NCS000093 Review Document

NC Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources
Review for Permit Renewal — NCS000093
BRP US, Inc.
Spruce Pine, NC
• Facility Activities and Process - SIC 3365 — Aluminum Foundry. Facility makes headboards for boat engines. Lost
foam casting facility producing engine parts. Lost foam — foam mold of part made, surrounded with sand, aluminum
added in and foam is burned off leaving aluminum part.
• Monitoring — The facility has been monitoring for TSS, Al, and pH. Previous permit did have tier system.
o Data from 2009 — 2016 shows only two exceedances of the Al benchmark. The TSS benchmark in the
previous permit was not correct. Since the facility drains to Trout waters the benchmark should have been
50 mg/L not 100. Data still did not exceed the 50 value.
o TSS and pH are base parameters for ongoing evaluation of activities so these should remain in the permit
o Al should also remain. There have been two exceedances of the benchmark, but this is an aluminum
foundry so obviously this is a key parameter to evaluate.
o Parameters remaining in the permit — TSS, Al, pH.
o Tier structure adjusted to have the three levels as in current permits.
o Parameter codes added to permit.
o Previous permit only required monitoring at one of the six outfalls. Only one with industrial activitiy. May
want to get ARO to confirm.
• Discussion with Facility - Email to company contacts on 6/19/18 to start renewal discussions (Bernice Wilson) — Call
set up for 7/9/2018 - > No process changes at the facility. Have added three storage containers — self contained
storage. Will work to summarize data for last few years and will email it to us.
• Surface Water Information - Facility drains to English Creek 7-2-42 in the French Broad River Basin, a class C; Tr
stream. ** note Tr so lower TSS benchmark. 2016 Assessment Report does not list any impairments for English
Creek but does list a portion of North Toe as impaired for turbidity. English Creek travels over a mile to N. Toe River.
• NC National Heritage review — NHP report shows no aquatic resources of concern within project area. Within one
mile there is one species — Sharphead Darter- that is state threatened (not federal) but the occurrence rank is E —
not enough data to establish viability. Waters where this habitat appears to exist is the North Toe River which is
over a mile from the facility discharge. Again, the facility drains to a UT that then drains to North Toe. Does not
appear to be a potential impact from this facility.
• Regional Office Information - ARO — Draft permit to ARO by email on 7/25/2018. Isaiah Reed inspected facility on
8/28/2018. Inspection report in files points out a few areas noted in inspection — area used to store metal cages for
washing and drying and chemical storage area without secondary containment. Note these items in final permit
cover letter and direct to Isaiah in addressing these.