6512_DukeSutton_INSP_20181101

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 1 of 4

UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF LCID YW Transfer Compost SLAS COUNTY: NEW HANOVER
Closed
MSWLF HHW White
goods Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 6512-INDUS-2016
CDLF Tire T&P /
Collection Tire
Monofill Industrial
Landfill X DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE

Date of Site Inspection: November 1, 2018 Date of Last Inspection: September 20, 2018

FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Duke Energy, Sutton Energy Complex
801 Sutton Steam Plant Road
Wilmington, North Carolina 28401

GPS COORDINATES: N: 34.284019 W: -77.984175

FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
John Toepfer, Lead Engineer, 919-546-7863, [e-mail]

FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Same as above

PARTICIPANTS:
Shawn McKee, NCDEQ, Solid Waste Section
Elizabeth Werner, NCDEQ, Solid Waste Section
Ben Jackson, NCDEQ, Solid Waste Section
Tom Sylvester, Duke Energy
Bryson Sheetz, Duke Energy
Steve Gordy, Duke Energy
Greg Helms, Duke Energy
Ricky Stroupe, Duke Energy
Tim Russell, Duke Energy
Daniel Atkinson, Duke Energy
Don Gibbs, Duke Energy
Ryan Jamison, Trans Ash

STATUS OF PERMIT:
Permit to Construct and Permit to Operate, Original Issuance, September 21, 2016
Permit Approval to Operate Cell 3, Issuance, July 6, 2017
Permit Approval to Operate Cell 4, Issuance, August 25, 2017
Permit Approval to Operate Cell 5, Issuance, December 7, 2017
Permit Approval to Operate Cell 6, Issuance, February 7, 2018
Permit Approval to Operate Cell 7 & 8, Issuance, May 16, 2018

PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Partial Inspection – Hurricane follow-up

STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
None.

OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
None.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Page 2 of 2

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
This facility is a permitted industrial landfill. It is permitted to receive solid waste generated by or at the Duke
Energy, L.V. Sutton Energy Complex property. Acceptable waste types include, but are not limited to: coal
combustion residuals, wastewater treatment sludge, vacuum truck waste, waste soils (i.e. from ash removal activities or
soil that has contacted petroleum), and small quantities of inert debris from CCR (Coal Combustion Residuals) unit
decommissioning activities. The Permit to Operate shall expire September 21, 2026.

1. Hurricane Florence made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
(approximately 10 miles from the facility), at 7:15 a.m on September 14, 2018. The storm was slow moving
and dumped as much as 30-inches of rain at the facility within a couple of days. This storm event was
categorized as a Thousand Year Flood Event. Additionally, heavy rainfall continued for days throughout the
Cape Fear River basin. Repairs to the landfill began as soon as conditions were safe.

2. TRANS-ASH personnel are responsible for daily landfill operations; certified staff are always present when the
landfill is in operation. Operations were suspended because of storm damages from Hurricane Florence but
resumed on September 28, 2018 when Solid Waste staff conducted a Pre-Operations meeting and inspection to
confirm that essential landfill repairs were complete for Cells 4, 5 and 6.

3. Repairs are being completed per the approved “Hurricane Florence Recovery Plan”, September 25, 2018.

4. The facility is secured by a locked gate. Personnel are on site during operating hours. The facility has all
required information on signs.

5. In preparation for Hurricane Florence, Duke personnel extended berms around active cells (4, 5, and 6), and
graded working areas towards the chimney drains which tie into the leachate collection system. During the
storm, berms washed out in numerous locations creating erosion on both the eastern and western side slopes of
Cells 4, 5, and 6. A portion of the western side slope of Cell 5 failed causing several pieces of heavy machinery
to fall into the resulting void. The side slope was repaired at the time of this inspection.

Slope failure – Western side of Cell 5 (9/20/18) Repaired slope of Cell 5 (11/1/18)

The item(s) listed above were observed by Section staff and require action on behalf of the facility in order to come into or maintain compliance
with the Statutes, Rules, and/or other regulatory requirements applicable to this facility. Be advised that pursuant to N.C.G.S. 130A-22, an
administrative penalty of up to $15,000 per day may be assessed for each violation of the Solid Waste Laws, Regulations, Conditions of a Permit,
or Order under Article 9 of Chapter 130A of the N.C. General Statutes. Further, the facility and/or all responsible parties may also be subject to
enforcement actions including penalties, injunction from operation of a solid waste management facility or a solid waste collection service and any
such further relief as may be necessary to achieve compliance with the North Carolina Solid Waste Management Act and Rules.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Page 3 of 3

6. The berms on the eastern side of Cell 5 were overtopped and eroded because of the effects of Hurricane Florence.
During the heavy rainfall, an erosion rill caused a small quantity of coal ash to migrate into the storm water ditch
along the landfill side of the Boat Ramp Road, into a culvert and onto the adjacent property. Clean soil was used
to plug the storm drain when the ash migration was discovered. Confirmation sampling was conducted to verify
that the property was not impacted.

7. The northern side of Cell 3 had significant erosion occur in the interim cover, especially in areas where vegetative
cover was not well established. Repairs to Cell 3 were completed at the time of the inspection. Slopes have been
reseeded.

Cell 3 -N corner of landfill @ Boat Ramp Rd (9/20/18) Northern corner of Cell 3 (11/1/18)

8. Heavy rainfall of over 3 inches on October 26 created erosion rills on Cell 3 on the slope that had been recently
repaired due to hurricane damage. Eroded areas on the side slopes should be regraded and stabilized as soon
as practicable.

Western slope of Cell 3 – Rill from rain on Oct 26 (~3.2”)

9. Active Cells 4, 5, and 6 of the landfill did not have any ponded water in the working area at the time of the
inspection. Chimney drains appeared to be functioning as designed.

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Page 4 of 4

10. Cells 7 and 8 were constructed but were not yet in use at the time of Hurricane Florence. Erosion from the
hurricane impacts exposed the liner system on the south side. Repairs will be necessary prior to commencement
of operations in Cell 8. Repairs were underway at the time of the inspection.

Southern toe of Cell 8. Cell 6 in background. (9/20/18) Repairs underway (11/1/18)

11. The leachate waste water treatment system was shut down during Hurricane Florence to reduce the potential for
damage. Power was lost to the system during the storm but was restored by September 20. The waste water
treatment system was returned to normal operations prior to operations resuming at the landfill.

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report.

Phone: [phone]
Shawn McKee
Environmental Senior Specialist
Regional Representative

Sent on:
November 16, 2018
Email:
X
Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _]

Copies: Ed Mussler, Permitting Branch Head, Solid Waste Section
Jason Watkins, Field Operations Branch Head, Solid Waste Section
Elizabeth Werner, Solid Waste Section
Larry Frost, Solid Waste Section
Ben Jackson, Solid Waste Section
David Giachini, Solid Waste Section