Officials with the state environmental department are asking for public feedback on draft permits that aim to protect water quality at Duke Energy’s W.H. Weatherspoon Plant.
The Robeson County facility is required to obtain National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, or NPDES, permits to discharge wastewater and stormwater to the Lumber River and Jacob Swamp. The proposed draft wastewater permit mandates increased monitoring and includes requirements for dewatering the facility’s coal ash pond, a critical first step toward excavating and removing the ash. The proposed draft stormwater permit includes several new requirements, including development of a pollution prevention plan, implementation of approved stormwater management measures and monitoring runoff from the site.
The draft wastewater permit and related documents are available online at http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/water-resources-hot-topics/dwr-coal-ash-regulation/duke-energy-npdes-permits-for-facilities-with-coal-ash-ponds/duke-energy-npdes-modifications-renewals. The draft stormwater permit and related documents are available online at https://deq.nc.gov/news/hot-topics/coal-ash-nc/npdes-permits. Printed copies of the draft permits and related documents may be reviewed at the agency’s Fayetteville Regional Office. To make an appointment to review the documents, please call 910-433-3300.
Public comments on the draft permit should be mailed to:
- Wastewater Permitting, Attn: Weatherspoon, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C., 27699-1617.
- Stormwater Permitting, Attn: Weatherspoon, 1612 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C., 27699-1612.
Public comments may also be submitted by email to publiccomments@ncdenr.gov. Please be sure to include “Weatherspoon Wastewater” or “Weatherspoon Stormwater” in the email’s subject line.
All comments received by Dec. 8, 2016 will be considered in the final determination regarding permit issuance and permit provisions.
As part of the public feedback process, the state environmental agency will hold a public hearing to accept comments on the two draft permits at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 at the Robeson Community College A.D. Lewis Auditorium, 5160 Fayetteville Rd., Lumberton, N.C. Speaker registration begins at 5 p.m.