WI0700087_Permit (Issuance)_20201216

ROY COOPER
Governor
MICHAEL S. REGAN
Secretary
S. DANIEL SMITH
Director
Michael Lancaster
P.O. Box 25
Gatesville, NC 27938
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
Re: Issuance of Injection Well Permit
Permit No. WI0700087
Geothermal Heating/Cooling Water Return Well
Gates County
Dear Mr. Lancaster:
In accordance with your permit renewal application received November 6, 2020, I am forwarding
Permit No. WI0700087 for the continued operation of geothermal heating/cooling water return well(s)
located at the above referenced address. Please note that this renewed permit shall become effective
on December 16, 2020 until November 30, 2025, and shall be subject to the conditions and limitations
stated therein.
Please Note:
• Samples from the influent and effluent sampling ports of your geothermal well system will
be collected at a later date due to current coronavirus restrictions.
In order to continue uninterrupted legal use of this well for the stated purpose, you should submit an
application to renew the permit 120 days prior to its expiration date. As indicated in the permit, this
permit is not transferable to any person without prior notice to, and approval by, the Director of the
Division of Water Resources. If you have any questions regarding your permit or the Underground
Injection Control Program, please call me at [phone].
Best Regards,
Shristi Shrestha
Underground Injection Control (UIC)- Hydrogeologist
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
NORTH CAROLINA
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North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 11636 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1636
919.707.9000

cc: Washington Regional Office, WQROS
Permit File WI0700087
Gates County Environmental Health Department

NORTH CAROLINA
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
PERMIT FOR THE USE OF A WELL FOR INJECTION
In accordance with the provisions of Article 7, Chapter 87; Article 21, Chapter 143, and other applicable
Laws, Rules, and Regulations
PERMISSION IS HEREBY GRANTED TO
Ashton Lewis Lumber Company
Gates County
FOR THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF TWO (2) GEOTHERMAL HEATING/COOLING WATER
RETURN WELL(S), defined in Title 15A North Carolina Administrative Code 2C .0224, which will be used for
the injection of heat pump effluent. This injection well is located at 96 Lewis Mill Rd, Gatesville, NC 27938 and
will be constructed and operated in accordance with the application received November 6, 2020, and conformity
with the specifications and supporting data, all of which are filed with the Department of Environmental Quality.
This permit is for continued operation of an injection well and shall be in compliance with Title 15A North
Carolina Administrative Code 2C .0100 and .0200, and any other Laws, Rules, and Regulations pertaining to well
construction and use.
This permit shall be effective, unless revoked, from December 16, 2020, until November 30, 2025, and shall be
subject to the specified conditions and limitations stated therein.
Permit issued this the l6th day of December, 2020.
For S. Daniel Smith
Director, Division of Water Resources
Permit WI0700087
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission.
Permit #WI0700087
Geothermal Heating/Cooling Water Return Well Page 1 of 5
ver. 3-24-2020

PART I — PERMIT GENERAL CONDITIONS
1. The Permittee must comply with all conditions of this permit and with the standards and criteria specified
in Criteria and Standards Applicable to Injection Wells (15A NCAC 2C .0200). Any noncompliance with
conditions of this permit constitutes a violation of the North Carolina Well Construction Act and is grounds
for enforcement action as provided for in N.C.G.S. 87-94.
2. This permit is effective only with respect to the nature, volume of materials and rate of injection, as
described in the application and other supporting data [15A NCAC 02C .0224(b)].
3. This permit shall become voidable unless the facility is constructed in accordance with the conditions of
this permit, the approved plans and specifications, and other supporting data [15A NCAC 02C .0211(e)].
4. This permit is not transferable without prior notice to, and approval. In the event there is a desire for the
facility to change ownership, or there is a name change of the Permittee, a formal permit amendment request
must be submitted, including any supporting materials as may be appropriate, at least 30 days prior to the
date of the change [15A NCAC 02C .0211(o)] .
5. The issuance of this permit shall not relieve the Permittee of the responsibility of complying with any and
all statutes, rules, regulations, or ordinances, which may be imposed by other local, state, and federal
agencies, which have jurisdiction. Furthermore, the issuance of this permit does not imply that all
regulatory requirements have been met [15A NCAC 02C .0203].
PART II — WELL CONSTRUCTION GENERAL CONDITIONS
1. The well supplying water for the geothermal heating and cooling system shall be constructed in accordance
with requirements of rule 15A NCAC 02C .0107.
2. Any injection well shall be constructed in accordance with requirements of rule 15A NCAC 02C .0107
except that the entire length of the casing shall be grouted in such a way that there is no interconnection of
aquifers or zones having differences in water quality that would result in degradation of any aquifer or zone.
For screened wells, grout shall be emplaced from the top of the gravel pack to the land surface. For open-
end wells, the casing shall be grouted from the bottom of the casing to the land surface [15A NCAC 02C
.0224(d)(2), (3)].
3. Bentonite grout shall not be used to seal any water -bearing zone with a chloride concentration equal to or
greater than 1,500 milligrams per liter. In areas where elevated chloride levels are known to exist or are
probable, such as coastal areas, chloride levels shall be verified in the field to determine existing conditions
if bentonite is to be used [15A NCAC 02C .0225(h)(8)].
4. The injection well system shall be constructed such that a sampling tap or other collection equipment
approved by the Director provides a functional source of water when the system is operational. Such
equipment shall provide the means to collect a water sample immediately after emerging from the water
supply well and immediately prior to injection into the return well [15A NCAC 02C .0224(d)(4)].
5. Each injection well shall be secured to reasonably insure against unauthorized access and use and shall be
sealed with a watertight cap or well seal, as defined in G.S. 87-85(16).
Permit #WI0700087
Geothermal Heating/Cooling Water Return Well Page 2 of 5
ver. 3-24-2020

6. Each geothermal injection well shall have permanently affixed an identification plate according to [15A
NCAC 02C .0107(j)(2)].
7. A copy of the Well Construction Record (Form GW-1) shall be submitted as described in Part V.5 of this
permit within 30 days after completion.
PART III — OPERATION AND USE CONDITIONS
1. The Permittee shall comply with the conditions of this permit and properly operate and maintain the
injection facility in compliance with the conditions of this permit and rules of 15A NCAC 02C .0200, even
if compliance requires a reduction or elimination of the permitted activity [15A NCAC 02C .0211(i)].
2. The issuance of this permit shall not relieve the Permittee of the responsibility for damages to surface water
or groundwater resulting from the operation of this facility. In the event that the facility fails to perform
satisfactorily, including the creation of nuisance conditions or failure of the injection zone to adequately
assimilate the injected fluid, the Permittee shall take immediate corrective actions including those actions
that may be required, such as the repair, modification, or abandonment of the injection facility [15A NCAC
02C .0206].
PART IV — INSPECTIONS [15A NCAC 02C .0211(j)]
1. Any duly authorized officer, employee, or representative of the Division of Water Resources (DWR) may,
upon presentation of credentials, enter and inspect any property, premises, or place on or related to the
injection facility at any reasonable time for the purpose of determining compliance with this permit, may
inspect or copy any records that must be maintained under the terms and conditions of this permit, and may
obtain samples of groundwater, surface water, or injection fluids.
2. DWR representatives shall have reasonable access for purposes of inspection, observation, and sampling
associated with injection and any related facilities as provided for in N.C.G.S. 87-90.
3. Provisions shall be made for collecting any necessary and appropriate samples associated with the injection
facility's activities.
PART V — MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
1. Records of well construction, repair, or abandonment shall be submitted within 30 days of completion of
such activities. Copies of such records shall be retained on -site and available for inspection [15A NCAC
02C .0224(f)(2), (4)].
2. Monitoring of any well may be required to ensure protection of the groundwater resources of the State and
compliance with the groundwater quality standards specified in 15A NCAC 02L [15A NCAC 02C
.0224(f)(1)].
3. The Permittee shall report any report any monitoring or other information that indicates noncompliance
with a specific permit condition, that a contaminant may cause the injected fluids to migrate outside the
approved injection zone or area. As specified in rule 15A NCAC 02C .0211(p), noncompliance notification
shall be as follows:
Permit #WI0700087
Geothermal Heating/Cooling Water Return Well Page 3 of 5
ver. 3-24-2020

(A) Oral notification shall be given within 24 hours of the occurrence, or first knowledge of the
occurrence, to the Washington Regional Office, telephone number 252-946-6481.
(B) Written notification shall be made within 5 (five) days of the occurrence and submitted to the
addresses in Item #5 below.
(C) The written notification shall contain a description of the noncompliance and its cause; the period
of noncompliance, including dates and times; if the noncompliance has not been corrected, the
anticipated time it is expected to continue; and any steps taken or planned to reduce, eliminate, and
prevent reoccurrence of the noncompliance.
4. The Permittee shall record the number and location of the wells with the register of deeds in the county in
the facility is located [15A NCAC 02C .0224(f)(3)].
5. All forms, reports, or monitoring results required by this permit shall be submitted to:
UIC Program Staff
Division of Water Resources
1636 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1636
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
And DWR Washington Regional Office
943 Washington Square Mall
Washington, NC 27889
PART VI — PERMIT RENEWAL [15A NCAC 02C .0224(c)].
As required by rule, and application for permit renewal shall be made at least 120 days prior to the expiration of
this permit. This permit condition does not apply if the Permittee chooses to discontinue operation of the well
for injection of effluent from the geothermal heating and cooling system associated with this permit.
PART VII — CHANGE OF WELL STATUS [15A NCAC 02C .0240].
1. Procedures for temporarily or permanently abandoning a well are the same as those specified in rule 15A
NCAC 02C .0113. While some of those criteria are given below, the Permittee bears the responsibility of
complying with all applicable regulatory requirements.
2. If a well will no longer be used for any purpose, then it should be permanently abandoned according to rule
15A NCAC 02C .0113(b) in order to prevent the well from deteriorating and acting as a source or conduit
of contamination, which is prohibited by General Statute 87-88(c).
3. If a well is taken completely out of service temporarily, the Permittee shall install a water -tight cap or well
seal that cannot be removed without the use of hand or power tools.
4. When injection operations have ceased at the facility and a well will no longer be used for any purpose, the
Permittee shall abandon that injection well in accordance with the procedures specified in 15A NCAC 2C
.0113(b), which include, but are not limited to, the following:
(A) All casing and materials may be removed prior to initiation of abandonment procedures if any
such removal will not be responsible for, or contribute to, the contamination of an underground
source of drinking water.
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(B) The entire depth of each well shall be sounded before it is sealed to ensure freedom from
obstructions that may interfere with sealing operations.
(C) Each well shall be thoroughly disinfected, prior to sealing, in accordance with rule 15A NCAC
02C .0111(b)(1)(A), (B), and (C).
(D) Each well shall be completely filled with cement grout, which shall be introduced into the well
through a pipe which extends to the bottom of the well and is raised as the well is filled.
(E) In those cases when a subsurface cavity has been created as a result of the injection operations,
each well shall be abandoned in such a manner that will prevent the movement of fluids into or
between underground sources of drinking water.
(F) The Permittee shall submit a Well Abandonment Record (Form GW-30) as specified in 15A
NCAC 2C .0224(0(4) within 30 days of completion of abandonment to the addresses specified
in Part V.5 above.
Permit #WI0700087
Geothermal Heating/Cooling Water Return Well Page 5 of 5
ver. 3-24-2020