HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQ0000520_Complaint_20160504 Mitchell, Patrick
From: Shane Fletcher <sfletcher@ci.burlington.nc.us>
Sent: Tuesday,July 12, 2016 3:28 PM
To: Mitchell, Patrick
Subject: FW: Lutterloh farm and bio sludge
Attachments: Copy of Residuals Land App. Rules.pdf
From: Rimmer, Jerry [mailto:jerry.rimmer@ncdenr.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2016 2:45 PM
To: Shane Fletcher
Subject: FW: Lutterloh farm and bio sludge
Shane,
I did not enter an inspection report, but did send this to Anne Lowry of Chatham County Environ.Group in response to
her inquiry.
I think this should update you on situation in Chatham County.
If you could please call me next time you plan to apply at this site. I have received complaints for two years in a row
which I have not found any basis for, but would like to be able to observe next application to be able to fully address the
concerns of neighbors,even though they may not understand the rules.
Jerry F. Rimmer
Environmental Senior Specialist
Raleigh Regional Office
NCDEQ/DWR/Water Quality Regional Operations Section
919-791-4237 Office
919-571-4718 Fax
ierrv.rimmer(cmcdenr.aov
Mailing Address: 1628 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1628
Physical Address: 3800 Barrett Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609
IC .
---"Islothing Compares...
Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the
North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
From: Rimmer,Jerry
Sent: Friday,April 29, 2016 9:44 AM
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To: 'Anne Lowry' <anne.lowrv@chathamnc.org>
Cc: Bolich, Rick<rick.bolich@ncdenr.gov>
Subject: RE: Lutterloh farm and bio sludge
Anne,
Sorry for delay in response. I have been out for a few days, but am feeling better today(FINALLY).
I am attaching a copy of the Wastewater Residuals Application Rules"15A NCAC 2T.Section 1100 Residuals
Management". Our permits are issued per these rules. I am sure EPA has a manual for residuals management, but I do
not have a copy of electronic file for that.
To answer Mr.Woolum's inquiry. The City of Burlington Wastewater Residuals were applied on property at Lutterloh
Road on Wednesday and Thursday(April 20&21)and I observed the site on Friday(April 22,2016)after a call from
Harriett Lane regarding odor in area. I did not detect any unusual odors in the area (and Ms. Lane stated that she did
not smell odors on Friday), but I did locate the residuals land application site on Lutterloh Road. City of Burlington had
posted a sign and applied per the permit(WQ000520). I spoke with staff at Burlington and they confirmed that they
applied "lime stabilized" residuals on Wednesday and Thursday. They used lime stabilization which should eliminate
normal odors, but may emanate ammonia odors due to the elevated pH of material. I observed that they had properly
posted a sign notifying of application and who to contact. They also had properly flagged the buffers on the field and
applied per the buffer requirements. They met all the permit requirements for this application.
It was raining at the time I observed the site. There was no evidence of odor or runoff of applied residuals at that time
so facility was compliant with our rules.
Our permits require a signed agreement between land owner and permit owner. We notify each county when permits
are issued with land in those counties approved for utilization. The permits go to public notice when originally issued,
but not for renewal unless there is a major modification of the permit.
City's generally notify us when they apply, but Burlington is in the Winston-Salem Region so we at Raleigh Regional
Office did not get notification. I will request that they notify us next time so we can observe the actual application and
note odors at time of application if any. We have received inquiries for two years in row now at this site, but they
appear to be compliant with rules.
There is no requirement that permittee notify counties or neighbors regarding applications. They only have to have
agreement with land owner.
I hope this helps you and MR.Woolum understand out rules a little better.
I will gladly answer any further questions you may have.
• Jerry
Jerry F. Rimmer
Environmental Senior Specialist
Raleigh Regional Office
NCDEQ/DWR/Water Quality Regional Operations Section
919-791-4237 Office
919-571-4718 Fax
ierrv.rimmerOncdenr.gov
Mailing Address: 1628 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1628
Physical Address: 3800 Barrett Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609
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- "`Nothing Compares-"-._
Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the
North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
From:Anne Lowry (mailto:anne.lowrvCalchathamnc.org]
Sent:Tuesday,April 26, 2016 1:40 PM
To: Rimmer,Jerry<jerry.rimmerCalncdenr.gov>
Subject: FW: Lutterloh farm and bio sludge
Hi Jerry,
Please see questions below from Mr.Wollum. I am assuming that Counties do not enter into agreements with NCDEQ
or other entity to have sludge applied to the land, this is more of an agreement with the property owner and
business/jurisdiction creating the sludge with rules enforced by NCDEQ,correct?
Anne Lowry, REHS
Environmental Health Director
Chatham County Public Health Department
80 East Street/P.O. Box 130
Pittsboro, NC 27312
919-545-8310
919-542-8288- Fax
anne.lowry@chathamnc.org
www.chathamnc.org/environmentalhealth
Did you know that for every$1 invested in food and nutrition education there is a$10 return in reduced health care
costs?Or that childhood immunizations save$9.9 million in direct health care costs? Public Health saves lives and
saves money too.Public Health week is April 6th-loth,2016 but the Chatham Public Health Department celebrates
the whole month of April! Check out the National Public Health Week website to see how we can become the
healthiest nation in the world by 2030.
"In keeping with the NC Public Records Law,emails,including attachments, may be released to others upon request
for inspection and copying"
This email message may contain information that is privileged,confidential, and exempt from disclosure. It is intended
for use only by the person to whom it is addressed. If you receive this message in error, please do not forward or use
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this information in any way. Delete it immediately and contact the sender as soon as possible by the reply option or by
the telephone number listed. In the event you cannot fulfill your obligation or there has been any improper release of
this information, please contact the Chatham County Public Health Department QA/QI/Compliance Officer at(919)545-
8324.
From: Don Wollum [mailto:donwollumOcenturylink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2016 1:34 PM
To: Anne Lowry
Subject: RE: Lutterloh farm and bio sludge
Hi Anne,
The past tense likely means that NCDEQ was onsite during application.To your reply,yes(?)the cattle farm is on
Lutterloh Road.
It is inconceivable that neighbor advance notification was not included in the ordinance or state agreement.
Can I get a copy of the County agreement with NCDEQ for accepting sewage sludge from another county and in specific
the city of Greensboro?
Chatham gets the coal ash and sludge way out of proportion to its population and responsibility for.
I appreciate your time to reply.
Who do I contact to learn about Dry Creek treated water just upstream from me and how would I request a pre-post
aquatic water quality evaluation?
Don
Don Wollum
174 S Fawn Forest Ln
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Mobile#919 4516812
From: Anne Lowry [mailto:anne.IowryOchathamnc.orq]
Sent:Tuesday, April 26, 2016 10:57 AM
To: Don Wollum
Subject: RE: Lutterloh farm and bio sludge
Hello Mr.Wollum,
I have spoken with NCDEQ about your complaint and understand that they have conducted a site visit to evaluate the
conditions on the Lutterloh Farm.
If this is not correct please let me know and I will call them back.
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.iank you,
Anne Lowry, REHS
Environmental Health Director
Chatham County Public Health Department
80 East Street/P.O. Box 130
Pittsboro, NC 27312
919-545-8310
919-542-8288- Fax
anne.lowry@chathamnc.org
www.chathamnc.org/environmentalhealth
Did you know that for every$1 invested in food and nutrition education there is a$10 return in reduced health care
costs?Or that rhihlhood immunizations save$9.9 million in direct health care costs? Public Health saves lives and
saves money too. Public Health week is April 6th-10th,2016 but the Chatham Public Health Department celebrates
the whole month of April! Check out the National Public Health Week website to see how we can become the
healthiest nation in the world by 2030.
"In keeping with the NC Public Records Law,emails,including attachments, may be released to others upon request
for inspection and copying"
This email message may contain information that is privileged,confidential, and exempt from disclosure. It is intended
for use only by the person to whom it is addressed. If you receive this message in error, please do not forward or use
this information in any way. Delete it immediately and contact the sender as soon as possible by the reply option or by
the telephone number listed. In the event you cannot fulfill your obligation or there has been any improper release of
this information, please contact the Chatham County Public Health Department QA/QI/Compliance Officer at(919) 545-
8324.
From: Don Wollum [mailto:donwollum@centurvlink.net]
Sent:Thursday, April 21, 2016 11:35 AM
To: Anne Lowry
Subject: Lutterloh farm and bio sludge
Importance: High
Hi Ann,
MISSION:To promote a safe and healthy community by: ensuring compliance with environmental health standards;
educating the public on environmental health issues;and protecting the environment.
My name is Don Wollum and my wife and I live in Timber Ridge subdivision 8 miles NW of Pittsboro.
If you have a moment for a field trip, may I suggest first hand observations of current(started yesterday) Bio sludge
application on a cattle farm on Lutterloh road about 1.2 miles in from the SH 87 turn in.
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Last year was predominately a heavy metal industrial order, and heavy metal in water aquifer and dry Creek(then Haw
River) concerns.
This year,all I can say is the metals and soaps seem to be very reduced and all that is olfactory impressionable is a foul
feces out house smell.
Last year, I checked the permitting process and bio solids are legal and posted accordingly on site. My concerns are:
1. Metal and pollutants now measurable in ground and water tables.
2. Absolutely no public notice and even more untenable: no adjacent land owner notification.
3. In a larger sense, Does Chatham need to accept another county's bio sludge?The Bio sludge was not generated
in our county,yet we are very highly impacted by this out of county bio sludge mass application in what seem to
me to be high application levels.
Blue Heron has 17 homes, I am 1 mile away and we have 10 homes,and to all the odor is just terrible around here.
Note Dry Creek already has builder sewage treatment plant for Ryland and other builders with 200-300 homes treated
effluent(sic)very much affecting water quality downstream.
My lot has a pipe stem annex where I have 80x100 picnic area on dry creek.The Dry Creek water quality is heavily
chlorinated and soapy and moss/algae and has no aquatic life seen at all.
Plat Map attached, I live in lot# 10
I implore you to take my comments on the Bio sludge application having adjacent land owner impacts and I would hope
you could find time to drive out to Lutterloh today.
I would also be very accommodating department staff to test and observe post treatment plant water samples and
aquatic life studies this year.Your staff's welcome to visit our picnic area half mile below treatment facility anytime.
What is the Dry Creek aquatic life sample count up steam on the west side of SH 87?
Kind regards,
Don Wollum
174 S Fawn Forest Ln
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Mobile#919 4516812
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