HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021.04.08_CCOA.p2.c.ii_ChemoursSeepConstructionLetter
Joel M. Gross
+1 202.942.5705 Direct
Joel.Gross@arnoldporter.com
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP
601 Massachusetts Ave., NW | Washington, DC 20001-3743 | www.arnoldporter.com
US 169592682v1
April 8, 2021
Francisco Benzoni
Special Deputy Attorney General
North Carolina Department of Justice
PO Box 629
Raleigh, NC 27602
fbenzoni@ncdoj.gov
Geoff Gisler
Southern Environmental Law Center
601 West Rosemary Street, Suite 220
Chapel Hill, NC 27516-2356
ggisler@selcnc.org
Re: Chemours Consent Order Addendum - Seeps Schedules
Dear Mr. Benzoni and Mr. Gisler:
I write on behalf of our client Chemours in follow up to my January 14, 2021
letter to you regarding the construction schedules for the seeps flow-through cell systems
at Fayetteville Works. Since sending my January 14th letter, as Chemours has regularly
discussed with DEQ, there have been significant and multiple additional episodes of
flooding from the Cape Fear River that have caused further delays with the construction
of the flow-through cell systems for Seeps A, B, and D. Construction activities could not
be performed during these flooding events and until the muddy conditions were stabilized
after the floodwaters receded.
Given the delays from the significant flooding that has occurred, please find
enclosed Chemours’s remaining anticipated schedules for completing construction of the
flow-through cell systems for Seeps A, B, and D. Also enclosed are photographs of the
flooding events as well as a USGS graph showing the Cape Fear River gage height and
flooding events.
The enclosed schedules for Seeps A, B, and D are based on continuing to work
10-hour days, six days a week. The schedules show construction activities and flooding
delays that have already occurred and the remaining anticipated construction timelines,
with contingencies for three more days of flooding or weather-related delays at Seep A
and five more days of such delays at Seeps B and D. If there is additional flooding from
the Cape Fear River or other weather-related events that impact construction activities for
longer durations, the remaining construction timelines shown in the enclosed schedules
April 8, 2021
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US 169592682v1
will change. Chemours will continue to keep DEQ and Cape Fear River Watch informed
as construction progresses.
As shown on the enclosed schedules, at present, the anticipated dates for the
Seeps A, B, and D systems to be operational are approximately April 28, June 9, and June
28, 2021, respectively. We believe that these schedules represent an expeditious plan for
completing construction given the flooding delays, as well as the earlier permitting delays
described in my January 14, 2021 letter and Chemours’s October 16, 2020 letter, and that
these schedules continue to fall within the scope of Paragraph 7 of the Addendum
regarding delays in obtaining necessary permits and Paragraph 32 of the Consent Order
regarding force majeure.
Please let us know if you have any concerns with the enclosed schedules or need
any further information to evaluate them.
Sincerely,
Joel M. Gross
Enclosures:
Seeps A, B, and D Construction Schedules
Photographs of Seeps During 2021 Cape Fear River Flooding Events
USGS 2021 Flood Frequency Graph of Cape Fear River
April 8, 2021
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US 169592682v1
Cc:
Sushma Masemore, DEQ
William F. Lane, DEQ
Michael Abraczinskas, DAQ
Michael Scott, DWM
Danny Smith, DWR
David C. Shelton, Chemours
Todd Coomes, Chemours
John F. Savarese, WLRK
Kemp Burdette, CFRW
ID Task Name Duration Start
1
2
3 SEEP A
4 Soil Bench Material Import 4 days Mon 1/18/21
5 Construction of Pump Around and Bench 2 days Fri 1/22/21
6 Weather Days 2nd Event 3 days Tue 1/26/21
7 Sheet Pile Installation 3 days Fri 1/29/21
8 Weather Days 3rd Event 6 days Tue 2/2/21
9 Installation of Aggregate Subgrade in Dam 4 days Tue 2/9/21
10 Weather Days 4th Event 12 days Mon 2/15/21
11 Form and Pour Flow-Through Cell & Bypass 20 days Wed 3/3/21
12 Weather 5th Event 3 days Wed 3/31/21
13 Install Piping and Weirs in Flow Through Cell 9 days Mon 4/5/21
14 Installation of Aggregate and Carbon 2 days Fri 4/16/21
15 Hydrotest and Commisioning 3 days Tue 4/20/21
16 Potential Weather Days 3 days Fri 4/23/21
17 Reactor Operational 1 day Wed 4/28/21
18 Install Concrete Cap on Dam 3 days Thu 4/29/21
19 Install Beam and Grating 5 days Tue 5/4/21
20 Seep Channel Regrading and Riprap 79 days Thu 1/28/21
21 Restore Aggregate Roadway and Access Pad 4 days Thu 5/13/21
22
23 SEEP B
24 Clear Remaining Stumps and Debris 2 days Mon 1/25/21
25 Cumulative Weather Days 34 days Wed 1/27/21
26 Soil Bench Construction 4 days Fri 3/12/21
27 Installation of Pump Around System 2 days Thu 3/18/21
28 Sheet Pile Installation 6 days Mon 3/22/21
29 Weather Event 4 days Tue 3/30/21
30 Installation of Aggregate Subgrade in Dam 5 days Mon 4/5/21
31 Form and Pour Flow-Through Cell & Bypass 22 days Mon 4/12/21
32 Install Piping and Weirs in Flow Through Cell 9 days Wed 5/12/21
33 Hydrotest and Commisioning 2 days Wed 5/26/21
34 Install Concrete Cap on Dam 3 days Fri 5/28/21
35 Potential Weather Days 5 days Wed 6/2/21
36 Reactor Operational 1 day Wed 6/9/21
37 Seep Channel Regrading and Rip Rap 56 days Thu 3/25/21
38 Restore Aggregate Roadway and Access Pad 3 days Thu 6/10/21
10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 4 11
Feb '21 Mar '21 Apr '21 May '21 Jun '21 Jul '21
Task
Split
Milestone
Summary
Project Summary
Inactive Task
Inactive Milestone
Inactive Summary
Manual Task
Duration-only
Manual Summary Rollup
Manual Summary
Start-only
Finish-only
External Tasks
External Milestone
Deadline
Progress
Manual Progress
Page 1
Project: Summit Schedule Seep
Date: Tue 4/6/21
ID Task Name Duration Start
39
40 SEEP D
41 Clear Remaining Stumps and Debris 6 days Tue 3/16/21
42 Soil Bench Material Import 6 days Wed 3/24/21
43 Weather Days 5 days Thu 4/1/21
44 Construction of Flow Through Culvert 2 days Thu 4/8/21
45 Sheet Pile Installation 5 days Mon 4/12/21
46 Installation of Aggregate Subgrade in Dam 5 days Mon 4/19/21
47 Form and Pour Flow-Through Cell & Bypass 24 days Mon 4/26/21
48 Install Piping and Weirs in Flow Through Cell 9 days Fri 5/28/21
49 Hydrotest and Commisioning 2 days Thu 6/10/21
50 Install Concrete Cap on Dam 5 days Mon 6/14/21
51 Potential Weather Days 5 days Mon 6/21/21
52 Reactor Operational 1 day Mon 6/28/21
53 Seep Channel Regrading 69 days Sat 3/20/21
54 Restore Aggregate Roadway and Access Pad 3 days Thu 7/1/21
10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 4 11
Feb '21 Mar '21 Apr '21 May '21 Jun '21 Jul '21
Task
Split
Milestone
Summary
Project Summary
Inactive Task
Inactive Milestone
Inactive Summary
Manual Task
Duration-only
Manual Summary Rollup
Manual Summary
Start-only
Finish-only
External Tasks
External Milestone
Deadline
Progress
Manual Progress
Page 2
Project: Summit Schedule Seep
Date: Tue 4/6/21
Chemours Fayetteville 2021 Flood Event Photo Log
1st Event – Seep A Flooding 1-5-21
2nd Event – Seep A 2-2-21
3rd Event - Seep A 2-15-21
3rd Event -Seep A Water Still High 2-24-21
4th Event – Seep A Flooding March 2nd
5th Event - Seep B 4-1-21
5th Event – Seep D 4-1-21