9503T_INSP_20170117

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Page 1 of 3
UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF LCID YW Transfer X Compost SLAS COUNTY: Watauga
Closed
MSWLF HHW X White
goods X Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 9503T-Transfer-1996
CDLF Tire T&P /
Collection X Tire
Monofill Industrial
Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE
Date of Site Inspection: January 17, 2017 Date of Last Inspection: December 16, 2016
FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Watauga County Transfer Station
336 Landfill Road
Boone, North Carolina 28607

GPS COORDINATES: N: 36.22032 W: 81.63165
FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: J.V. Potter, Operations Service Director
Telephone: [phone] (o) or [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]
FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Same as above
PARTICIPANTS:
J.V. Potter, Operations Service Director – Watauga County
Charles Gerstell, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Section
STATUS OF PERMIT:
A Permit to Operate 9503T-TRANSFER-1996 Watauga County Transfer Station and 9503-HHW-2015 Watauga
County Permanent HHW was issued to Watauga County on May 29, 2016. This permit shall expire on August 26,
2020.
PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Partial Inspection
STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
15A North Carolina Administrative Code 13B .0402(7) states: “Appropriate method shall be provided to confine
material subject to be blown by the wind within the area. At the conclusion of each day of operation, all windblown
material resulting from the operation shall be collected and returned to the area by the owner or operator.”
Attachment 3, Part 1, General Facility Permit Condition 10(e)(ii) states: “Windblown materials must be collected by
the end of the day and no windblown material may be allowed to leave the facility boundary.”
During the December 16, 2016 inspection, windblown waste was severe on the east side of the transfer station building
adjacent to the storm water pond and access road leading from the transfer trailer loading bay. This waste had been
deposited prior to the date of the inspection. Waste was also observed deposited into a stormwater inlet located adjacent
to the exit of the transfer trailer loading bay. Further investigation found that waste had traveled through the culvert
leading from the stormwater inlet and deposited into a grassed area below the culvert of the north side of the transfer
station. It appeared that this material had been deposited for quite some time and had not been picked up since the
previous operating day. Therefore, Watauga County was found in violation of 15A NCAC 13B .0402(7) and
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Page 2 of 3
Attachment 3, Part 1, General Facility Permit Condition 10(e)(ii) in that windblown waste had not been collected and
returned to the transfer station at the conclusion of each day of operation.
To achieve compliance, Watauga County was required to collect all windblown waste to include the waste located at the
outlet of the culvert on the north side of the transfer station and return it to the transfer station within 10-days of receipt of
the previous inspection report issued on December 22, 2016.
On December 29, 2016, Ms. Donna Watson submitted multiple photos to the section via electronic correspondence
showing The Section received multiple photos documenting Watauga County’s efforts to address the violations
documented on the inspection report December 22, 2016.
A follow-up inspection performed on January 17, 2017 found windblown waste well controlled. Waste within the areas
of concern had been removed. All waste at the outlet of the culvert on the north side of the transfer station had also
been removed and new rip rap had been placed at the outlet of the culvert. Therefore, the violations are considered
resolved. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
None
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
1. The facility is permitted to receive waste generated within Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Watauga, and Wilkes Counties.
2. All waste is transported to Foothills Environmental MSW Landfill (Permit #: 14-03)
3. A gate was located at the entrance to the facility to prevent unauthorized access.
4. This was a partial inspection to evaluate efforts to comply with the violations documented on the previous
inspection report issued on December 22, 2016. Please refer to “Status of Past Noted Violations” for comments.
Operations Inspection of the Transfer Station:

5. On the previous inspection report, it was recommended that measures be provided around the stormwater inlet at
the exit of the trailer loading bay to prevent small, windblown waste from depositing into the inlet. This inspection
found that wire mesh had been installed around the inlet on steel stakes to prevent waste from depositing into the
inlet.
6. The previous inspection report noted that work was needed to remove all windblown material associated to the
bailing/recycling activities to prevent the creation of nuisance conditions. It was requested that all waste along the
edge of the paved area west of the bailing/recycling building be collected and returned to the building. All glass
deposited beyond the collection also needed to be collected.
x Pictures provided on December 29, 2016 via electronic correspondence showed significant improvement
in these areas. Improvement in the amount of material on the ground was also observed during the
inspection performed on January 17, 2017.
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
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report.
________________________________________ Phone: [phone]
Charles T. Gerstell
Environmental Senior Specialist
Regional Representative
Sent on: 1/26/17 X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No.
Copies: Jason Watkins, Field Operations Branch Head – Solid Waste Section
Deb Aja Western District Supervisor - Solid Waste Section
Jessica Montie, Compliance Officer - Solid Waste Section

Digitally signed by Charles T. Gerstell
DN: cn=Charles T. Gerstell, o=Divsion of
Waste Management, ou=Solid Waste
Section,
email=[e-mail], c=US
Date: 2017.01.26 13:21:45 -05'00'