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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWI0800258_Permit (Issuance)_20211115NORTH 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 Brad & Donna Kuegel Onslow County FOR THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF ONE (1) 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 402 Nelson Dr., Jacksonville, NC 28540, and will be operated in accordance with the application received September 13, 2021 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 November 15, 2021, until October 31, 2026, and shall be subject to the specified conditions and limitations stated therein. Permit issued this the 15th day of November, 2021. For S. Daniel Smith Director, Division of Water Resources Permit WI0800258 By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission. Permit #WI0800258 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). 6. Each geothermal injection well shall have permanently affixed an identification plate according to [15A NCAC 02C .0107(j)(2)]. Permit #WI0800258 Geothermal Heating/Cooling Water Return Well Page 2 of 5 ver. 3-24-2020 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: (A) Oral notification shall be given within 24 hours of the occurrence, or first knowledge of the occurrence, to the Wilmington Regional Office, telephone number 910-796-7215. Permit #WI0800258 Geothermal Heating/Cooling Water Return Well Page 3 of 5 ver. 3-24-2020 (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 Wilmington Regional Office 127 Cardinal Drive Extension Wilmington, NC 28405 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. (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. Permit #WI0800258 Geothermal Heating/Cooling Water Return Well Page 4 of 5 ver. 3-24-2020 (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(f)(4) within 30 days of completion of abandonment to the addresses specified in Part V.5 above. Permit #WI0800258 Geothermal Heating/Cooling Water Return Well Page 5 of 5 ver. 3-24-2020