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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20220923_NOV a ROYCOOPER Governor ELIZABETH S.BISER M Secretary •�°i""' BRIAN WRENN NORTH CAROLINA Director Environmental Quality September 23, 2022 NOTICE OF VIOLATION OF MINING PERMIT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO ENFORCE CERTIFIED MAIL —7022 0410 0002 1249 4288 RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED Buechel Stone Corporation Attn: Chris Bucy 7274 US Hwy 221 N. Marion, NC 28752 RE: Steel Gray Mine Mining Permit No. 61-19 Mitchell County French Broad River Basin Dear Mr. Bucy: This is to inform you and/or your company of a violation(s)of the above referenced mining permit. On September 21, 2022, personnel of this office inspected your mine, copy of inspection report attached, and determined that one or more of the conditions contained in your mining permit are being violated. The conditions being violated are as follows: Operating Condition No. 1B —Wastewater and Quarry Dewatering t Any stormwater runoff from the affected areas at the site shall be in accordance with any applicable permit requirements and regulations promulgated by the Environmental Protection i Agency and enforced by the NC Environmental Management Commission. It shall be the j permittee's responsibility to contact the Stormwater program to secure any necessary stormwater permits or other approval documents. Mine permit application states that the applicant will not be mining below the water table but would be discharging non processed wastewater to the waters of the State of NC at outfall 01. Pit water is being discharged into the river from an unapproved outfall at T1-A. Operating condition No. 4B —Erosion and Sediment Control I E QJ� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Energy.Mineral and Land Resources Asheville Regional Office 1 2090 U.S.Highway 70 1 Swannanoa,North Carolina 28778 IAIi1HLMOLIWI �� 828.296.4500 Certified Mail Steel Gray Mine, Mr. Bucy September 23, 2022 Page 2 of 2 All mining activities, including the installation of maintenance of all erosion and sedimentation control measures, shall be conducted as indicated in the application, on the Mine Maps receive March 31, 2022, and June 16, 2022, and in the supplemental information received November 9, 2021, February 23, 2022, March 31, 2022, June 6, 2022. Traps are not installed and being maintained per the approved plan. To correct the current violations and bring the site into compliance, you have 30 calendar days from receipt of this Notice. 1. Cease all mining activity. 2. Install all traps as shown on the approve mine map. 3. Maintain trap Tl-A. 4. Submit a corrected mine permit application addressing mine dewatering. 5. Submit a modification to the NCG02 NOI to include dewatering of wastewater, modify COC for wastewater discharge, and submit updated maps with additional outfall. Failure to take the corrective actions specified above may result in the assessment of a civil penalty against your corporation. If a civil penalty is assessed, the amount may be up to five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each day of violation, beginning with the date of your receipt of this Notice of Violation G.S. §74-64. Other enforcement actions may include seeking an injunction or revoking the mining permit. The responsibility for understanding and complying with the conditions of the mining permit rests with you. Please do not hesitate to contact either Shawna Riddle at (919) 302-5311 or me at (828)-296-4500 regarding any questions you might have on this matter. Sincerely, Stanl y E. Aiken, PE Regional Engineer Land Quality Section ec: David Miller,PE, State Mining Engineer, (david.miller@ncdenr.gov) Danny Smith, Stormwater Program Supervisor,(dannv.smith ncdenr.gov) Brittany Carson,General Industrial Stormwater Permit Coordinator,(brittanv.carson .ncdenr.eov) North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources, Land Quality Section MINE INSPECTION REPORT ® PERMITTED MINE SITE ❑ UNPERMITTED MINE SITE 1. MINE NAME: Steel Gray 2. MINE LOCATION: 3. COUNTY: Mitchell 4. RIVER BASIN: French Broad 5. CASE: 6. OPERATOR: Buechel Stone Corporation 7. ADDRESS: 7274 Hwy 221 N Marion,NC 28752 8. MINING PERMIT#: 61-19 ❑ N/A 9. PERMIT EXPIRATION DATE: ® N/A 10. PERSON(S) CONTACTED AT SITE: Chris Bucy 11. PICTURES? ® Yes ❑ No TAKEN BY: Shawna Riddle 12. TYPE OF INSPECTION: ❑A. Initial Inspection (Unpermitted Mine Sites) 1. Size of affected land: ae. (attach sketch map) 2. IIov was this area measured? Measured by: ® B. Routine Inspection (Permitted Mine Sites) ❑C. Follow-up Inspection 13. Date of last inspection: 6/23121 14. Any mining since that date? ® Yes ❑ No If yes,cite evidence of such mining activity: Normal mining activity 15. Was mine operating at time of inspection? ❑ Yes ® No If yes,explain: 16. Is the mine in compliance with the Operating Conditions of the Permit? ❑ Yes ® No ❑ N/A If no, explain: Operating Condition 1 B,Wastewater and Quarry Dewatering-mine permit application states applicant will not be mining below the water table,but would be discharging non processed wastewater to waters of the State at oulfall 01.Pit water is being pumped into the river at an unapproved oulfall at trap T1-A.Operating Condition 4B, Erosion and Sediment Control-all mining activities including the installation and maintenance f all erosion control measures shall be conducted as indicated an the appi cat on-traps are not installed per anrGved plan. 017. Is the mine in compliance with the Reclamation Conditions of the Permit? Yes ❑ No VN/A If no,explain: r i 18. Is there any off-site damage? A. ❑ Yes 13. ❑ No C. ® None observed If A, describe the type and severity of the damage: If B or C,is there potential for offsite damage? ® Yes ❑ No Explain: Trap T1-A has an unapproved oulfall installed leading to the river.Mine was not in operation during inspection.Did not observe at the time of the inspection sediment/water leaving the site. 19. Corrective measures needed and/or taken: 1.Cease all mining activity,2.Install all traps as shown on the approved mine map. 3.Maintain trap T1-A.4.Submit a corrected mine permit application addressing mine dewatering. 5.Submit a modification to the NCG02 NOI j to include dewatering of waste water,modify CDC for waste water discharge,submit updated maps with additional oulfall. 20. Other recommendations and comments: No additonal mining can take place on site until the all traps have been installed per approved plan and corrected mine permit application has been submitted and approved,modified CDC and NCG02 NOI application updated submitted and approved. 21. Is the Annual Reclamation Report+/-map accurate? ❑ Yes ❑ No(Explain) ❑ Not Reviewed ® N/A 22. Follow-up inspection needed? ® Yes ❑ No Proposed date 1 0/3112 02 2 23. No.of additional pages of Inspection Report - 24. Copy of Report sent to operator with NOV f� INSPECTED BY: SIaWha RIOT e DATE 09/21/22 Telephone No: 919-302-5311 cell I Copy to file Copy to operator Copy to Mining Specialist I f t off FA dr ;i F`"+µ _ ?' �ri +4;w .�� ���aF►S- r ,+ti- }i.�'i;��. � �1c _�.y .._, �`� .; f+~`. "` r.T — � -. • f _ �•`T L�*y C _ ' YAM � 1 �`! ~� � � ; 1` • -..,K � - �.Y� SAL� _t - �'^�F'1 - .. _�� -�" �.-� •.ice.. 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