20070812 Ver 2_NC agency reoveks Alcoa water permit over withheld data_20101201

This Old State: NC. agency revokes Alcoa water permit over withheld data
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THIS OLD STATE
JACK BETTS ON NORTH CAROLINA PEOPLE, POLITICS,
HISTORY, ENVIRONMENT, CULTURE AND SOCKS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 01, 20'0 LFCGGI.
NC. agenc'?" ivx,Okcs Alc(1c11v,1[0' pel'lllil over !'cans ct^:ici,
bVrlthheld data Privac,\ Polic,v
The key state. agency y regulating N.C. water quality says it is revoking About Our A&
'
a critical permit that Alcoa Power Generating INC needs in its bid for Copyright
a federal license to continue operating hydroelectric power plants on
the Yadkin River. Alcoa immediately announced it would fight the
revocation. Where this leaves Alcoa's bid for another license like the
one it has held for 50 years to operate four hydro generators on the
river is unclear, but by law Alcoa cannot get a federal license from
FERC without the permit, called a 401 certification.
The state's action came after some startling developments in an N.C.
Office of Administrative Hearings procedure, when an Alcoa official
evidently conceded there was information about dissolved oxygen
content readings that the state did not know about.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources released
this, in part, early this afternoon:
Officials with the N.C. Division of Water Quality today notified A b 0 U T T H I S B L o G
Alcoa Power Generating Inc. of the revocation of the connpanys 401
water quality certification, issued in May 2009 f n-APG1'.S Yadkin lack Betts i:::an Observe) 1 roriah'
lIydroclectrie Project in Stanlyy County.
editor who has v,ritten about NortIt
This action is being taken after DWQ officials learnedAPG1 Carolina since graduating from CTNC
submitted an incorrect application and supporting materials for the Chapel Hill in 1968
A former
401 water quality certification, in that the company intentioially .
ivithheld information or the project's- ability to meet the state's Pentagon photographer and
water quality standards for dissolved oxygen. This intentional Washington correspondent for
omission came to light after company e-mails were recently entered Landmark newspapers
Betts was
into evidence during a hearing before an administrative law judge .
involving Stanly County's challenge to the issuance of the 401 water Raleigh Bureau Chief for the
quality certification. Grce.n."born Daily Nmy,; and rditor

T1ne Yadkin Hydroelectric Project includes High Rock, Tuckertoum,
of North C'.arolina in>ight
magazine
Narrows - also known as Bodin - and Falls reservoirs. DWQ before joining the Obsener in 1()92.
officials believed at the time the certification was issued that AP(J's
application for the certification and supporting documentation Reach Jack Betts at q v)-8;36-2884
provided adequate assurance that the proposed activities world not
result in a violation of state water quality, standards and discharge or via email.
guidelines.
(Alcoa can surrender the permit, or it can resubmit the application
within 6o days with the errors corrected.)
Alcoa responded about the same time. Here's an excerpt:
New York, NY, Dec. 1, 2010 -Alcocr Power Generating Inc, is BLOC ARCHIVE
disappointed and surprised by the state's plans to start proceedings ? 2010 (140)
to revoke the Yadkin Project's 401 Water Quality Certificate and
will immediately challenge the state's effort, the company V December (2)
announced today. INC. agency revokes Alcoa
The certificate, which lays out a plan forAPGI's Yadkin Project to water permit aver withhel...
meet water standards, was issued in 2oo9 by the North Carolina N.C. 8 'prime locution' for
Division of Water Quality and is currently under- appeal by APGI

and other parties. fE<horc ;?"ind cn?°rA??
"Our wain of experts developed a comprehensive plan to improve ? Noccmber (i 1)
water quality and we are already seeing improvement," said Rick ? October (q)
Bowen, president ofAlcoa Energy. "We do not believe the state's
decision is justified or appropriate. ? September (1o)
"We believe that rather than continue litigation, it would be better ? August (o)
to work together toward an outcome that protects the environment ? Jui. (9)
acrd promotes economic development and jobs fo• residents of
North Carolina." ? .lone (n3)
POSTED BY JACK SETTS AT 1:25 PM ? llA'l:iK, (r4)
http://jackbetts.blogspot.coml2010/12/nc-agency-revokes-alcoa-water-permit.html 12/1/2010
This Old State: NC. agency revokes Alcoa water permit over withheld data
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