HomeMy WebLinkAboutNCS000578_Buck Steam Station Draft Permit Fact Sheet_20180502DEQ/DEMLR
FACT SHEET FOR NPDES STORMWATER PERMIT DEVELOPMENT
NPDES No. NCS000578
BACKGROUND
Duke Energy's Buck Steam Station is a previously active fossil -fueled, electric generating plant located in
Rowan County about three miles east of Spencer, North Carolina. The station has six retired coal-fired
generating units that are in various stages of being decommissioned. The original two coal-fired units
were put service in 1926. The Buck Steam Station property encompasses about 643 acres that border the
Yadkin River in the upper reaches of High Rock Lake. The former coal-fired and oil -fired station
generation area encompasses approximately 50 acres. The station is currently being decommissioned and
most structures formerly associated with coal-fired and oil -fired generation will be demolished.
The facility includes the Powerhouse, the former coal storage yard located south of the Powerhouse, the
Units 3 and 4 Switchyard located immediately east of the Powerhouse, and the Units 5 and 6 Switchyard
located immediately southwest of the Powerhouse. The facility also contains two warehouses, and empty
fuel oil storage tank, paved parking areas, rail lines, paved roadways, and gravel -surfaced roadways.
Also located within the Buck Steam Station property boundary is the Buck Tie Station and the Buck
Combustion Turbine Combined Cycle (CTCC) Station. The tie station is a separate facility unassociated
with the Buck Steam Station. The Buck CTCC station is a new generating facility located south of the
Buck Tie Station and is located up gradient and hydraulically unassociated with the Buck Station.
Fact Sheet
NPDES Stormwater Permit NCS000578
Page 1
Facility Information
Applicant/Facility Name: Buck Steam Station
Applicant Address:
P.O. Box 1006, Mail Code EC13K, Charlotte, NC 28201
Facility Address:
1555 Dukeville Road, Salisbury, North Carolina 28704
Permitted Flow:
N/A Stormwater Discharges Only)
Industrial Activities:
Primary SIC Code: 4911 — Electric Services
Permit Status:
New NPDES Stormwater Permit
County:
Rowan County
Miscellaneous
Receiving Stream:
Yadkin River Regional Office: Mooresville
Stream Classification:
WS -V State Grid / USGS Quad:
303(d) Listed
Hg, statewide Permit Writer: Richard Riddle, Jr.
Subbasin:
Date: January 19, 2017
Aamp
Facility Location: Lat. 35° 42' 50" N Long. -80° 22' 32" W
BACKGROUND
Duke Energy's Buck Steam Station is a previously active fossil -fueled, electric generating plant located in
Rowan County about three miles east of Spencer, North Carolina. The station has six retired coal-fired
generating units that are in various stages of being decommissioned. The original two coal-fired units
were put service in 1926. The Buck Steam Station property encompasses about 643 acres that border the
Yadkin River in the upper reaches of High Rock Lake. The former coal-fired and oil -fired station
generation area encompasses approximately 50 acres. The station is currently being decommissioned and
most structures formerly associated with coal-fired and oil -fired generation will be demolished.
The facility includes the Powerhouse, the former coal storage yard located south of the Powerhouse, the
Units 3 and 4 Switchyard located immediately east of the Powerhouse, and the Units 5 and 6 Switchyard
located immediately southwest of the Powerhouse. The facility also contains two warehouses, and empty
fuel oil storage tank, paved parking areas, rail lines, paved roadways, and gravel -surfaced roadways.
Also located within the Buck Steam Station property boundary is the Buck Tie Station and the Buck
Combustion Turbine Combined Cycle (CTCC) Station. The tie station is a separate facility unassociated
with the Buck Steam Station. The Buck CTCC station is a new generating facility located south of the
Buck Tie Station and is located up gradient and hydraulically unassociated with the Buck Station.
Fact Sheet
NPDES Stormwater Permit NCS000578
Page 1
FACILITY STORMWATER DRAINAGE
Buck Steam Station has five NPDES process wastewater outfalls: Outfall 001 - Cooling water, Outfall
002 - Ash Basin, Outfall 002A - Yard Sump Overflow, Outfall 004 - Intake Screen Backwash, and
Outfall 005 - Miscellaneous Equipment Cooling Water. These discharges are all covered under a separate
wastewater NPDES permit. The station has 29 identified active stormwater outfalls (21 of which are
Powerhouse roof drains) that discharge directly into the Yadkin River, or discharge in close proximity to
the river. These stormwater only discharges are considered in this NPDES permit.
Stormwater Outfalls and Drainage Area Descriptions
Outfall SW001 (Drainage Area I
Drainage Area 1 includes most of the vendor paved parking lot, part of the Units 5 and 6 Switchyard, and
the grassed yard areas southwest of the Unit 5 and 6 Switchyard. The drainage area is mostly flat with
slight grading of paved surfaces towards the drop inlets. The Switchyards have a gravel surface. Circuit
breakers are located within concrete containments with open drains that discharge to an 8,000 -gallon -
capacity oil trap tank. The southern and western perimeters are curbed, and ditches divert runoff around
the Switchyard. Transformers are provided containment by nearby yard drains that discharge to the oil
trap tank. There is approximately 0.3 acres of gravel area, 0.5 acre of paved parking and 2.5 acres of
grassed yard areas within the drainage area.
Outfall SWO02 (Drainage Area 2)
Drainage Area 2 is comprised of approximately 1 acre of the gravel -surfaced Units 5 and 6 Switchyard, a
small paved area beneath the Units 8 and 9 Precipitators located north of the Switchyard, and
approximately 0.3 acre of paved parking located west of the Switchyard. The remainder of the drainage
area is grassed yard.
Most electrical equipment containing mineral oil located in the Units 5 and 6 Switchyard is situated
within the curbed concrete containment pads with open drains to a 15,000 -gallon oil trap tank. The tank
is located west of the station access road.
Outfall SWO03 (Drainage Area 3
The drainage area for Outfall encompasses the Service Building roof, a small storage shed roof, a covered
compressed gas storage pad, a vapor extraction tank, paved driveways, and landscaped areas on the west
side of the Service Building. The 0.6 acre area is noted as being 50 percent impervious.
Outfall SW048 (Drainage Area 48)
Drainage Area 48 is comprised entirely of the western half of the Units 3 and 4 Switchyard. The drainage
area is gravel. Electrical equipment including transformers and circuit breakers are located within curbed
concrete containment pads with manually operated drain valves.
Outfall SW056 (Drainage Area 56
Drainage Area 56 is comprised of a large, primarily vegetated area located southeast of the Powerhouse
with approximately 3,500 linear feet of paved road and approximately 2,000 linear feet of gravel
roadway. Located within this drainage area are the combustion turbine area, the Main Fuel Oil Storage
Tank, the tanker truck fuel oil unloading station, and approximately 1,400 linear feet of aboveground fuel
oil piping. The Main Fuel Oil Storage Tank and containment dike encompasses approximately 2.5 acres.
The tanker truck unloading station is a paved area covering about 0.2 acres located northeast of the tank.
The combustion turbine area covers approximately 2.5 acres that are either paved asphalt or gravel.
External areas outside of the perimeter road are grassed.
Fact Sheet
NPDES Stormwater Permit NCS000578
Page 2
Outfall SW073 (Drainage Area 73
Drainage Area 73 is comprised of a large, primarily vegetated area located east of Drainage Area 56. The
drainage area contains approximately 1,000 linear feet of rail lines and approximately 2,000 linear feet of
gravel roadway.
Outfall SW075 (Drainage Area 75)
The drainage area for SW075 is comprised entirely of a gravel roadway and gravel areas surrounding rail
lines near the yard sump. The area contains approximately 500 linear feet of rain lines and approximately
250 linear feet of gravel roadway.
Outfall SW077 (Drainage Area 77)
The SW077 drainage area is comprised primarily of gravel areas surrounding rail lines near the yard
sump. The area also includes portions of a grassed embankment north of the combustion turbine units.
Approximately 1,200 linear feet of rail lines area located within the drainage area.
Outfall SW078 (Drainage Area 78)
Outfall SW078 is a 12 -inch concrete pipe that discharges stormwater from a drain located in a small
concrete -lined ditch between the parking lot in the northwestern corner of the property and the
switchyard.
Outfall SW079 (Drainage Area 79)
Outfall SW079 is a 4 -inch PVC pipe that discharges stormwater from a drain in the parking lot of the
northwestern corner of the property.
Outfalls SW080 & SW081 (Drainage Area 77)
Outfall SW080 is a 12" HDPE and Outfall SW081 is a 12" steel pipe which are located within 10 feet of
outfalls SW056 and SW077. No flow has been observed and the outfalls could be out of service. The
timeline for final abandonment of these two outfalls is unknown at this time.
Powerhouse Roof Drain Outfalls
(Outfalls SW005, SW007, SWO11, SW015, SW016, SW023, SW025, SW027, SW032, SW034, SW035,
SW038, SW039, SW0581 SW065, SW066, SW067, SW069, SW070, SW071, and SW072)
The drainage area for these outfalls are comprised entirely of various sections of the Powerhouse roof.
These outfalls are mounted on the north face of the Powerhouse wall and discharge directly into the
Yadkin River in the station intake area. Only Outfall SW005 is accessible. All of these outfalls will be
eliminated during the upcoming demolition of the Powerhouse. Because the stormwater from these
outfalls do not come in contact with an industrial activity, the outfalls will not be included in the permit.
WHY THIS FACILITY IS SUBJECT TO A PERMIT
Federal NPDES regulations define stormwater discharge associated with industrial activity in 40 CFR
§122.26 (b)(14) as:
"the discharge from any conveyance that is used for collecting and conveying storm water and
that is directly related to manufacturing, processing or raw materials storage areas at an industrial
plant. The term does not include discharges from facilities or activities excluded from the
NPDES program under this part 122. For the categories of industries identified in this section,
the term includes, but is not limited to, storm water [sic] discharges from industrial plant yards;
Fact Sheet
NPDES Stormwater Permit NCS000578
Page 3
immediate access roads and rail lines used or traveled by carriers of raw materials, manufactured
products, waste material, or by-products used or created by the facility; material handling sites;
refuse sites; sites used for the application or disposal of process waste waters (as defined at part
401 of this chapter); sites used for the storage and maintenance of material handling equipment;
sites used for residual treatment, storage, or disposal; shipping and receiving areas; manufacturing
buildings; storage areas (including tank farms) for raw materials, and intermediate and final
products; and areas where industrial activity has taken place in the past and significant
materials remain and are exposed to storm water. For the purposes of this paragraph, material
handling activities include storage, loading and unloading, transportation, or conveyance of any
raw material, intermediate product, final product, by-product or waste product. The term
excludes areas located on plant lands separate from the plant's industrial activities, such as office
buildings and accompanying parking lots as long as the drainage from the excluded areas is not
mixed with storm water [sic] drained from the above described areas."
PROPOSED MONITORING FOR STORMWATER DISCHARGES
The Division considered potential pollutants from past and present industrial activities (coal-fired electric
generation, plant decommissioning, and future ash removal) and data submitted in the application
submitted October 07, 2014 and additional data submitted December 18, 2014. Sampling included O&G,
COD, Cl, Fl, SO4, Hg, Al, As, Ba, B, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sb, Tl, Zn, TDS, TSS,
conductivity, hardness, temperature, and pH.
Unlike most stormwater permits in its program, the Division is proposing a permit structure with outfall -
specific monitoring for discharges. Parameters are based on potential pollutants each the drainage area,
sampling results, and in some cases, dependent upon future activities (e.g., ash removal through the
drainage area). Below is a table of the proposed monitoring for each outfall at the Buck Steam Station
site. All outfalls ultimately discharge to the Yadkin River.
Fact Sheet
NPDES Stormwater Permit NCS000578
Page 4
Stormwater Discharge Outfall (SDO) Monitoring
Switchyards, Oil Trap Tanks, Main Fuel Oil Storage Area, and parking area
SWO01, SWO02, SWO03, SW056, SW078, and SW079
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Monitored semi-annually; may be discontinued after the first
(PCBs)
year (two samples) if not detected. BASIS: Electrical equipment
Priority Pollutant Metals Ag, As,
in these drainage areas (powerhouse and switchyard areas) may
Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se,
have contained PCBs, which persist in the environment if ever
Tl, and Zn.
released. (An empty Used PCB Mineral Oil Storage Tank
pH
elsewhere on the property stored this material at one time.) If all
PCBs have been removed and past releases cleaned up, these
Boron (B)
compounds should not be detected.
Copper (Cu)
Semi-annual monitoring. BASIS: Coal combustion waste (CCW)
constituent
Selenium (Se)
Semi-annual monitoring. BASIS: Coal combustion waste (CCW)
constituent
Mercury (Hg)
Semi-annual monitoring with Method 1631E. BASIS: Coal
combustion waste CC constituent
Zinc (Zn)
Semi-annual monitoring. BASIS: Coal combustion waste (CCW)
constituent
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
Semi-annual monitoring. BASIS: Potential pollutant from
drainage area and BMP effectiveness indicator
Non -polar Oil & Grease (Method
Semi-annual monitoring. BASIS: Potential pollutant from
1664 SGT -HEM)
lubricants; Method 1664 SGT -HEM targetspetroleum-based 0&G
pH
Semi-annual monitoring. BASIS: Pollutant indicator and
important to interpreting toxicity potential of metals
Stormwater Discharge Outfall (SDO) Monitoring
Roadway, and Rail Lines
Designated as Analytical M nitoring Requirements for SW073, SW075, and SW077
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
Semi-annual monitoring. BASIS: Potential pollutant from
drainage area and BMP effectiveness indicator
Priority Pollutant Metals Ag, As,
Semi-annual monitoring only if coal or coal ash transported through
Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se,
this drainage area. BASIS: Coal combustion waste (CCW)
Tl, and Zn.
constituents
pH
Semi-annual monitoring. BASIS: Pollutant indicator and
important to interpreting toxicity potential of metals
Boron (B)
Semi-annual monitoring only if coal or coal ash transported through
this drainage area. BASIS: Coal combustion waste (CCW)
constituent coal tracer.
Any modifications to these outfalls that result in a potential stormwater discharge associated with past or
present industrial activities will require a modification to this permit. These outfalls are to be eliminated
during upcoming demolition of the Powerhouse.
Fact Sheet
NPDES Stormwater Permit NCS000578
Page 5
STORMWATER BENCHMARKS AND TIERED RESPONSE
Rather than limits, North Carolina NPDES Stormwater permits contain benchmark concentrations.
Stormwater benchmarks are numerical action levels for stormwater monitoring.
Benchmarks are not effluent limits, and benchmark exceedances are not permit violations.
Benchmarks provide facilities a tool for assessing the significance of pollutants in stormwater discharges
and the effectiveness of best management practices (BMPs). Benchmark concentrations are intended as
guidelines for the facility's development and implementation of the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
(SPPP).
Benchmark exceedances require the permittee to increase monitoring, increase management actions,
increase record keeping, and/or install stormwater BMPs in a tiered program. The permit establishes a
tiered approach to specify actions the permittee must take in response to analytical results above
benchmark concentrations (Part II, Section B., following Table 4). The tiered structure of the permit
provides the permittee and NCDEMLR wide flexibility to address issues that may arise with one or more
parameters and/or outfalls.
Metals benchmarks are calculated to mimic acute water quality standards and with the guidance of NC's
Division of Water Resources (DWR). NC DWR follows established federal procedures for calculating
acute standards when developing the benchmarks. Just like the acute standards, metals benchmarks
normally reflect one half of the calculated Final Acute Value (the "1/2 FAV"). In most cases, translation
into total recoverable values is based on an assumed hardness of 25 mg/1 and a total suspended solids
(TSS) concentration of 10 mg/l. Acute standards protect aquatic life from negative impacts of short-term
exposure to higher levels of chemicals where the discharge enters a waterbody. The Stormwater
Permitting Program applies this approach because of the ephemeral nature of rainfall events.
It is important to understand that metal benchmarks are based on a value appropriate for aquatic life, and
the values (such as the 1/2 FAV) can differ significantly from values for drinking water (treated for human
consumption) or based on the other risk assessment levels because those concentrations may be
inappropriate for protecting organisms immersed in an aquatic environment. Most benchmark values
are set at a conservative level to protect aquatic life against impacts from short-term, undiluted exposure
to toxicants, an approach consistent with how DWR's NPDES wastewater permitting program develops
daily maximum water quality based limits. Adjusting calculated values because numbers are perceived as
"too low" or "too high" would compromise the scientific basis. If any values are lower than the current
Practical Quantitation Level (PQL), then Part III, Section D. 4 (Test Procedures) of the draft permit
guides the permittee to use the most sensitive approved test method. In this way, the permit will never
constrain the permittee from using approved methods that can achieve a lower PQL in the future.
When human health standards warrant a different reference value, such as mercury's accumulation in the
food chain as methyl mercury, an alternative value is considered. In the case of mercury, the benchmark
value is set at the WQ standard (12 ng/1) instead of the 1/2 FAV (which is much higher) because of this
metal's bioaccumulation potential. However, that value is also more likely to be exceeded when regional
air deposition drives elevated mercury levels in rainfall, prompting monthly monitoring with little gain for
the permittee's pollution prevention efforts. Therefore, the draft permit recognizes that discharge
mercury (Hg) concentrations must be considered in conjunction with fish tissue monitoring for mercury,
to better understand bioaccumulation of this metal in that waterbody. For this reason, discharge Hg levels
above 12 ng/1 do not trigger Tier 2 responses.
The Division may evaluate results to determine if a smaller suite of parameters for some outfalls is
adequate to characterize potential pollution or BMP effectiveness. For example, one or more metals or
other parameters may serve as an adequate tracer for the presence of ash pollution during disturbance or
ash removal in specific drainage areas at this site. For parameters that do not have a stormwater
benchmark, the Division may develop a benchmark value if appropriate toxicity data become available or
if rising trends in concentrations suggest a persistent source. A summary of the benchmarks in the draft
permit, and their basis, is below:
Fact Sheet
NPDES Stormwater Permit NCS000578
Page 6
Parameter
Benchmark
Basis
Antimony Sb mg/L Total
0.09
Acute Aquatic Criterion, '/2 FAV
Arsenic As mg/L Total
0.34
Acute Aquatic Criterion, '/2 FAV
Beryllium Be m Total
0.065
Acute Aquatic Criterion, '/2 FAV
Cadmium Cd mg/L Total
0.003
Acute Aquatic Criterion, '/2 FAV
'h FAV, based on (Cr III + Cr VI) acute thresholds
Chromium (Cr), mg/L (Total)
0.9
and assumption that industrial activities here are not a
source of hexavalent chromium.
Copper Cu mg/L Total
0.010
Acute Aquatic Criterion, 'h FAV
Lead Pb mg/L Total
0.075
Acute Aquatic Criterion, 'h FAV
Monitoring only, CCW/Coal Constituent. Hg
influenced by regional transport and wet deposition.
Mercury (Hg), ng/L (Total)
N/A
Values above 12 ng/L (NC WQ standard) should be
noted on the DMR but do not trigger Tier Responses.
Nickel (Ni), mg/L Total
0.335
Acute Aquatic Criterion, '/2 FAV
Polychlorinated biphenyl
Detected
NC Water Quality Standards vs. present Arochlors
compounds (PCBs), µg/L
quantitation levels (higher than standard)
'/z FAV, NC -specific, based on 1986 Study on Se
Selenium (Se), mg/L (Total)
0.056
impacts in North Carolina
Acute Aquatic Criterion, '/i FAV. (The Division
Silver (Ag), mg/L (Total)
0.0003
notes this value is below the practical quantitation
level (PQL) of 1 ❑ g/L of EPA Method 200.8)
Monitoring only, CCW/Coal Constituent. Narrative
Boron (B), mg/L
N/A
National Recommended Water Quality Criterion.
Monitoring Only, CCW/Coal constituent. National
Thallium (Tl), mg/L (Total)
N/A
Recommended Human Health Criterion.
Zinc Zn mg/L Total
0.126
Acute Aquatic Criterion, '/z FAV
Total Suspended Solids (TSS),
100
National Urban Runoff Program (NURP) Study, 1983
mg/L
Non - Polar Oil & Grease, EPA
Review of other state's daily maximum benchmark
Method 1664 (SGT -HEM),
15
concentration for this more targeted O&G; NC WQ
mg/L
Standard that does not allow oil sheen in waters.
pH
6-9
NC Water Quality Standard (Range)
STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN
The proposed permit conditions reflect the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) and North
Carolina's pollution prevention approach to stormwater permitting. The Division's maintains that
implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and traditional stormwater management practices
that control the source of pollutants meets the definition of Best Available Technology (BAT) and Best
Conventional Pollutant Control Technology (BCT). The permit conditions are not numeric effluent
limitations but are designed to be flexible requirements for implementing site-specific plans to minimize
and control pollutants in stormwater discharges associated with the industrial activity. Title 40 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) § 122.44(k)(2) authorizes the use of BMPs in lieu of numeric effluent
limitations in NPDES permits when the agency finds numeric effluent limitations to be infeasible.
The agency may also impose BMP requirements which are "reasonably necessary" to carry out the
purposes of the Act under the authority of 40 CFR 122.44(k)(3). The conditions proposed in this draft
permit are included under the authority of both of these regulatory provisions. In essence, the pollution
Fact Sheet
NPDES Stormwater Permit NCS000578
Page 7
prevention and BMP requirements operate as limitations on effluent discharges that reflect the application
of BAT/BCT.
The permit proposes some language specific to coal fired power plants (and in particular, to those plants
being decommissioned). Determining specific BMPs that are appropriate for the site and activities are the
permittee's responsibility, and the permit strives not to limit what BMPs can be used. The permittee
should also refer to the BMPs described in both EPA's Multi -Sector Permit (MSGP) and Industrial
Stormwater Fact Sheet for Steam Electric Power Generating Facilities (Sector O) for guidance on
pollution prevention measures.
MERCURY MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
The proposed permit requires mercury to be measured in stormwater samples by EPA Method 1631E,
which can detect levels as low as 0.5 ng/1. This requirement is consistent with recent federal rule-making
that requires NPDES permittees to monitor discharges with sufficiently sensitive test procedures approved
under 40 CFR § 136. Modifications to 40 CFR § 122.44(i) require a method that has a minimum level
(ML) at or below the effluent limit (not applicable here), or the lowest minimum level (ML) of EPA
approved analytical methods for the measured parameter. Based on results, Method 1631E will be
required to quantify levels in these discharges. NC DEMLR understands that this method is more costly
and requires a more intensive sampling protocol than most other parameters, In addition, fish tissue
sampling is required as part of the NPDES wastewater permit for this facility. As part of the stormwater
permit, DEMLR will utilize the results of the wastewater permit's fish tissue sampling to help and
evaluate appropriate responses. Therefore, no benchmark applies that would trigger tiered response
actions. Proposed permit provisions also allow the permittee to use field blank and/or method blank
concentrations to adjust reported mercury levels as long as documentation is submitted with the Discharge
Monitoring Report (DMR).
FLEXIBILITY IN TIER RESPONSES
Tier Two actions (upon two consecutive benchmark exceedances at an outfall) proposed in this draft
permit differs slightly from the Program's standard template and includes step 6. That step provides an
opportunity for the permittee to propose an alternative monitoring plan for approval by the Region:
Alternatively, in lieu of steps 2 and 3, the permittee may, after two consecutive exceedances,
exercise the option of contacting the DEMLR Regional Engineer as provided below in Tier
Three. The Regional Engineer may direct the response actions on the part of the permittee as
provided in Tier Three, including reduced or additional sampling parameters or frequency.
If pursuing the alternative above after two consecutive exceedances, the permittee may
propose an alternative monitoring plan for approval by the Regional Engineer.
The permit therefore allows the permittee to petition the Regional Office for monitoring changes sooner
than Tier Three (upon any four benchmark exceedances) and gives guidance on one option to take. For
example, the permittee may request that mercury only be monitored semi-annually under the tiers, or that
only parameters over the benchmark be monitored more frequently. In this way, changes to the
monitoring scheme for any outfall can be efficiently handled within the existing permit structure.
Fact Sheet
NPDES Stormwater Permit NCS000578
Page 8
OTHER PROPOSED REQUIREMENTS
• It is standard for Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SPPP) requirements to include an annual
certification that stormwater outfalls have been evaluated for the presence of non-stormwater
discharges, and if any are identified, how those discharges are permitted or otherwise authorized.
The draft permit requires this facility to submit the first certification to DEMLR no later than
90 days after the effective date of the permit (Part II, Section A.).
• Requirement to submit a request for permit modification if the facility identifies or creates any
new outfalls, removes outfalls, or alters any drainage area that changes potential pollutants. This
site may trigger this requirement during demolition or ash removal activities.
• Standard text that allows a permittee to forgo collecting samples outside of regular operating
hours was omitted in Part II because this power plant is not currently operating. The Division
expects the permittee to apply best professional judgment and consider the safety of its personnel
in fulfilling sampling obligations under the permit.
• Federal regulations will require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs).
Permit provisions addressing this impending requirement is included in Part III, Section B
(General Conditions), 3.e. Based on these regulations, the provision in the draft permit notes the
permittee's obligation to begin reporting data electronically December 1, 2016 or when the
agency's electronic reporting system is ready. (NC DEQ's eDMR system is not yet capable of
receiving DMR data electronically for stormwater NPDES permits, but DEQ continues its work
to expand the system to do so.) Standard conditions may be revised, and/or a Special
Condition may be added into the permit to address the obligation to report electronically in
more detail before the final permit is issued.
• Quarterly QualitativeNisual Monitoring to assure regular observation of outfalls throughout the
year.
PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR PERMIT ISSUANCE:
Draft Permit to Public Notice: May 2018 (est.)
Permit Scheduled to Issue: September 01, 2018 (est.)
STATE CONTACT:
If you have any questions about any of the above information or the attached permit, please contact
Richard Riddle at (919) 807-6375 or rick.riddlekncdenr.gov.
Fact Sheet
NPDES Stormwater Permit NCS000578
Page 9