69 counties across the state. Another 21 counties were classified as abnormally dry. The latest classifications mean 99.98% of the state is now in drought, or experiencing abnormally dry conditions.

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission will meet July 10-11 in the Ground Floor Hearing Room of the Archdale Building in Raleigh. Members of the public may attend in-person or join the meeting by computer or phone.