The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) today posted a draft permit and announced a new public comment period for Duke Energy Progress, LLC’s requested modification to their H.F. Lee Energy Complex NPDES wastewater discharge permit #NC0003417. On Feb. 21, the Division of Water Resources issued a permit to with an effective date of April 1, 2019. The division did not complete all the public notice requirements and is re-noticing the permit for another 30-day public comment period.
The current permit, issued to Duke Energy on Oct. 14, 2009, includes three NPDES permitted outfalls and will remain in effect until after the public comment period when a new permit will be issued. Two new outfalls will be added to the permit: outfall 002A for the emergency and maintenance discharge from the cooling pond, and outfall 004 for the wastewaters generated from the future coal ash beneficiation plant. The facility discharges treated water from all outfalls to the Neuse River.
The draft wastewater permit and related documents are available online at: https://goo.gl/3WtzMF. Printed copies of the draft permit and related documents may be reviewed at the department’s Washington Regional Office, located at 943 Washington Square Mall in Washington, N.C. To make an appointment to review the documents, please call (252) 946-6481.
To comment on the draft permit modification:
- By mail: Wastewater Permitting, Attn: Lee Permit, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C., 27699-1617, telephone number (919) 707-3606.
- By email: publiccomments@ncdenr.gov. Please be sure to include “Lee Permit” in the email’s subject line or comments may not be routed to the correct office for review.
All comments received by May 6, 2019, will be considered in the final determination regarding permit issuance and permit provisions.
NOTE: To be notified of permitting actions by Division of Water Resources, you may subscribe to the division's listserv online at: https://lists.ncmail.net/mailman/listinfo/dwrpublicnotices.