20070812 Ver 1_Public Comments_20080430 (78)

P 0 Box 1175
Albemarle NC 28001
April 28, 2008
Mr. John Dorney
401 Development Unit Supervisor
North Carolina Department of
Environmental and Natural Resources
2321 Crabtree Boulevard
Raleigh NC 27604
Q?(;:;?, e?oe??
APB 3 0 2008
Re: Section 401 Water Quality Certification
DWQ Project Number 20070-812
UJAUTY
TER
oEW D WA
AND BRAWN
Dear Mr. Dorney,
I am writing to you concerning Alcoa Power Generating, Inc.'s (APGI) request for a Section 401
certification covering water in Badin Lake and the Yadkin/Pee Dee river.
I am a chemist with many year's experience teaching and research at the university level. The
process for smelting aluminum is quite well known, and it is equally well known that that process
produces by-products that are potentially dangerous to the environment and our public health.
It is generally known that Alcoa has dumped materials all over the eastern section of our county.
In all probability the company could not pinpoint all the dump sites. Such was the nature of record
keeping for those kinds of things, especially in the early years of the plants operation 50-70 years ago.
Until such time as all the environmental issues are defined and remediative action taken, I
would ask you to deny the issuance of the 401 certification.
Mr. Dorney, you would be doing the people of Stanly County and surrounding towns, cities and
counties a great service to deny that certification at this time.
Warrme?s`t regards,
C?"Y vu?-
Christopher Bramlett, Ph.D.