Notice of Public Hearing
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. on March 7, 2023, for National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Wastewater Discharge Permit #NC0024147. The purpose of the hearing is to give the opportunity to comment on the draft NPDES permit which was previously public noticed on September 22, 2022.

Permit Application
The City of Sanford has applied for a renewal of its NPDES wastewater permit (NC0024147) for the Big Buffalo Wastewater Treatment Plant, 5327 Iron Furnace Road, Sanford, NC, Lee County. The facility will discharge treated municipal and industrial wastewater to Deep River in the Cape Fear River Basin (Class C). This discharge may affect future allocations in this portion of the Cape Fear River Basin. The location of the Outfall is: Latitude: 35°33’03 N; Longitude: 79°13’29”.

A public hearing will be held on March 7, 2023, to accept public comments on the draft permit. Written comments will be accepted through March 8, 2023, at 5 p.m. All comments will be considered in the final determination regarding permit issuance and permit provisions.

The draft wastewater permit and related documents are available online at: https://deq.nc.gov/public-notices-hearings. Printed copies of the draft permit and related documents may be reviewed at the department’s Raleigh Regional Office (3800 Barrett Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609). To make an appointment to review the documents, please call 919-791-4200, and ask for a Water Quality Regional Operations Supervisor. File materials may not be removed from any DWR office; copy machines are available for use upon payment of the cost thereof to DWR pursuant to G.S. 132-6.2.

Public comments on the draft permit may be mailed to: Wastewater Permitting, Attn: Sanford-Big Buffalo Permit, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C., 27699-1617, and must be postmarked no later than March 8, 2023. Public comments may also be submitted by email to: publiccomments@ncdenr.gov. Please include “Big Buffalo” in the email subject line. Comments will be accepted via email until March 8, 2023, 5 p.m.

Public Hearing Details
IN-PERSON
Date:         Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 6 p.m.
Location:   Earnest and Ruby McSwain Extension Education and Agricultural Center
Address:   2420 Tramway Rd, Sanford, NC 27330
Register:   Speaker registration opens at 5:30 p.m., onsite via sign-up sheet.
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/Rak3j9hXiNAuh3cJ9

View Draft Permit and Related Documents

Public Notice will run in The Sanford Herald on 2/2/23.