20070812 Ver 1_Public Comments_20080501 (2214)

Mr. John Dorney
401 Development Unit Supervisor
NC Department of Environmental & Natural Resources
2321 Crabtree Boulevard
Raleigh, NC 27604
Date: 4/30/2008
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MAY 1 2008
RE: Section 401 Water Quality Certification
DWQ Project Number 2007-0812
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Mr. Dorney:
As a citizen of NC, I am concerned about the current and future impact that proposed activities
may have in relation to the Yadkin River.
A related water body of the Yadkin River, Badin Lake, serves as the primary water source for my
area. Not only is this valuable resource used for drinking water, many people in my area use the
lake for recreational activities such as fishing, skiing and swimming.
It has come to my attention that Stanly County has recently uncovered information about Alcoa's
Badin Works operation located next to Badin Lake. I understand that the company's operation
has resulted in contamination of not only the facility's site, but to our valuable water source. The
direct environmental issue Alcoa has caused and will continue to cause is damaging our eco-
system. I believe this issue is too important to NC to ignore and allow the damage to continue,
and I ask that you deny APGI's request for a Section 401 water quality certification until these
issues are corrected.
APGI has not been a responsible steward of our valuable resource and I ask that you not issue
this certification until the appropriate time is taken to fully evaluate the environmental impacts to
the Yadkin basin, our region from the Alcoa's 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.
rely,
---._~
Dustin Poplin,
Concerned Citizen