The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutDEQ-CFW_00003225I Grzyb, Julie From: Sink, Marla Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2017 3:07 PM To: Grzyb, Julie Cc: Brower, Connie Subject: RE: FW: Thanks a few followup questions Thank you, Julie and Connie. This is very informative and easy to read for such a complicated subject. Marla Marla Sink Public Information Officer Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources 919 707 9033 office Marla.sink@ncdenr.gov 512 North Salisbury Street_ 1611 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1611 From: Grzyb, Julie Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2017 3:05 PM To: Sink, Marla <Maria.Sink@ncdenr.gov> Cc: Brower, Connie<connie.brower@ncdenr.gov> Subject: FW: FW: Thanks a few followup questions Marla, Below is my response to Vaughn's questions — complicated subject, gave it my best shot. Julie Some of the process questions would be best directed at Chemours. My understanding, though very limited, is that Chemours transitioned from using PFOA's to the GenX process a number of years ago (2015). GenX uses Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) that are described as being less harmful than the PFOA's that were used before. The PFC's used and generated by the GenX process are not currently regulated in surface waters and do not currently have wastewater limitations. Sufficient peer - reviewed information on the toxicology of these chemicals is not available at this time. FYI — It is my understanding that at the time the samples were collected for Mei Sun's paper, Chemours had not completely transitioned to the GenX process. The GenX process is used for making fluoropolymers — earlier question from Vaughn. Chemours is a complex manufacturing facility and products produced in one line are used in the production of others in another manufacturing line. In this type of facility, DEQ/NPDES permitting tries to follow the chemicals used and produced in each wastestream as opposed to products produced. The polymer processing aid wastewaters Vaughn asked about earlier are sent for incineration in Arkansas or sometimes Ohio. DEQ-CFW 00003225 As part of the NPDES permit renewal - Chemours will have to describe all the wastestreams that are to be discharged and the contaminants they expect to be contained in the wastewaters. The concentrations of each contaminant will be evaluated against State and Federal surface water aquatic life and human health standards/criteria in accordance with 15A NCAC 02B. If there is reasonable potential for any of the toxicants to exceed the standards/criteria a limitation for that pollutant will be put in the NPDES wastewater permit. The draft permit will be sent to public notice for 30 days and the public is welcome to comment. Julie Julie A Grzyb Supervisor NPDES Complex Permitting NC DEQ / Division of Water Resources / Water Quality Permitting 919 807 6390 office 919 707 9000 main office julie.grzyb(ZD-ncdenr.gov Physical Address: 512 North Salisbury St.,Raleigh, NC, 27604 Mailing Address: 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC, 27699-1617 Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties. From: Sink, Marla Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 201712:59 PM To: Grzyb, Julie <lulie.erzyb@ncdenr.eov> Subject: FW: FW: Thanks a few followup questions Hi Julie, Please see questions below that may probably be answered from the permit writer. A few we may not know. Marla Sink Public Information Officer Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources 919 707 9033 office Marla. sink(5-ncdenr.gov 512 North Salisbury Street 1611 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1611 DEQ-CFW 00003226 From: Vaughn Hagerty fmailto vauQh^ hapPrtvna �mail.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2017 12:22 PM To: Sink, Marla <Marla Sink@ncdenr-gov> Subject: Re: FW: Thanks a few followup questions Are you asking whether I'm seeking something I can attribute to you? I'd prefer that. Maybe it would help if I were a little more explicit: It's still unclear how GenX is getting onfi t e river from is, then what Y Process ii) that I sent to you *seems* to be the GenX manufacture, thoughY is clear from the description is that any wastewater should not be getting discharged by Chemours. That's one of the things I'm trying to pin down. The other, related, unknown is, is GenX involved in process i) somehow, maybe as a by-product. Wastewater from that one is clearly discharged. assuming that since GenX isn't regulated, it isn't something that would be monitored in the discharge, but maybe I'm asg I'm wrong. -Vaughn On Tue, Jun 6, 2017 at 12:08 PM, Sink, MarlaVlarla Sink(a ncdenr.ov> wrote: Hi Vaughn, Do you need a statement from us or were you just seeking background info? Thanks, Maria Marla Sink Public Information Officer Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources 919 707 9033 office Marla sinkCcDncdenr.gov DEQ-CFW 00003227 512 North Salisbury Street 1611 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1611 From: Vaughn Hagerty[mailto:vaughn.hagerty@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, June 05, 2017 4:54 PM To: Sink, Marla <Marla.Sink(u@ncdenr.eov> Subject: Re: FW: Thanks a few followup questions OK. The story goes online tomorrow -and in the paper Wednesday. I'd still be interested in what Julie has to say. -Vaughn On Mon, Jun 5, 2017 at 4:19 PM, Sink, Marla <Marla.Sink@ncdenr. og_v> wrote: Hi Vaughn, Sorry for the delay in getting back with you. Julie is going to check with the permit writer on your questions re: manufacturing so we will have to get back with you tomorrow. I hope that works! Thank you, Marla Marla Sink Public Information Officer Department of Environmental Quality 4 DEQ-CFW 00003228 Division of Water Resources 919 707 9033 office Marla. sinkO-ncdenr.aov 512 North Salisbury Street 1611 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1611 From: Vaughn Hagerty[mailto:vauQhn.hagerty@Rmail.com] Sent: Friday, June 02, 2017 3:01 PM To: Sink, Marla <Marla.Sink(&ncdenr.Rov> Subject: Thanks a few followup questions Hi, Marla. I had a few followup questions for Connie (or others, where appropriate): 1) Connie mentioned that Mike Johnson at Chemours provided her with a copy of the November 2016 study. I'm curious about the nature of that communication. Was it by email? Did he say anything about the study? Did anyone at DEQ talk to anyone at CFPUA or EPA about it? 2) These two manufacturing descriptions come from Chemours 2016 NPDES renewal app. I'm wondering if Connie or someone else there can identify which, if any, is the GenX manufacturing process: i) The HFPO monomer and the Vinyl Ether monomers are used to manufacture various fluorochemical products such as Chemours Teflon. Wastewater generated from this manufacturing facility is discharged to the Chemours' wastewater treatment plant." ii) "The Chemours Company — Fayetteville Works' PPA manufacturing area produces a polymer processing aid. The processing aid produced in this unit is used in the manufacturing of fluoropolymers and fluorinated telomers, but none of the produced processing aid is used at the Fayetteville Works site. All process wastewater generated from this manufacturing facility is collected and shipped off --site for disposal. No process wastewater from this manufacturing facility is discharged to the Chemours' wastewater treatment plant or to the Cape Fear River." DEQ-CFW 00003229 Thanks again for all the help! Regards, Vaughn Hagerty DEQ-CFW 00003230