1203_Burke_JohnsRiver_MSWLF_CDLF_CDLFExp_MonitoringRequest_FID1819417_20231020

LaBella
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October 20, 2023
Jaclynne Drummond
Compliance Hydrogeologist
NC Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Waste Management - Solid Waste Section
2090 US Highway 70, Swannanoa, NC 28778
Via email: [e-mail]
RE: Burke County, Johns River C&D-over-MSW Landfill
Permit Number 12-03
Request to Cease Sampling MW-15S, PZ-12, PZ-30S, and PZ-31
Project No. 2233479/01
Dear Ms. Drummond:
On behalf of Burke County, LaBella Associates (LaBella) is requesting to cease sampling some of the
additional wells and piezometers that the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
(NCDEQ) requested to be sampled beginning in 2013. When Burke County submitted a permit
application for the construction and demolition (C&D) landfill expansion in 2012, proposed Cells 1 and
2 of the proposed expansion extended near the old C&D-over-Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill,
and there was concern that the groundwater contaminant plume from this old landfill might migrate
beneath the proposed cells. To address this concern, LaBella sampled some of the piezometers and
monitoring wells located between the two landfills. Based on the initial results, LaBella revised the
permit application to divide Cells 1 and 2 into Cells 1A, 1B, 2A, and 213; with 1B and 2B being the
portions of those cells nearest the old landfill. The Solid Waste Section approved the permit
application for all the proposed cells except 1B and 2B, postponing a decision on those cells pending
further investigation of the plume in that area. In January 2014, NCDEQ requested that LaBella
continue sampling monitoring wells MW-15S and MW-36 and piezometers PZ-12, PZ-30S, and PZ-31
semiannually for the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) included in the constituents of concern (COC)
for the old landfill. In July 2020, NCDEQ approved a reduction of sampling frequency from semiannual
to annual for the C&D Expansion Landfill. As a result, the sampling frequency for the additional wells
and piezometers was also reduced to annual.
LaBella currently has 10 years of data from sampling these additional wells and piezometers. The
attached Table 1 summarizes the VOC detections from February 2013 through November 2022.
MW-36 has had consistent Groundwater Protection Standard (GPS) exceedances of some VOCs;
however, MW-36 is also considered a performance well for the old C&D-over-MSW landfill, so that well
will continue to be sampled for the COC list on a semiannual basis and the results will be reported in
the Semiannual Water Quality Monitoring Reports for the old landfill. Well MW-15S had some GPS
exceedances in 2014-2016; however, there have been no GPS exceedances since December 2016.
Piezometer PZ-31 had a few GPS exceedances in July 2013, but has had no exceedances or detections
of any VOCs since then. Piezometers PZ-12 and PZ-30S have never had any detections of VOCs. In
our November 2022 sampling event, samples from these wells and piezometers were inadvertently
analyzed for metals, instead of just the VOCs as required. Unfortunately, there were detections of
cobalt and mercury in PZ-30S in exceedance of the GPS; however, these are not compliance wells,
and these were not required parameters.
12-D Oak Branch Drive I Greensboro, NC 27407 I P [phone]
www.labellapc.com

The County has no plans to pursue permitting of Cells 1B or 2B of the landfill expansion in the
foreseeable future. The County recently received permission to begin operating in Cell 4, and after
that, LaBella anticipates that the County will pursue permits to construct and operate Cells 5 and 6;
therefore, it will be many years before the County might pursue permitting Cells 113 and 2B.
On behalf of Burke County, LaBella requests an end to sampling MW-15S, PZ-12, PZ-30S, and PZ-31,
effective immediately. If you wish us to follow up on the cobalt and mercury detected in PZ-30S,
LaBella recommends only sampling that piezometer for those parameters. Well MW-36 will continue
to be sampled for the old landfill's COC and the results will be reported in Water Quality Monitoring
Reports for the old landfill.
If you have any questions, please contact me at [phone].
Respectfully submitted,
LaBella Associates
Van Burbach, Ph.D., P.G.
Sr. Technical Geologist
Attachment: Table 1
cc: Mark Delehant, Burke County

TABLE 1: VOC Detections In Additional Wells and Piezometers
Sample Collection
EPA
DL
RL
MW-36
MW-15S
PZ-12
PZ-30S
PZ-31MM
Blanks
Date
Method
Benzene
18-Feb-13
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
8.0
--
--
ND
-
ND
18-Jul-13
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
--
--
--
7.6
ND
INC 2L = 1 pg/I (10/23/07)
6-May-14
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
8.7
4.6
-
ND
ND
ND
22-Oct-14
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
8.3
3.3
ND
ND
ND
ND
21-May-15
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
5.8
2.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
9-Dec-15
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
5.8
1.2
ND
ND
ND
ND
4-May-16
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
6.7
1.3
ND
ND
ND
ND
14-Dec-16
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
5.5
0.85 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
28-Jun-17
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
5.3
0.43 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
15-Dec-17
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
5.3
0.57 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
16-May-18
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
5.9
--
-
--
-
--
* Resample >
4-Jun-18
EPA 8260
0.25
1.0
-
0.51 J
ND
ND
ND
-
6-Dec-18
EPA 8260B
0.25
1.0
5.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-19
EPA8260D
0.20
1.0
6.8
0.59 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
8-Nov-19
EPA8260D
0.15
1.0
4.0
0.43 J
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-20
EPA8260D
0.15
1.0
4.0
0.39 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
11-Nov-20
EPA8260D
0.15
1.0
4.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
4-Nov-21
EPA8260D
0.34
1.0
4.1
0.37 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
17-Nov-22
EPA8260D
0.34
1.0
3.3
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
1,4-Dichlorobenzene
18-Feb-13
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
18.0
--
-
ND
-
ND
18-Jul-13
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
--
--
--
6.5
ND
INC 2L = 6 pg/I (01/01/10)
6-May-14
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
10.0
2.3
-
ND
ND
ND
22-Oct-14
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
15.2
1.6
ND
ND
ND
ND
21-May-15
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
18.7
1.4
ND
ND
ND
ND
9-Dec-15
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
19.6
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
4-May-16
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
16.5
0.9 J
ND
ND
ND
--
14-Dec-16
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
15.8
0.7 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
28-Jun-17
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
20.1
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
15-Dec-17
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
19.6
0.71 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
16-May-18
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
19.1
--
-
--
-
--
* Resample >
4-Jun-18
EPA 8260
0.33
1.0
-
0.51 J
ND
ND
ND
6-Dec-18
EPA 8260B
0.33
1.0
17.2
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-19
EPA8260D
0.58
1.0
19.2
0.74 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
8-Nov-19
EPA8260D
0.26
1.0
15.4
0.50 J
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-20
EPA8260D
0.26
1.0
15.4
0.58 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
11-Nov-20
EPA8260D
0.26
1.0
15.2
0.70 J
ND
ND
ND
--
4-Nov-21
EPA8260D
0.33
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
17-Nov-22
EPA8260D
0.38
1.0
17.7
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
1,1-Dichloroethane
18-Feb-13
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
7.9
-
ND
-
ND
18-Jul-13
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
-
--
11.3
ND
INC 2L = 6 pg/I (01/01/10)
6-May-14
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
11.6
7.1
-
ND
ND
ND
22-Oct-14
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
9.0
4.9 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
21-May-15
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
4.8 J
2.4 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
9-Dec-15
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
5.9
2.2 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
4-May-16
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
5.9
1.5 J
ND
ND
ND
--
14-Dec-16
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
4.4 J
0.85 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
28-Jun-17
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
4.3 J
0.59 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
15-Dec-17
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
3.1 J
0.58 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
16-May-18
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
3.8 J
--
-
--
-
--
* Resample >
4-Jun-18
EPA 8260
0.32
5.0
--
0.36 J
ND
ND
ND
--
6-Dec-18
EPA 8260B
0.32
1.0
3.6
ND
ND
ND
ND
---
8-May-19
EPA8260D
0.41
1.0
4.6
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
8-Nov-19
EPA8260D
0.27
1.0
3.1
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-20
EPA8260D
0.27
1.0
2.7
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
11-Nov-20
EPA8260D
0.27
1.0
2.5
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
4-Nov-21
EPA8260D
0.37
1.0
1.3
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
17-Nov-22
EPA8260D
0.37
1.0
1.4
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
Burke County - Johns River Landfill Expansion
Permit # 12-03 Page 1 of 3 La Bella Associates

TABLE 1: VOC Detections In Additional Wells and Piezometers
Analyte
Sample Collection
EPA
DL
RL
MW-36
MW-15S
PZ-12
PZ-30S
PZ-31
Blanks
Date
Method
1,2-Dichloroethane
18-Feb-13
EPA 8260
0.12
1.0
1.0
--
--
ND
-
ND
18-Jul-13
EPA 8260
0.12
1.0
-
---
---
--
0.54 J
ND
NC 2L = 0.4 pg/I (01/01/10)
6-May-14
EPA 8260
0.12
1.0
0.78 J
ND
-
ND
ND
ND
22-Oct-14
EPA 8260
0.12
1.0
0.92 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
21-May-15
EPA 8260
0.12
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
9-Dec-15
EPA 8260
0.24
1.0
0.66 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
4-May-16
EPA 8260
0.24
1.0
0.92 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
14-Dec-16
EPA 8260
0.24
1.0
0.77 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
28-Jun-17
EPA 8260
0.24
1.0
0.75 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
15-Dec-17
EPA 8260
0.24
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
16-May-18
EPA 8260
0.24
1.0
0.73 J
--
-
-
-
--
* Resample >
4-Jun-18
EPA 8260
0.24
1.0
--
ND
ND
ND
ND
-
6-Dec-18
EPA 8260E
0.24
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-19
EPA 8260D
0.67
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
8-Nov-19
EPA 8260D
0.34
1.0
0.65 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-20
EPA 8260D
0.34
1.0
0.58 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
11-Nov-20
EPA 8260D
0.34
1.0
0.63 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
4-Nov-21
EPA 8260D
0.32
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
17-Nov-22
EPA 8260D
0.32
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
Methylene Chloride
18-Feb-13
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
17.9
--
-
ND
-
ND
18-Jul-13
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
NS
--
---
--
16.4
ND
NC 2L = 5 pg/I (01/01/10)
6-May-14
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
24.1
16.7
-
ND
ND
2.20
22-Oct-14
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
15.7
1.6
ND
ND
ND
ND
21-May-15
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
9.5 B
4.4 B
ND
ND
ND
1.70
9-Dec-15
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
11.2 B
2.6 B
ND
ND
ND
2.0
4-May-16
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
3.1
2.0
ND
ND
ND
--
14-Dec-16
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
28-Jun-17
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
15-Dec-17
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
16-May-18
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
ND
--
-
--
-
--
* Resample>
4-Jun-18
EPA 8260
0.97
1.0
-
ND
ND
ND
ND
---
6-Dec-18
EPA 8260E
0.97
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-19
EPA 8260D
0.50
1.0
2.1
0.83 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
8-Nov-19
EPA 8260D
3.70
5.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-20
EPA 8260D
3.70
5.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
11-Nov-20
EPA 8260D
3.70
5.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
4-Nov-21
EPA 8260D
2.00
5.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
17-Nov-22
EPA 8260D
2.00
5.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
Tetrachloroethene
18-Feb-13
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
5.5
--
-
ND
-
ND
18-Jul-13
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
NS
---
---
--
7.8
ND
NC 2L = 0.7 pg/I (10/23/07)
6-May-14
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
7.9
6.9
-
ND
ND
ND
22-Oct-14
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
7.3
5.2
ND
ND
ND
ND
21-May-15
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
6.0
3.3
ND
ND
ND
ND
9-Dec-15
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
5.0
2.1
ND
ND
ND
ND
4-May-16
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
4.5
2.0
ND
ND
ND
--
14-Dec-16
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
ND
1.4
ND
ND
ND
ND
28-Jun-17
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
ND
0.80 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
15-Dec-17
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
16-May-18
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
3.6
--
-
--
-
--
* Resample >
4-Jun-18
EPA 8260
0.46
1.0
--
0.48 J
ND
ND
ND
--
6-Dec-18
EPA 8260E
0.46
1.0
2.9
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-19
EPA 8260D
0.78
1.0
4.4
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
8-Nov-19
EPA 8260D
0.16
1.0
2.0
0.64 J
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-20
EPA 8260D
0.16
1.0
2.4
0.55 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
11-Nov-20
EPA 8260D
0.16
1.0
2.3
0.70 J
ND
ND
ND
--
4-Nov-21
EPA 8260D
0.29
1.0
1.6
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
17-Nov-22
EPA 8260D
0.29
1.0
1.2
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
Burke County -Johns River Landfill Expansion
Permit # 12-03 Page 2 of 3 LaBelle Associates

TABLE 1: VOC Detections In Additional Wells and Piezometers
Analyte
Sample Collection
EPA
DL
RL
MW-36
MW-15S
PZ-12
PZ-30S
PZ-31
Blanks
Date
Method
Trichloroethene
18-Feb-13
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
3.6
--
--
ND
-
ND
18-Jul-13
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
-
---
---
--
5.8
ND
NC 21 = 3 pg/l (01/01/10)
6-May-14
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
6.0
4.3
-
ND
NO
ND
22-Oct-14
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
5.1
3.4
ND
ND
NO
ND
21-May-15
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
3.5
2.1
ND
ND
NO
ND
9-Dec-15
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
2.9
1.1
ND
ND
ND
ND
4-May-16
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
3.1
--
ND
ND
ND
14-Dec-16
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
ND
0.81 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
28-Jun-17
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
15-Dec-17
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
16-May-18
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
3.1
-
-
-
--
*Resample>
4-Jun-18
EPA 8260
0.47
1.0
---
ND
ND
ND
ND
---
6-Dec-18
EPA 8260E
0.47
1.0
2.2
ND
ND
ND
ND
-
8-May-19
EPA 8260D
0.34
1.0
4.1
ND
ND
ND
NO
ND
8-Nov-19
EPA 8260D
0.22
1.0
1.6
ND
ND
ND
NO
--
8-May-20
EPA 8260D
0.22
1.0
1.9
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
11-Nov-20
EPA 8260D
0.22
1.0
1.7
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
4-Nov-21
EPA 8260D
0.38
1.0
0.9 J
ND
ND
ND
NO
ND
17-Nov-22
EPA 8260D
0.38
1.0
1.2
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
Vinyl chloride
18-Feb-13
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
1.2
--
-
ND
-
ND
18-Jul-13
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
-
--
---
--
ND
ND
NC 21 = 0.03 pg/I (01/01/10)
6-May-14
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
1.1
ND
-
ND
ND
ND
22-Oct-14
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
0.87 J
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
21-May-15
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
NO
ND
9-Dec-15
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
0.80 J
ND
ND
ND
NO
ND
4-May-16
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
0.80 J
ND
ND
ND
NO
--
14-Dec-16
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
NO
ND
28-Jun-17
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
0.64 J
ND
ND
ND
NO
ND
15-Dec-17
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
NO
NO
16-May-18
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
0.66 J
--
-
--
-
--
* Resample >
4-Jun-18
EPA 8260
0.62
1.0
--
ND
ND
ND
NO
---
6-Dec-18
EPA 8260E
0.62
1.0
NO
ND
ND
ND
ND
-
8-May-19
EPA 8260D
0.60
1.0
NO
ND
ND
ND
NO
ND
8-Nov-19
EPA 8260D
0.24
1.0
NO
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
8-May-20
EPA 8260D
0.24
1.0
0.56 J
ND
ND
ND
NO
ND
11-Nov-20
EPA 8260D
0.24
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
--
4-Nov-21
EPA 8260D
0.39
1.0
0.59 J
ND
ND
ND
NO
ND
17-Nov-22
EPA 8260D
0.39
1.0
ND
ND
ND
ND
NO
ND
Carbon Dioxide
14-Dec-16
AM20GAX
450
5,000
510,000
350,000
35,000
22,000
14,000
--
(Dissolved Carbon Dioxide)
28-Jun-17
RSK-175
450
5,000
420,000
250,000
36,000
23,000
14,000
11-Nov-20
RSK-175
2,540
18,000
208,000
121,000
19,100
36,200
10,700
--
17-Nov-22
RSK-175
2,540
18,000
254,000
--
-
45,800
29,600
Methane
18-Feb-13
RSK 175
0.7
2.0
-
---
-
---
--
(Dissolved Methane)
18-Jul-13
RSK 175
0.7
2.0
-
-
--
-
--
6-May-14
RSK 175
0.7
2.0
348
9,940
-
ND
NO
--
22-Oct-14
RSK 175
3.3
6.6
8,450
13,000
ND
ND
ND
ND
21-May-15
RSK 175
0.6
10.0
173
4,680
2.0 J
1.5 J
1.7 J
--
9-Dec-15
RSK 175
0.6
10.0
3,780
8,550
3.0 J
2.5 J
4.8 J
--
4-May-16
RSK 175
0.5
10.0
8,920
7,860
1.6 J
1.6 J
1.8 J
-
14-Dec-16
RSK 175
200
200
32,200
16,700
ND
ND
27.0 J
--
28-Jun-17
RSK 175
10
10
45,400
25,900
ND
ND
ND
--
15-Dec-17
RSK 175
10
10
17,100
25,700
ND
ND
48.4
--
16-May-18
RSK 175
10
10
29,100
18,000
ND U
ND U
ND U
--
6-Dec-18
RSK 175
10
10
27,800
18,100
ND
45.7
17.4
--
8-May-19
RSK 175
3.4
10
-
19,500
12.1
908
15.1
-
8-Nov-19
RSK 175
3.4
10
8,820
16,800
ND
1,510
ND
--
8-May-20
RSK 175
3.4
10
13,800
18,300
ND
ND
ND
-
11-Nov-20
RSK 175
3.4
10
14,200
14,500
ND
186 J
ND
--
4-Nov-21
RSK-175
2.91
10
4,810
11,400
18.1
ND
ND
--
17-Nov-22
RSK-175
2.91
10
3,550
--
--
251
9.6 J
Notes:
All concentrations in micrograms per liter (pg/1).
DL = Laboratory Detection Limit.
RL = Reporting Limit.
NC 2L = Groundwater Standard from 15A NCAC 2L.0202.
-= Not reported or not monitored
ND = Not Detected above the DL.
J = Estimated value - Concentration is less than the SWSL but greater than the DL.
B = Blank -Qualified (Similar concentration detected in field, trip, or method blank).
Values above the NC 2L Standard are bold
Burke County - Johns River Landfill Expansion
Permit # 12-03 Page 3 of 3 LaBelle Associates