HomeMy WebLinkAboutNC0003425_Review of Monitoring Report_20160818NCDENR
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
Beverly Eaves Perdue Coleen H. Sullins
Governor Director
August 24, 2010
Mr. Harry Sideris
Plant Manager, Roxboro Steam Electric Plant
1700 Dunnaway Road
Semora, North Carolina 27343
Dee Freeman
Secretary
Subject: Review of Progress Energy, NPDES Permit NC0003425 "Environmental Monitoring Report: Roxboro
Stream Electric Plant', July 2010.
Environmental Sciences Section staff has reviewed the subject document. Jeff Deberardinis and Debra Owen have
reviewed the sections on fish tissue and water chemistry respectively. This monitoring report is required by NPDES
Permit NC0003425 as issued by the Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality for discharges from the
Roxboro Steam Electric Plant.
Based on a review of the data, it is evident that measured fish tissue concentrations of Cadmium, Mercury, and Selenium
are all below the EPA screening value set for recreational fisheries for each element. For Mercury the concentrations
reported in this monitoring report are also below the North Carolina fish consumption level.
However, the following item requires additional clarification:
Starting in 2007, the apparent increase in selenium concentrations at Transects 3 and 4 (Appendix 5, Page 26)
and dissolved solids at Transect 4 (Appendix 4, Page 25) suggest that there may be some potential water quality
issues developing. On page 9 of the report (paragraph 4), it is stated that "the annual mean concentrations of
some ions, hardness, total dissolved solids, and specific conductance continued to increase compared to means
in previous years especially in the vicinity of the power plant discharge. These increases were likely the result of
the operations of the Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) systems recently installed at the Roxboro Plant for control
of sulfur dioxide in stack emissions."
Based on a January 19, 2010 letter (attached), we understand that in your effort to understand and address the impacts of
the FDG operations you have completed a preliminary study assessing the general impacts of the FGD operations on the
lake and (as part of this study) you are in the process of evaluating "various treatment alternatives" (possibly including a
"Zero Liquid Discharge" system) in an effort to address the issues created by the FGD operations (including those outlined
above in item #1). To this end, please provide us with a letter updating this process.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me or my staff.
cc: Danny Smith, Raleigh Regional Office
Jeff Poupart, Surface Water Protection Section
Sergei Chernikov, Surface Water Protection Section
Charles Weaver, Surface Water Protection Section
1621 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1621
Location: 4401 Reedy Creek Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607
Phone: 919-743-8400 \ FAX 919-743-8517 \ Customer Service: 1-877-623-6748
Internet: http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/esb/
Sincerely,
Jay Sauber
Chief, Environmental Sciences Section
Nne
orthCarolina
;Vaturallff
An Equal Opportunity \ Affirmative Action Employer
Allen Stowe
November 19, 2009
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