8106_RogersCliffside_Unit5_BasinCompliancewithCAMA_FID1896961_20240214

ROY COOPER
Governor
ELIZABETH S. BISER
Secretary
Jessica Bednarcik
Senior Vice President
Environmental, Health & Safety
Duke Energy
526 South Church Street
Mail Code EC3XP
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
February 14, 2024
Subject: Documentation of Compliance with the Coal Ash Management Act of 2016,
Session Law 2016-95, North Carolina General Statute § 130A-309.214(a)(3)
James E. Rogers Energy Complex (Formerly Cliffside Steam Station) — Inactive
Unit 5
Cleveland and Rutherford Counties
Dear Ms. Bednarcik:
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has received and reviewed
submittals made by Duke Energy concerning excavation of coal combustion residuals from the
Inactive Unit 5 basin at the subject facility.
The Coal Ash Management Act (CAMA) North Carolina General Statue § 130A-309.214(a)(3)
requires that low -risk impoundments be dewatered and closed as soon as practicable, but no later
than December 31, 2029, and that the impoundments be closed per the requirements of North
Carolina General Statue § 130A-309.214(a)(3)(a), (b), or (c). Based on the documentation
provided below, DEQ hereby concurs that Duke Energy has complied with the closure
requirements under North Carolina General Statue § 130A-309.214(a)(3)(a).
The items listed below were submitted by Duke Energy to DEQ to document compliance with the
requirements of above -referenced CAMA Sections:
James E. Rogers Energy Complex (Cliffside Steam Station) Unit 5 Inactive Ash Basin CCR
Visual Removal Verification Report with attachments dated February 13, 2024.
Email Bill Wylie to Eric Smith with the subject, RE: [External] Duke Energy Cliffside
U5IAB Clean Closure Report submittal via FTP due to file size - RETENTION TIME = 7
DAYS, sent on February 13, 2024.
DEQbi�North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
217 West Jones Street 1 1601 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1601
NORTH CAHOI INA i
919,707,8600

Documentation of Compliance with CAMA
Cliffside Steam Station
February 14, 2024
Page 2 of 2
Based on correspondence received above by DEQ from Duke Energy, Inactive Unit 5 Basin was
not receiving waste streams prior to excavation so decanting was not necessary. Dewatering began
on June 9, 2021, and continued through the end of excavation. Ash removal was completed on
November 3, 2023. The final field excavation totals of the coal combustion residuals (CCR) from
the Inactive Unit 5 Basin and the amounts, in tons, sent to permitted facilities for ultimate handling
are documented per the February 13, 2024, email from Bill Wylie to Eric Smith (listed above) are
as follows:
• Onsite CCP Landfill (INDUS 8106) — 2,119,512 tons
Field verification of coal ash removal met the objectives of sample collection and analysis
consistent with the recommended technical direction outlined in DEQ's CCR Surface
Impoundment Closure Guidelines for Protection of Groundwater dated November 2016.
Duke Energy is expected to comply with other closure requirements concerning groundwater
corrective action as required by CAMA and in conformance with Title 15A of the North Carolina
Administrative Code Subchapter 02L Rules. Any remaining soil contamination shall be addressed
by the facility corrective action plan and incorporated into the groundwater fate and transport
modeling.
The date of this letter shall also serve as the beginning date for the 30-year post -closure monitoring
period for the subject basin.
If you have any questions, please contact Ted Campbell at [phone] or Edward Mussler at
[phone].
Sincerely,
/�GZ2Q.�✓,. �.
Karen Higgins, Chief
Water Planning Section
Division of Water Resources
Sincerely,
Digitally signed by
Edward F. Mussler III
Date: 2024.02.14
14:01:20-05'00'
Edward F. Mussler III, P.E., Chief
Solid Waste Section
Division of Waste Management
Cc (electronic): Andrew Moore — WQROS, Asheville Regional Office
Ted Campbell
— WQROS, Asheville Regional Office
Sushma Masemore — DEQ
Toby Vinson
— DEMLR
Ed Sullivan —
Duke Energy
John Toepfer
— Duke Energy
Scott Davies —
Duke Energy