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Home My WebLink AboutWQ0005603_CEI_NOV2015PC0332_20151229 • • PAT MCCRORY Governor La DONALD R. VAN DER VAART Secretary S. JAY ZIMMERMAN Water Resources Director ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY December 29,2015 CERTIFIED MAIL 7014 0510 0000 4466 8321 RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED John Moss, Plant Manager Coats American, Inc. Post Office Box 368 Marion,NC 28752 SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION NOV-2015-PC-0332 Compliance Evaluation Inspection Coats American, Sevier Plant Permit No: WQ0005603 McDowell County Dear Mr. Moss: Enclosed please find a copy of the Inspection Report from the inspection conducted on November 20, 2015. The Compliance Evaluation Inspection was conducted by Beverly Price of the Asheville Regional Office. The treatment facility was found to be in violation of Permit WQ0005603 for the following: Inspection Area Compliance Issue Operation& Permit Condition III.1. states in part..."The facilities shall be Maintenance properly maintained and operated at all times." It appeared that coal ash had been deposited outside of the ash basin although the deposition did not appear to be recent. Please refer to the enclosed inspection report for additional observations and comments. State of North Carolina I Environmental Quality I Water Resources 2090 U.S.Highway 70 Swannanoa,NC 28778 828 298 4500 Mr. Moss December 29,2015 Page 2 of 2 To prevent further action,carefully review this violation and respond in writing to this office within thirty(30) working days of receipt of this letter. Your response should include a narrative on why coal ash was found outside the containment basin, the volume and extent of the coal ash deposition, and a proposed plan for transferring all coal ash back to the containment basin. You should address the causes of non-compliance and all actions taken to prevent the reoccurrence of similar situations. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Beverly Price at 828-296-4685. Sincerely, Fur G. Landon Davidson, P.G.,Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations Asheville Regional Office Enc. cc: Phillip Pittman, WWTP ORC MSC 1617-Central Files-Basement Asheville Files O:1WR\WQ\McDowe11\WastewaterlNon-dischargelCoats America,Inc10EI15 NOV-2015-PC-0332.docx • . . Compliance Inspection Report Permit WO0005603 Effective: 06/01/15 Expiration: 05/31/20 Owner: Coals American Iric - SOC: Effective: Expiration: Facility: Coats American-Sevier Plant County:McDowell 630 American Thread Rd Region: Asheville Marion NC 28752 Contact Person: Alex Eggleston - Title: Phone: 828-756-4111 Directions to Facility: Hwy.221 N from Marion.Turn right on American Thread Road(SR 1556). Facility is located approximately 1 mile on the right. System Classifications: - Primary ORC: Certification: Phone: Secondary ORC(s): On-Site Representative(s): On-site representative John J Moss ' 828-756-4111 ext 3251 Related Permits: Inspection Date: 11/20/2015 Entry Time: 01:30PM Exit Time: 0215PM Primary Inspector- Beverly Price Be Phone: 828-296-4500 Secondary Inspector(s): Reason for Inspection: Routine .Inspection Type: Compliance Evaluation Permit Inspection Type: Closed-Loop Recycle Facility Status: ❑ Compliant 1111 Not Compliant Question Areas: II Miscellaneous Questions • Storage (See attachment summary) • • Page: 1 • permit W00005603 Owner-Facility:Coats American Inc Inspection Date: 11/20/2015 Inspection Type:Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit Routine ' Inspection Summary: The permittee switched from coal fired boilers to propane in 2009;the ash basin has been inactive since that time. The ' basin is maintained(freeboard and dam)and contains a small amount of rainwater. All of the vegetation has been removed from the area between the ash basin and the VNNTP. As a result,the ground is -: exposed and it appeared that ash had been deposited outside of the ash basin. The deposition did not appear to be recent. The extent of the'deposition will need to be determined. - The permit was renewed in April 2015. There are several new conditions,two of which require immediate action:#1) Development of an Operation 8 Maintenance Plan(see condition III.1.)and#2)Prohibit public access to the ash basin(see condition 111.3.) • • • • • Page: 2 permit WO0005603 Owner-Facility:Coats American Inc Inspection Date: 11/20/2015 Inspection Type:Compliance Evaluation Reason for Visit Routine ASH SETTLING BASIN - Storage Yes No NA NE Storage Type? Other Storage amount? NA #At what point is side-stream wastewater returned to treatment? Is there a Spill Control Plan? - ❑ ❑ Aerated or Mixed? NONE If aeration is present,is it adequate? ❑ ❑ • ❑ If present,are diffusers cleaned regularly? ❑ ❑ ❑ Is influent structure acceptable? ❑ ❑ S ❑ Are banks/berms free of seepage and erosion? 11000 Are banks/berms free of excessive vegetation? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is pond lined? ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Liner Type Unknown Is liner acceptable? ❑ ❑ ❑ • Are baffles/curtains acceptable? DONE] Does the pond have a freeboard marker? � ❑ ❑ ❑ Required freeboard? 2 Feet Feet Actual freeboard? a Is them suitable grassed vegetation? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the vegetation maintained? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the area free of excessive weeds and/or woody species? • ❑ ❑ ❑ Is the area free from signs of overflow? MOOD Is color acceptable? ❑ ❑ • ❑ Are floating mats acceptable? • ❑ ❑ � ❑ No excessive buildup of solids? ❑ ❑ I ❑ Are aerators/mixers acceptable? 00110 Is effluent structure acceptable? ❑ ❑ ❑ If present,is pond cover acceptable? ❑ ❑ ❑ Comment: There appeared to be coal ash deposited outside of and adiacent to the ash basin. It did not appear to be recent and was discovered due to removal of all vegetation in the area between the ash basin and the WWTP. It appeared to have been there for some time.The extent(area)of the deposition should be determined. Page: 3