HomeMy WebLinkAbout20070812 Ver 1_Public Comments_20080429 (14)Ron Bryant
3 Eagles Sanctuary
5546 Old Thompson Road
Norwood, NC 28128
ronancy@windstream.net
704-474-9134
April 29, 2008
Mr. John Dorney
401 Development Unit Supervisor
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
2321 Crabtree Boulevard
Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
Re: Section 401 Water Quality Certification DWQ Project Number 2007-0812
Dear John,
You may remember me from Catawba RiverKeeper® days as Ron Bryant, Founding Chairman of
CRF. I now live near Norwood in Stanly County. I am writing to you in response to Alcoa Power
Generating, Inc.'s ("APGI") request for a Section 401 water quality certification. As a citizen, I am
concerned about the impact the proposed activities may have on Badin Lake and related water bodies in
the Yadkin River.
Badin Lake serves as the primary drinking water source for the City of Albemarle. The people of our
area, as well as many across the state, utilize Badin Lake for fishing and swimming. Alcoa conducted
aluminum smelting operations from approximately 1918 at the Badin Works which is located next to
Badin Lake. It is well known that the operation of the Badin Works resulted in contamination both on the
site of the facility and in the water supply.
I am concerned with the environmental issues because of buried materials, water leaching toxins from
burial sites, lack of oxygen in the water, detriment to birds and animals from toxic materials, and human
sickness caused by exposure to these dangerous materials. I believe that their operation will continue to
cause damage to our eco-system, and ask that you deny APGI's request for a Section 401 water quality
certification until these issues are corrected.
The operation of the hydroelectric dams has had and will continue to have a negative impact on the
citizens and wildlife of our area. I am aware that Stanly County is presenting information to you that if
fully reviewed, will convince the State of North Carolina that APGI has not been a responsible steward of
the people's water.
We ask that you not issue this certificate until the appropriate time is taken to fully evaluate the
environmental impacts to the Yadkin basin and our region from the Badin Works operations and APGI's
hydro dams, including information that Stanly County has uncovered in recent months. After doing so, I
hope that you will deny the 401 water quality certification or, at the very least, put the proper conditions
in place to protect the health of our region.
Sincerely,
9LM
cc: Mr. Jerry D. Myers, County Manager, Stanly County
Ignore it and it will go away