State officials will host a public hearing March 15 in Wilmington to gather comments on draft solid waste and isolated wetlands permits Duke Energy is seeking for an industrial landfill at its L.V. Sutton Energy Complex.
The 6 p.m. public hearing will be held at Cape Fear Community College’s Union Station Auditorium, 502 North Front St., Wilmington. People who wish to speak can start signing in at 5 p.m.
Duke Energy is seeking the isolated wetlands permit and the solid waste permit so the company can construct an on-site industrial landfill at the Sutton facility to hold coal ash removed from on-site ash ponds. Under the draft solid waste permit, other wastes generated on-site would also be eligible for disposal in the landfill.
The draft solid waste permit seeks to ensure that coal ash is stored in a double-lined landfill away from surface water. The draft solid waste permit calls for the industrial landfill to be constructed with a system for collecting wastewater and requires routine monitoring to ensure the landfill is being properly maintained.
The utility announced it plans to excavate ash from the two coal ash impoundments at Sutton and transport the ash to the on-site industrial landfill or former mines in Chatham or Lee counties, where the ash will serve as structural fill.
Gathering input at the hearing and during the comment period is an important part of the public process. Comments will be considered before a decision is made on the permit.
Information about the solid waste permit, including the permit application, can be found on the state environmental agency’s website at: https://deq.nc.gov/news/hot-topics/coal-ash-nc/facilities-permits/sutton. Information about the draft wetlands permit can be found online at: http://edocs.deq.nc.gov/WaterResources/0/fol/310763/Row1.aspx.
In keeping with the coal ash law, the public has 60 days, or until April 15, to comment on both permits.
Written comments on the solid waste permit may be submitted to: Ed Mussler, N.C. Division of Waste Management, Solid Waste Section, N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, Attn: Ed Mussler, 1646 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1646 or by email to publiccomments@ncdenr.gov.
Written comments on the draft wetlands permit should be sent to: 401 & Buffer Permitting, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 or by email to Jennifer.burdette@ncdenr.gov.