20061203 Ver 1_Public Notice Comments_20060629 (3)

2920 Ridgepine Drive
Apex, NC 27502
June 28, 2006
Mr. Dan Blaisdell, P.E.
Assistant Chief, Engineering Branch
Construction Grants and Loans Section
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
1633 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1633
Ms. Cyndi Kazoly
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
1650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1650
Mr. Monte Matthews
Raleigh Regulatory Field Office
6508 Falls of Neuse Road, Suite 120
Raleigh, NC 27615
Deaz Messrs. Blaisdell & Matthews,Ms. Karoly:
D ~~~u V
~D
JuN .~ 9 zaas
,wusr~-Ty
8~1CFI
This letter is being written to protest the proposed site(s) of the Western Wake Regional
Wastewater Treatment Facility. The selected site, known now as Site C, formerly
designated as Site 14, and known to all New Hill residents as the Seymour Farm, lies in
the very center of the small, rural community of New Hill. It is next to several
residences; it backs up to a historically Black church; and it is across the street from
another historic church. It is also adjacent to two nursing homes and the New Hill
historic district. The two alternate sites would also impact several residences.
I cannot understand the rationale behind the site selection. Review of the Western Wake
Partners' (WWP) website shows several sites just on the other side of US 1 that aze, even
according to their own consultants, more suitable for this sewage plant. When questioned
about this, the WWP have done little more than pay lip service to the concerns of New
Hill residents. They have cited cost as the main factor in their choice, but they have
failed to provide an adequate analysis of the cost factors. The New Hill Community
Association has disputed the cost analysis. I respectfully request that NC DENR cazefully
review this information as well. While cost should be a consideration for any public
project, it should not be the only consideration, nor should it be falsely promoted as the
reason for a decision that will have such a large impact on a community.
There are several sites located on land that is now owned by Progress Energy (PE). The
data that was used to rank the sites includes the land azea for each site, and for those sites
on PE land, the rankings were lower because the land area was deemed to be too small.
However, the boundaries for those sites appear to be drawn arbitrarily. In addition, two
of those sites share a boundary line, and the combined land mass is in excess of that
required for the sewage facility. Even the amount of land required seems to have been
arbitrarily determined. The facility should require approximately 50 acres; however, the

WWP have determined that 150 acres will be needed so that the facility can be
adequately buffered. While the desire to include buffers is commendable, siting the
sewage plant on PE land will eliminate the need for buffers, so the excess land would not
be needed. It is beyond belief that a parcel of land of sufficient size and appropriate
topography cannot be located on the tens of thousands of acres now owned by PE. This
land was acquired for public use-let's use it for this public project.
I must take the time to mention, too, that I am terribly concerned about the more than
2,000,000 gallons of raw sewage dumped into Swift Creek and Lake Crabtree by Cary in
the last 2 weeks. Folks, Cary has NO MITIGATION PLAN. When the break occurs in
New Hill, our wells will be fouled for years. Our livestock ponds will be unusable. Our
lives will be changed, and Cary has no plan on how to make it right after this occurs.
Wouldn't it just make more sense to treat the sewage in each township, then pump the
effluent to the Progress Energy Pump Station where it would then be pumped to the Cape
Fear river? PLEASE DON'T LET THIS SLIDE ! You are our best hope of telling Cary
that this plan is incomplete and totally irresponsible. Yes, a facility is needed, but the way
they are doing it is all wrong and a lot of innocent people and farm livestock are going to
have to live with consequences which Cary has proven they are unable to handle when
the area experiences large amounts of rain (these last 2 storms were not even Tropical
Storms -how bad will it be when we get a hurricane?)
Sincerely,
L%~
A. Berry edle, III
2920 Ridgepine Drive
Apex, NC 27502
Directly adjacent to the New xill Postal District