PUBLIC NOTICE
N.C. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
INTENT TO ISSUE NPDES WASTEWATER DISCHARGE PERMIT #NC0000396
INTENT TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON DRAFT SPECIAL ORDER BY CONSENT
PUBLIC HEARING
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality will hold a public hearing to accept comments on the renewal of draft NPDES wastewater permit #NC0000396 for Duke Energy Progress, LLC’s Asheville Steam Electric Plant, 200 CP&L Drive, Arden, N.C., Buncombe County and draft Special Order by Consent #S17-010 that has been requested by Duke Energy Progress, LLC for the same facility. The public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22 at the Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road, Asheville, N.C. Speaker registration begins at 5 p.m. The public hearing will close after all comments are received but no earlier than 7 p.m.
Public comments on the draft permit modification may be submitted by mail to: DWR-Wastewater Permitting, Attn: Asheville Permit, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C., 27699-1617. Public comments may also be submitted by email to: publiccomments@ncdenr.gov. Please be sure to include “Asheville Permit” in the email’s subject line. All comments received by Aug. 23, 2018 will be considered in the final determination regarding permit issuance and permit provisions.
PERMIT APPLICATION
The Asheville Steam Electric Plant discharges treated industrial wastewater to Lake Julian, the French Broad River, and an Unnamed Tributary to French Broad River in the French Broad River basin. This discharge may affect future allocations in this portion of the French Broad River basin.
The thermal component of the discharge is subject to effluent limitations under the federal Clean Water Act sections 301/306 and N.C. Administrative Code Section: 15A NCAC 2B.0211 (3) (j), which prohibits an exceedance of 2.8 degrees C (5.04 degrees F) above the natural water temperature, and in no case to exceed 32 degrees C (89.6 degrees F). The permit holder has requested a continuance of a Clean Water Act 316(a) variance, which would impose an alternative, less stringent limitation on the thermal component of the discharge. The proposed variance imposes a monthly average limit of 44.4 degrees C (111.9 degrees F). On the basis of the N.C. Administrative Code Section: 15A NCAC 2B.0208 (2) (b) and other lawful standards and regulations, the N.C. Division of Water Resources proposes to continue the 316(a) variance in conjunction with renewal of the permit.
SPECIAL ORDER BY CONSENT
Duke Energy Progress, LLC has requested Special Order by Consent #WQ S17-010 for its Asheville Plant to address issues related to seeps that emanate from the coal ash basins at that location and potentially flow to adjacent surface waters.
Compliance with this order requires Duke Energy to complete activities associated with closure of coal ash basins at the Asheville Plant as a means of eliminating seeps that originate in those basins. During the time that the order is effective, interim action levels will be established in small bodies of water receiving flow from seeps. Seeps not eliminated as a result of closure activities shall be addressed through further corrective action and remediation measures. As drafted, this order will expire no later than June 30, 2022.
The N.C. Environmental Management Commission plans to consider the issuance of the special order during its Sept. 13, 2018 meeting in Raleigh, N.C. The Aug. 22, 2018 public hearing noted above shall serve as an opportunity for the public to provide written and/or oral comments regarding the draft special order. Public comments on the order may also be submitted by mail to: DWR-Wastewater Permitting, Attn: Asheville SOC, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C., 27699-1617. Public comments may also be submitted by email to: publiccomments@ncdenr.gov. Please be sure to include “Asheville SOC” in the email’s subject line. All comments on the draft Order received by Aug. 23, 2018 will be considered in its final determination.
PUBLIC REVIEW OF DOCUMENTS
The draft wastewater permit and related documents are available online at: https://goo.gl/3WtzMF. The draft order is available online at: https://bit.ly/2LkIF4K. Printed copies of the draft order or draft 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.
Questions regarding the draft permit, draft order or public hearing may be sent to the attention of Mr. Bob Sledge, N.C. Division of Water Resources, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1617. Mr. Sledge may also be reached at 919-807-6398 or bob.sledge@ncdenr.gov.