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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0089699_Draft Permit_20170822Water Resources ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY August 22, 2017 Mr. Lance Metzler, County Manger Rockingham County 371 NC Highway 65 Reidsville, North Carolina 27320 ROY COOPER Gorento, MICHAEL S REGAN Sect etas y S JAY ZIMMERMAN Du ectot Subject: Draft NPDES Permit Permit NCO089699 Reidsville Energy Center Rockingham County Class 1 Facility Dear Mr. Metzler: Enclosed with this letter is a copy of the Draft NPDES permit for your facility. Please review this draft carefully to ensure thorough understanding of the requirements and conditions it contains. The permit includes the following conditions: • Two outfalls were established on the permit, one internal outfall for low volume wastes (Outfall 002) and one for the cooling tower blowdown and the low volume wastes combined (Outfall 001). • Outfall 001 limits: Federal effluent guideline limits for cooling tower blowdown were applied at this outfall. Total Suspended Solids (TSS) limits were implemented for this outfall since the stream is impaired for turbidity. • Internal Outfall 002 limits: federal effluent limits for low volume wastes were implemented for this outfall. • The permit authorizes a mixing zone based on the results of the CORMIX model. [See Special Condition A(4)] • Special condition A(7) includes requirements for the Cooling Water Intake Structures (CWIS) as required by 40 CFR 125 Subpart I. • Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) and program reports. The final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule was adopted and became effective on December 21, 2015. The requirement to begin reporting discharge monitoring data electronically using the NC DWR's Electronic Discharge Monitoring Report (eDMR) internet application has been added to your final NPDES permit. [See Special Condition A. (9)] For information on eDMR, registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account, please visit the following web page: http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water- resources/edmr. State of North Carolina I EnvtronmentalQuality IWater Resources 1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617 919 807 6300 Page 12 For more information on EPA's final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule, please visit the following web site: h_ptt s://www.federalre ig ster.gov/documents/2015/10/22/2015-24954/national-pollutant- discharge-elimination-system-npdes-electronic-reporting-rule. Concurrent with this notification the Division is publishing a notice in a newspaper having circulation in the general Rockingham County area, soliciting public comments on this draft permit. Please provide any written comments you may have to the following: NCDEQ/DWR, NPDES Permitting Branch, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 no later than 30 days after receipt of this draft permit. Following the 30-day public comment period, the Division will review all pertinent comments and take appropriate action prior to issuing a final permit. If you have questions concerning this draft permit, please call me at (919) 807-6387or by email at Teresa.rodriguez@ncdenr.gov. Sincerely, Teresa Rodriguez, Engineer NPDES Complex Permitting Unit Hardcopy: NPDES Files Ecopy: US EPA Region 4 DWR/Ecosystems Branch DWR/Aquatic Toxicology Branch/Susan Meadows DWR/Operator Certification Program/Maureen Kinney DWR/Winston-Salem Regional Office /Water Quality USFWS/Sarah McRae NCWRC/Gabriela Gamson NPDES Permit NCO089699 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES PERMIT TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM In compliance with the provision of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1, other lawful standards and regulations promulgated and adopted by the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, Rockingham County is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at Reidsville Energy Center 371 N Highway 65 Reidsville Rockingham County to receiving waters designated as the Dan River in the Roanoke River Basin in accordance with effluent limitations, monitoring requirements, and other conditions set forth in Parts I, II, III, IV, V and VI hereof. The permit shall become effective XX, XXXX This permit and the authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on September 30, 2022. Signed this day XX, XXXX S Jay Zimmerman, P G. Director, Division of Water Resources By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission Page Iof10 NPDES Permit NCO089699 SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET Rockingham County is hereby authorized to- 1 Discharge cooling tower blowdown and low volume waste (Internal Outfall 002) through outfall 001; 2 Discharge low volume wastes through internal outfall 002; and 3. Discharge from said outfall into Dan River, a Class WS-IV water is the attached map. River Basin, at the locations specified on Page 2 of 10 NPDES Permit NCO089699 I1VArl A (1). EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS (OUTFALL 001) [15A NCAC 02B 0400 et seq , 02B 0500 et seq ] Beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration, the Permittee is authorized to discharge cooling tower blowdown and low volume wastes from internal outfall 002 from outfall 001 Such discharges shall be limited and monitored by the Permittee as specified below Effluent Characteristics Effluent Limitations Monitoring Requirements Monthly Average Daily Maximum Measurement Frequency Sample Type Sample Location' F1ow2 Continuous Recorder Effluent Temperature Continuous Recorder Effluent Free Available Chlorine4 0 2 mg/1 0 5 mg/1 Quarterly See Note 5 See Note 5 Total Residual Chlorine 28 µg/1 Quarterly See Note 5 See Note 5 Time of TRC4 (min/day/unit) 120 0 nun Quarterly Calculations Effluent Total Chromium5 0 2 mg/1 0 2 mg/l Quarterly Composite Effluent Total ZMC5 10 mg/l 10 mg/l Quarterly Composite Effluent Total Suspended Solids 30 mg/l 45 mg/l Weekly Composite Effluent pH 6 to 9 S U Weekly Grab Effluent Turbidity Quarterly Grab Effluent Total Copper Quarterly Composite Effluent Total Dissolved Solids Quarterly Composite Effluent The 126 Priority Pollutants6 Annually Composite Effluent Temperature3 Weekly Grab Upstream Downstream Temperature increase3 Weekly Calculation Upstream Downstream Notes. 1 Upstream at least 50 feet from the discharge Downstream at least 20 feet from the discharge and 20 feet away from the bank of the river 2 Discharge of blowdown from the cooling system shall be limited to the mimmum discharge of recirculating water necessary for the purpose of discharging materials contained in the water, the further built-up of which would cause concentrations in amounts exceeding limitations established by best engineering practices 3 Temperature in the receiving stream shall not be increased more than 2 VC The temperature increase is defined as the difference in temperature between the upstream and downstream sampling locations See Special Condition A (4) Temperature Mixing Zone 4 Neither free available chlorine nor total residual chlorine may be discharged from any unit for more than two hours in any one day and not more than one unit in any plant may discharge free available or total residual chlorine at any one time unless the utility can demonstrate to the Director that the units in question cannot operate at or below this level of chlorination 5 Samples shall be multiple grabs collected at the approximate beginning of the total residual chlorine discharge and once every 15 minutes thereafter until the end of the total residual chlorine discharge For the purpose of this permit, daily average (as it relates to the chlorination period) shall mean the average over any total residual chlorine discharge period 6 These linutations and monitoring requirements apply only if these materials are added for coolmg tower maintenance by the permittee There shall be no discharge of detectable amounts of the 126 priority pollutants (40 CFR 423 Appendix A) contained in chemicals added for cooling tower maintenance except for Total Chromium and Total Zinc Compliance with Page 3 of 10 NPDES Permit NCO089699 the limitations for the 126 pollutants may be determined by engineering calculations which demonstrate that the regulated pollutants are not detectable in the discharge by the analytical methods in 40 CFR 136. There shall be no discharge of floating solids or visible foam in other than trace amounts. A (2). EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS (Internal OUTFALL 002) [15A NCAC 02B 0400 et seq , 02B .0500 et seq.] Beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration, the Pernuttee is authorized to discharge low volume wastes from internal outfall 002. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored by the Permittee as specified below: Effluent Characteristics Effluent Limitations Monitoring Requirements Monthly Average Daily Maximum Measurement Frequency Sample Type Sample Location' Total Suspended Solids 30 mg/l 100 mgn % Quarterly ` Grab Effluent Oil & Grease 15 mg/l 20 mg/l Quarterly Grab Effluent 1. Effluent prior to mixing with any other waste stream r ~`•~ � '� ��' fit,,,! A (3). CHRONIC TOXICITY PERMIT LIMIT-(QU'ARTERLY) [15AANCAC 02B .0200 et seq.] The effluent discharge shall at no time -exhibit obse able 'i b ontof r6prod coon or significant mortality to Ceriodaphnia dubia at an effluent concentration of 16.10/d, The permit holder shall perform at a minimum, quarterly monitoring using test procedures outlined in the "North Carolina Ceriodaphnia Chronic Effluent Bioassay Procedure," Revised December 2010, or subsequent versions or "North Carolina Phase H Chronic Whole Effluent Toxicity Test�Procedure" (Revised- December 2010) or subsequent versions. The tests will be performed during the months of January, April, July and October,. These months signify the first month of each three- month toxicity testing quarter' assigned to the facility:, -.Effluent sampling for this testing must be obtained during representative effluent discliarge and,shalt be performed at the NPDES`permitted final effluent discharge below all treatment f processes. a _ If the test procedure performed as theffrst test of any single quarter results in a failure or ChV below the permit limit, then multiple -concentration testing shall be performed at a minimum, in each of the two following months as described in "North Carolina Phase II Chronic W lexEffluent Toxicity Test Procedure" (Revised -December 2010) or subsequent versions. All toxicity testing results required`as part of this permit condition will be entered on the Effluent Discharge Monitoring Form (MR-1) for the months in which testswere performed, using the parameter code TGP3B for the pass/fail results and THP3B for the Chronic Value Additionally, DWR Form AT-3 (original) is to be sent to the following address: Attention: North Carolina Division of Water Resources Water Sciences Section/Aquatic Toxicology Branch 1623 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1623 Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Water Sciences Section no later than 30 days after the end of the reporting period for which the report is made. Page 4 of 10 NPDES Permit NCO089699 Test data shall be complete, accurate, include all supporting chemical/physical measurements and all concentration/response data, and be certified by laboratory supervisor and ORC or approved designate signature Total residual chlorine of the effluent toxicity sample must be measured and reported if chlorine is employed for disinfection of the waste stream. Should there be no discharge of flow from the facility during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, the permittee will complete the information located at the top of the aquatic toxicity (AT) test form indicating the facility name, permit number, pipe number, county, and the month/year of the report with the notation of "No Flow" in the comment area of the form The report shall be submitted to the Water Sciences Section at the address cited above. Should the permittee fail to momtor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, monitoring will be required during the following month Assessment of toxicity compliance is based on the toxicity testing quarter, which is the three month tune interval that begins on the first day of the month in which toxicity testing is required by this permit and continues until the final day of the third month 11 , Should any test data from this monitoring requirement or tests performed by the North Carolina Division of Water Resources indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit may be re -opened and modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits NOTE Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as,mimmum control orgamsm survival, minimum control organism reproduction, and appropriate environmental controls, shall,constitute an invalid test and will require immediate follow-up testing to be completed no later than the last day of the month,followmg the month of the initial monitoring A. (4) TEMPERATURE MIXING ZONE [15A NCAC 02B .0200 et seq.] , a) The temperature mixing zone is defined as an area -encompassing 8 square meters (85 square feet) downstream of the discharge, extending 2 meters parallel to the bank and'4 meters perpendncular�to the point of discharge b) The temperature standard of 32°C (89 6°F) and themaximumtemperature increase above natural temperature of 2 8°C (5 04°F) shall be met at the end of the mixing zone The natural water temperature shalt be the temperature measured at the upstream sampling location The mcfease_in temperature is,defined as the difference in temperature between the upstream and downstream sampling locations IN c) Instream monitoring for temperature shall be performed during times of full loading whenever possible The results of all temperature monitoring shall be reported in the monthly DMRs A. (5) POLLUTANT ANALYSIS [G.S. 1'43-215 1(b)] ' No later than one year after the commencement of the dischargethe permittee shall submit Items V and VI of NPDES application Form 2C for Outfall 001 ` A. (6) BIOCIDES [G.S 143-215, 143-215 1] The permittee shall not use any biocides except those approved in conjunction with the permit application. The permittee shall notify the Director in writing not later than ninety (90) days prior to instituting use of any additional biocide used in cooling systems which may be toxic to aquatic life other than those previously reported to the Division of Water Resources. Such notification shall include completion of Biocide Worksheet Form 101 and a map locating the discharge point and receiving stream Completion of Biocide Worksheet Form 101 is not necessary for those outfalls containing toxicity testing. Division approval is not necessary for the introduction of new biocides into outfalls currently tested for whole effluent toxicity A. (6) CLEAN WATER ACT SECTION 316 (b) [G S. 143-215 1(b)] a) The permittee shall comply with Track I requirements for facilities withdrawing greater than 2 MGD and less than 10 MGD and all applicable provisions of the Cooling Water Intake Structure (CWIS) Rule per 40 CFR 125 84 b) Definitions - Annual Mean Flow means the average of daily flows over a calendar year Page 5of10 NPDES Permit NCO089699 Closed -cycle recirculating system means a system designed, using mmimized makeup and blowdown flows, to withdraw water from a natural or other water source to support contact and/or non contact cooling uses with a facility The water is usually sent to a cooling canal or channel, lake, pond or tower to allow waste heat to be dissipated to the atmosphere and then is returned to the system New source water (make-up water) is added to the system to replenish the losses that have occur due to blowdown, drift, and evaporation. Cooling Water means water used for contact or noncontact cooling, including water used for equipment cooling, evaporative cooling tower makeup, and dilution of effluent heat content The intended use of the cooling water is to absorb waste heat rejected from the process or processes used, or from auxiliary operations on the facility's premises Cooling Water Intake Structure (CWIS) means the total physical structure and any associated constructed waterways used to withdraw cooling water from waters of the U S. The cooling water intake structure extends from the point the water is withdrawn from the surface water up to, and mclud:ng, the intake pumps. Design Intake Flow means the value assigned (during the facility design) to the total volume of water withdrawn from a source water body over a specific time period. Design Intake Velocity means the value assigned (during the design of a CWIS)'to the average speed at which intake water passes through the open area of the intake screen (or other device) against which organisms might be impinged or through which they might be entrained. Entrainment means the incorporation of all life stages of fi h,and shellfish with intake water flow and passing through a CWIS and into a cooling water system Impingement means the entrapment of all life stages of fish and shellfish on the outer parts of the an intake structure or against a screening device during periods of intake water`",ithdrawal. A. (7) MONITORING, RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING (COOLINGWATER INTAKE) [G.S. 143-215 1(b)] a) Biological monitoring The permittee shall perform monitoring for both ixr-pmgement,and entrainment of the commercial, recreational, and forage base fish species identified inthe Source Water Baseline Biological Charactenzation submitted with the permit application i. Impingement -Sampling: The permittee shall collect samples to monitor impingement rates (simple enumeration) for each species once pei month when the coaling water -intake is in operation The sample shall be collected over a 24- houi penod ii. Entraifi ment Sampling. The permittee shall collect bi-weekly samples to monitor entrainment rates (simple enumeration) for each species.'The'samples shall be collected over a 24-hour period during the primary period of reproduction, larval recruitment, and peak abundance identified during the Source Water Baseline Biological Characterization Samples shall be collected when the cooling water intake structure is in operation. b) Velocity Monitoring The permittee shall monitor head loss across the intake screen and correlate the measured value with the design intake velocity The head loss across the intake screen must be measured at the minimum ambient source water surface elevation Head loss shall be monitored monthly. The maximum head lass across the intake screen must be used to determine compliance with the maximum through -screen design intake velocity requirement of 0.5 feet per second. c) Visual Inspections The pernuttee shall conduct visual inspections or employ remote monitoring devices to ensure proper operation of the CWIS during the period the CWIS is in operation. If visual inspection are performed they shall be conducted once a week. Page 6of10 NPDES Permit NCO089699 d) Recordkeepmg The permittee must keep records of all the data used to complete the permit application and show compliance with the requirements, any supplemental information developed under 40 CFR Section 125 86, and any compliance monitoring data submitted under A.(7), for a period of at least three years from the date of permit issuance e) Reporting The permittee shall submit an annual status report to the Division The report shall include biological monitoring results, velocity head loss monitoring records, and records of visual or remote inspections. The report shall be sent to the following address DWR/DEQ NPDES Complex Permitting Branch`s 1617 Mail Service Center / Raleigh, North Carolina A. (8) ENDANGERED SPECIES [G S 143-215 1(b)] Nothing in this permit authorizes take for the purpose of a facility's compliance with the Endangered Species Act A. (9) ELECTRONIC REPORTING OF DISCHARGE MONITORING REPORTS' [G'S. 143-215.1(b)] Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) and program reports and specify that, if a state does not establish a system to receive such submittals; then permittees must submit monitoring data and reports electronically to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule was adopted and became effective on December 21, 2015. NOTE This special condition supplements or supersedes the following sections within Part II of this permit (Standard Conditions for NPDES Permits) • Section B (11) Signatory"Requirements, • Section D. (2) Reporting • Section D (6) Records Retention • Section E. (5) Monitoring Reports 1. Reporting Requirements [Supersedes Section D. (2.) and Section E. (5.) (a)1 Effective December 21, 2016, the permittee shall report discharge monitoring data electronically using the NC DWR's Electronic Discharge Monitoring Report (eDMR) internet application Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and submitted electronically using eDMR The eDMR system allows permitted facilities to enter monitoring data and submit DMRs electronically using the internet Until such time that the state's eDMR application is compliant with EPA's Cross -Media Electronic Reporting Regulation (CROMERR), permittees will be required to submit all discharge monitoring data to the state electronically using eDMR and will be required to complete the eDMR submission by printing, signing, and submitting one signed original and a copy of the computer printed eDMR to the following address. NC DENR / Division of Water Resources / Water Quality Permitting Section ATTENTION Central Files 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617 If a permittee is unable to use the eDMR system due to a demonstrated hardship or due to the facility being physically located in an area where less than 10 percent of the households have broadband access, then a temporary waiver from the NPDES electronic reporting requirements may be granted and discharge monitoring data may be submitted on paper DMR forms (MR 1, 1. 1, 2, 3) or alternative forms approved by the Director Duplicate signed copies shall be submitted to the mailing address above See "How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below Page 7of10 NPDES Permit NC0089699 Regardless of the submission method, the first DMR is due on the last day of the month following the issuance of the permit or in the case of a new facility, on the last day of the month following the commencement of discharge. Starting on December 21, 2020, the permittee must electronically report the following compliance monitoring data and reports, when applicable. Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports, Pretreatment Program Annual Reports; and Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 316(b) Annual Reports The permittee may seek an electronic reporting waiver from the Division (see "How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below) 2. Electronic Submissions In accordance with 40 CFR 122 41(1)(9), the permmttee must identify the initial recipient at the time of each electronic submission The permittee should use the EPA's website resources to identify the initial recipient for the electronic submission Initial recipient of electronic NPDES information from NPDES-regulated facilities means,the entity (EPA or the state authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES program) that is the designated entity for receiving electronic NPDES data [see 40 CFR 127 2(b)] EPA plans to establish a website that will also link to the appropriate electronic reporting tool for each type of electronic submission and for each state Instructions on how to access and us6 the appropriate electronic reporting tool will be available as well Information on EPA's NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule is found at- httt)s://www.federalregister gov/documents/2015/10/22/2015-24954/national-pollutant-discharge-elimination-system- npdes-electronic-reportmg-rule Electronic submissions must start by -the dates listed in the "Reporting Requirements" section above 3. How to Reauest a Waiver from Electronic Reportn The permittee may seek a temporary, electronic reporting waiver from the Division. To obtain an electronic reporting waiver, a permittee must first submit an electro_c reporting waiver request to the Division. Requests for temporary electronic reporting waivers must be submitted in writing to the Division for written approval at least sixty (60) days prior to the date the facility would be required under this permit to begin submitting monitoring data and reports The duration of a temporary waiver shall not exceed 5 years'and shall thereupon expire At such time, monitoring data and reports shall be submitted electronically to the Division unless the permittee re -applies for and is granted a new temporary electronic reporting waiver by the Division. Approved electronic reporting waivers are not transferrable Only permittees with an approved reporting waiver request may submit monitoring data and reports on paper to the Division for the period that the approved reporting waiver request is effective Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on the following web page http //deq nc gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr 4. Signatory Requirements [Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.) (d)l All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part II, Section B (11 )(a) or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II, Section B (11 )(b) A person, and not a position, must be delegated signatory authority for eDMR reporting purposes. Page 8of10 NPDES Permit NC0089699 For eDMR submissions, the person signing and submitting the DMR must obtain an eDMR user account and login credentials to access the eDMR system. For more information on North Carolina's eDMR system, registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account, please visit the following web page: htt[):Hdeu.nc. eov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr Certification. Any person submitting an electronic DMR using the state's eDMR system shall make the following certification [40 CFR 122.22]. NO OTHER STATEMENTS OF CERTIFICATION WILL BE ACCEPTED: "I certify, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fines and imprisonment for knowing violations. " 5. Records Retention 1Suuulements Section D. W)l The permittee shall retain records of all Discharge Monitoring Reports, including eDMR submissions. These records or copies shall be maintained for a period of at least 3 years from the date of the report. This period may be extended by request of the Director at any time [40 CFR 122.41 ]. Page 9 of 10