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NC0000175_Wasteload Allocation_19861112
NPDES DOCUMENT SCANNIN` COVER 5c1EET NPDES Permit: NC0000175 Unimin Quartz Operation Document Type: Permit Issuance (Wasteload Allocation Authorization to Construct (AtC) Permit Modification Complete File - Historical Engineering Alternatives (EAA) Correspondence Owner Name Change Instream Assessment (67b) Speculative Limits Environmental Assessment (EA) Document Date: November 12, 1986 This document is printed on reuse paper - ignore any content on the re-srerse side Dae Rc. 8 H O 0 a 8 H Z NPDES WASTE LOAD ALLOCATION Facility Name :. Z.ar"..0 +-T;.N r!..+.i A L- 4 G +W! 4P! 1- Gan.P Existing 0 Proposed O Permit ND.: N & D D Do / 7-S-- Pipe No.: Q-D / Design Capacity (MGD): K•a Industrial (% of Flow): iel Domestic (% of Flow): LAG- ae". Gas.E• Receiving Stream: i/e vrc Tat Acair Class: G 'rKT Sub -Basin: r.82 D G Oil 43-d6 Engineer iza as.Pfers ot/39 Date a. /. ist - ` i, -, Reference USGS Quad: C. !/ . �✓ County: n,Tc4 LL • (Please attach) Requestor: F li•JR-iv Regional Office 44..0 (Guideline limitations, if applicable, are to be listed on the back of this form.) Design imp.: Drainage Area (mi2): t33 (. D Avg. Streamflow (cfs) : 2140/ 2 , b 7Q10 (cfs) 4 6 / D . 3 Winter 7Q10 (cfs) 55- 30Q2 (cfs) Location of D.O. minimum (miles below outfall): Slope (fpm) Velocity (fps): Kl (base e, per day): K2 (base e. Der day) : IJ a .-4-4. Toe_ Effluent Characteristics Monthly I Average %me l GEuaa►e 132-0 /2Ctic) i '55 &ib) LSD) G-g V)4 F I,, e.�. L L 1 b) I, ,.,,.-�: 5 . D-.�'�./y',�,,. ., -/ ,. _ _ Ae_i'-- �R, i - �x /o TV 4%. - ?J ......0— L..,., 4. e. �,...1 ..,...C. 411,A.0 . , Original Revised 1 ConfiraJa Comments: --V ic-ita Effluent Characteristics 1 ;'Dnthly i`_verage Comments ...t_ `h 1.1 C Co.. 4 `t-, t ex4) lee 114 J4.v QJJ/ e , cz..Meviewed By. PLOarl ` Date: // �Z v -8V c_ • i • • For Appropriate Dischargers, List Complete Guideline Limitations Below • Effluent Characteristics McVay Maximum Daily Average Comments Average T' S .S / 3 2 6 L&t/sl 2 Gro G L.r/dq y c Lv' /p ».-; r ,) 0 6 PT.r F 1*/ati,r�-ips a 3 S--- `I L1 -4 �� Z4 P 6 _ 16 ,� TtlaCb la J'TU 1a RR'- "- j w.4TTQlL iI Type of Product Produced Lbs/Day Produced Effluent Guideline Reference . Request No. :2139 ^ ------ WASTELOAD ALLOCATION APPROVAL FOAM Facility Name Type of Waste Status Receiving Stream Stream Class Subbasin County Regional Office Requmstnr Date of Request Quad Dissolved TSS Fecal CnIiform pH Wasteflow 5-Day BOD Ammonia Nitrogen Oxygen IMC CORP FELDSPAR MINING EXISTING NORTH TOE RIVER C-TA 000206 MITCHELL ASHEVILLE DOUG FINAN 2/B9/85 C115W Drainage Area Summer 7Q10 Winter 7q10 Average Flow 30Q2 � �� �����A���l� � ���� ��� , ^�^� vv",*, (:)t',//r/ Cx~i**n (sq mi> (cfs) (cfy) (cfs) (cfs) � 183 � 45 � 55 � 270 RECOMMENDED EFFLUENT LIMITS ------------------------- DA AVG DA MAX 3.60 '1.32 1320 P640 6-9 ---------------------------------- COMMENTS ------------------------------- THE DISCHARGE DISCHAAGE SHALL NOT CAUSE THE TURBIDITY OF THE RECEIVING WATERS TO EXCEED 10 NTU. IF THE TURBIDITY EXCEEDS 10 NTU DUE TO NATURAL CONDITIONS, THE DISCHARGE SHALL NOT CAUSE ANY INCREASE IN TURBIDITY. TOXICITY MONITORING REQUIREMENTS AND FLUORIDE WASTELOAD ALLOCATION ATTACHE[). Aecommended by Reviewed by: Tech. Support Supervisor ___ Regional Permits & Engineering __ (e � Date Date Date t �� s ��•w-� 4-6 N Tm 1.) The permittee shall conduct chronic toxicity tests on a quarterly basis using protocols defined in E.P.A. Document 600/4-85/014 entitled "Short -Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater Organisms". The testing shall be performed as a Ceriodaphnia Survival and Repro- duction Test. Effluent collection will be performed twice during each test as 24 hour composite samples. Toxicity test exposure using the first composite sample will include the first three full days of testing. Exposure to the second composite sample will in- clude the last four full days of testing. Effluent samples will be taken immediately prior to disinfection, but below all other treatment processes. 'The Chronic Value (ChV) must be greater than 12,7.44. There will be minimally five effluent concentrations and a control exposure treatment. One effluent concentration shall equal 121 44 %, which represents the instream waste concentration (I.W.C.) during 7Q10 low flow conditions and daily permitted dischar a volume. The remaining concentrations shall bell 44 95�- There may not be more than 202 mortality -in- )-- -r= effluent after 48 hours of exposure. 17° Note:- Failure to achieve test conditions as specified ini:the cited document, such as minimum control organism survival and appropriate environmental controls, shall constitute an invalid test and will re- quire immediate retesting. Failure to submit-suitarblE test results will constitute a permit violation. -5- fluoride processes (fluoride interference with other ore processing activities). Therefore, while the waste handling demands for pure quartz are -higher than for feldspar, that demand is likely to be lower than indicated by HF use information. Another factor available that points to this conclusion is that IMC which has the only operat- ing high purity quartz system, also has the lowest mass discharge of three facilities. It is true, however, that IMC's wastewater control system represents what the Regional Office considers the standard for the industry. What these points show is that there are technologies which can, when applied with a strong management commitment, effec- tively reduce the quantity of fluoride released to the receiving waters. The final issue that must be discussed in recommending a weight- ing factor, is certainly equal to those just noted: i.e.,the real world impact of the facilities receiving the allocations. In this matter we are dealing with four separate industrial corporations involved (or soon to be involved) as competitors in the same busi- ness, all located in the same general area, and all sharing a common riparian resource. Real and perceived conflicts make negotiating very difficult. Add to this a common view from all the companies that the fluoride standard is too restrictive and the recent emer- gence of the fourth competitor and you have a sensitive environment in which existing allocations must be reduced. The only way to examine this aspect of the allocation process is to calculate fluo- ride distributions for a variety of weighting factors. In doing so it will be necessary to provide the distributions over the entire range of near term configurations: Configuration I - Unimin Corporation not producing feldspar or Configuration II Configuration III Configuration IV quartz. The Feldspar Corporation operating without the planned high purity quartz facility, Indusmin at current feldspar production, and IMC producing feldspar and high purity quartz at current levels. - Unimin Corporation not producing feldspar or quartz, The Feldspar Corporation operating with the high purity quartz facility and Indusmin, Inc. and IMC as described in I. - Unimin Corporation producing feldspar and quartz, and other three companies as described in I. - Unimin Corporation as in III, The Feldspar Corporation producing high purity quartz and the other two companies as described in I. -6- Configuration V - Unimin Corporation as in III, The Feldspar Corporation and Indusmin, Inc. producing high purity quartz and IMC as described in I. Configuration VI - The Feldspar Corporation, IMC, Indusmin, Inc. and Unimin Corporation as described in V and Indusmin, Inc. with a 50% expansion of the feldspar plant. The process in developing a specific allocation can be described as follows: A. Calculate an allocation factor (Af) for each facility within a specific configuration: Af = F + Wf x Q where: Af = Allocation factor, F = Finished feldspar in tons per month (information supplied by the company), Wf = Weighting factor for quartz production, Q = Finished high purity quartz, tons/mo. B. Project a percentage share (PS) of available fluoride for each facility under each configuration. PS = Af x 100 SUM Af where: SUM Af = sum of all four Af's for a particular configuration. C. Calculate the specific fluoride allocation (A-lbs/day) for each company. A= PS xAW 100 where: AW = Available wasteload to North Toe River = 574 • lbs/day. Allocations Proposed Facility AF PS (%) A (#/day) Configuration I Unimin 0 0 0 Feldspar 21181 32 183 Indusmin 17043 26 149 IMC 2730642 242 65530 100 574 Configuration II Unimin 0 0 0 Feldspar 28082 39 224 Indusmin 17043 23 132 IMC 27306 38 218 72431 100 574 Configuration III Unimin 15800 19 109 Feldspar 21181 26 149 Indusmin 17043 21 121 IMC 27306 34 195 81330 100 574 Configuration IV Unimin 15800 18 103 Feldspar 28081 32 183 Indusmin 17043 19 109 IMC 27306 31 179 88230 100 574 Configuration V Unimin 15800 Feldspar 28081 Indusmin 20043 IMC 27. 6 91230 17 98 31 178 22 126 30 1_ 100 574 Configuration VI Unimin 15800 16 92 Feldspar 2808 28 161 Indusmin 2 3 15041 29 166 IMC 27306 27 155 99630 100 574 � Facility Name Type of Waste Status Receiving Stream Stream Class Sub basin County Regional Office Requestor Date of Request Quad Wasteflow (mgd) 5-Day BOD (mg/1) Ammonia Nitrogen Dissolved Oxygen TSS +mg/l> A/ICI> Fecal Coliform pH (SU) Fluoride (#/d) WASTELOAD ALLOCATION APPROVAL IMC CORP. FELDSPAR MINING EXISTING NORTH TOE RIVER C-TR 040306 MITCHELL ARO DOUG FINAN 2/28/85 C11SW (mg/l) (mg/l) Drainage Area 7Q10 (cfs) Winter 7010 (cfs) 3002 (cfs) Average Flow ((::fs) RECOMMENDED EFFLUENT LIMITS : LITTLE BEAR : 4.32 : : : (#/100ml>: : 6-9 : 67.7 1320 2640 N.TOE 4.32 w~ I 1�P0 P�40 VIA 6-9 -- ,�'./ 6-9 184 FORM Request No. : 2139 cc _______-_~�_'____ V" -`' Q/ |f/ Division MAY15 1986 ,vwoe,n ktv�^":w/ ()f;ics "mm�Hm North [m,oUmw pr,44-, -Ate L.M k.11 (sq mi) : 13Y : 44;' : _55 : : 2T.) /'o 0,3 2.0 -------------------- --------- COMMENTS -------------------------------- SEE ATTACHED MEMO. THE DISCHARGE SHALL NOT CAUSE THE TURBIDITY OF THE RECEIVING WATERS TO EXCEED 10 NTU. IF THE TURBIDITY EXCEEDS 10 NTU DUE TO NATURAL CONDITIONS, THE DISCHARGE SHALL NOT CAUSE ANY INCREASE IN TURBIDITY. FLUORIDE LIMITS BASED ON 7010 (7010=0.3 IN LITTLE BEAR CREEK) AND BACKGROUND CONCENTRATION=0.05 MG/L. TOXICITY LIMITS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS ALSO ATTACHED. Recommended by Reviewed by: Tech. Support Supervisor__ Regiona IS> ----- Date �� Date-1500/1 a / � jj I � i -��-� D t v sor_ �������_���� a e_�� Permits &'8hgineering__ � Date_�� DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT May 12, 1986 MEMORANDUM TO: Arthur Mouberry Forrest Westall FROM: Randy Dodd QZL� THRU: Meg Kerr iK SUBJECT: Effluent Limitations for Feldspar Mines, North Toe River Please find attached proposed effluent limits for three Feldspar mines which discharge to the North Toe River. TSS limits are based on current permits. Please note that allowable loadings and concentrations are considerably above current discharge levels. Fluoride loadings are based on an allowable loading of 574 #/D based on a 7Q10 of 45 cfs at the mouth of Little Bear Creek, the current standard of 1.8 mg/1, 0.05 mg/1 background fluoride concentrations, and the previously defined allocation among the three dischargers. Please note that a permitted discharge by IMC Corp. to Little Bear Creek will require a fluoride limit of 67.7 #/D, based on a 7Q10 of 0.3 cfs. Please note that an additional loading of 506.3 #/D could be allocated to Feldspar and Indusmin if 67.7 #/D were allocated to IMC. Toxicity limits and monitoring requirements have also been developed for each discharger based on the instream waste concentration and recently developed Division protocol. Please advise if questions. RCD:mlt Attachment C 4-0 eta,) 1.) The permittee shall conduct chronic toxicity tests on a quarterly basis using protocols defined in E.P.A. Document 600/4-85/014 entitled "Short -Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater Organisms". The testing shall be performed as a Ceriodaphnia Survival and Repro- duction Test. Effluent collection will be performed twice during each test as 24 hour composite samples. Toxicity test exposure using the first composite sample will include the first three full days of testing. Exposure to the second composite sample will in- clude the last four full days of testing. Effluent samples will be taken immediately prior to disinfection, but below all other treatment processes. 'The Chronic Value (ChV) must be greater than Z. There will be minimally five effluent concentrations and a control exposure treatment. One effluent concentration shall equal qb %, which represents the instream waste concentration (I.W.C.) during 7Q10 low flow conditions and daily permitted dischar a volume. The remaining concentrations shall be 4 '° Z 4,1e ? z° (, 6 There may not be more than 202 mortality in a q6 effluent after 48 hours of exposure. Note: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in;:the cited document, such as minimum control organism survival and appropriate environmental controls, shall constitute an invalid test and will re- quire immediate retesting. Failure to submit suitable teat results will constitute a permit violation. ~ ^ . -----------------'--- WAGTELOAD ALLOCATION APPAOVAL FOPM FaoilitU Name Type of Waste Statum AeceiVA. nQ Stream Stream Class Subbasin Count�j Ae191.13na1 O-Pfice Requestop Date of Aequest (Auad � IMC Corp. � FELDSPAA MINING., � EXI8TINQ � NOATH TOE AIVEA � C-TA � 040306 � MITCHELL � ARO � DOUM F%NAN � 2-28-85 � C119W Drainage Area (sg mi> 7Q10 (cfs) Winter 70.10 (cfs) 80Q2 <mfs> Average Flow cc -Pis Aequesx Nm. 2189 : 23.9 RECOMMENDED EFFLOENT LIMITS ~------~----------------- Waytef1ow (In 32 5-Day BOD <mQ/l) Ammonia Nitrogen (mg/1> � Disyolved Oxygen (mg/1> � TSS (#/D> 1@20 26/10 Feca1 Co1iform (#/100ml>� pH (SU) 6-9 1:'*1uopide (#/d126.6 253.2 .... .... ................ .... .... ............ .... .... ........ .... .... ........ ....... .... .... ........ .... .... .................... ___ COMMENTS -------------------- The discharQe shall not cause the turbiditU of thm receivino waters to on, xceeu 10 NTU. If them, turbidity exceeds 10 NTU due to natural ba/zkQround conditions^ the diycharQe sha1l not caume anU increase in 11urbid1.t11. F1umridm 1imit revised. Previous1U based on 80112. This limit based on 7q10. Ae4iewed bU� Tee oh. Suppmrt Supon, rvismrDate__________ Rmgional Supervismr. Daoe............... ................... .... 01pprova1 is C > pre1iminin. rU ( ) final Permits & (JoY, f(6-'64.4.6 ,„ -4. ..t,Q . ti3 oY.X afib,•6_ A too.J( 0‘J 4a. ,k s, �a,� b� �. 7QI© (45 r- tc,c,c e&s,-- a , a ('ij )216+4_ - 1 J� ) 2 g i J 3. *A o A) Je2 I e el 8-r`. f to c Q_ .( (jay, C 17. c/-r- 7 */b (6-Aft �., C L' 5— Li 3 (.12s t L.-..A . a 3, Zr o2 d Gt. s s 'IS S?, g 26, Y. l 2 6.0 LI4 TeL"?._ 2,� z6,y c3,•Z (Q f k-Zote„x0 y l UM1ft� ek.,- 2s 4,0 L t..� k_ -OA --rss L.-4s N,_ok-L.,1_ cc— 41Q17 pi4 s �¢a • RECE1 V . JU!_ q - 1986 TECHNICAL SERVICES BRANC:H kr-kr State of North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development Asheville Regional Office James G. Martin, Governor S. Thomas Rhodes, Secretary DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT July 1, 1986 MEMORANDUM a-. JUL TO: R. Paul Wilms, Director WATER QUALIT Division of Environmental Management SECTION Page Benton, Deputy Director Division of Environmental Management George Everett, Chief Water Quality Section FROM: Roy M. Davis, Regional Supervisor Division of Environmental Management ti SUBJECT: Allocation of Fluorides Spruce Pine Mining Industries Mitchell County and Avery County On June 26, 1986, Mr. Mike Parker, Mr. Forrest Westall and I met with representatives of the Spruce Pine Mining Industries who are now or would in the near future discharge fluorides in their wastewater,. The meeting was held at.ourrequest to discuss possible approaches to allocation of the total ability of the North Toe River to dilute fluorides. Attached is a list of those attending. At issue are the fact that we now use 7Q10 rater than 30Q2 . flow to calculate dilution which reduces from 754 lbs/day to 574 lbs/day the amount of fluorides. which may be released to the North Toe River and the desire of an existing industry to enter a market which would necessitate the release of fluorides in its' wastewater; both of which will have the effect of substantially reducing the amount of fluorides the three.present fluorides discharges may release. International Mineral and Chemicals (IMC), Feldspar and Indusmin presently discharge fluorides and Unimin which recently purchased Harris Mining wish to discharge fluorides in its waste stream Fermit application already made. Interchange Building-59 Woodfin Place. P.O Box 370, Asheville, N.C. 28802.0370 • Telephone 704-253.3341 ..r,.•_• _ An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer - - i• • ; R. Paul Wilms Page Benton George Everett Memorandum July 1, 1986 Page Two We are presently gathering production and other data which will allow us to allocate fluorides among the four dischargers. Our recently published report "Toxicity of Fluoride to Freshwater Biota" dated June, 1986, concludes that we need more data relating to acute and chronic toxicity effects of fluorides in order to consider whether or not to modify the present 1.8 mg/1 Water Quality Standard. Representatives of the Spruce Pine mineral processing industry expressed an interest in supplying this data in the hope that it will result in an increase in the numeric Water Quality Standard for fluorides. During the meeting, the four industries met in our absence for &short time. Three of the four (Unimin being the exception) informed us that they will adjudicate their permits if issued based upon present Water Quality Standards and -dilutions. All four of the industries indicate a willingness to conduct • acute/chronic toxicity studies in hope of achieving a relaxation of the Water Quality Standards for fluorides and will in the near future call you asking for a meeting to discuss the possibility. There was no consensus among the industries as to how the State might allocate fluorides to those discharging to the North Toe River. • • We hope in a few weeks to have developed a Waste. Load Allocation for fluorides for these industries. I should add that the Division is in the process of renewing IMC's, Feldspar's and Indusmin's NPDES Permits. RMD:ls Enclosure xc: Forrest R. Westall r• �O\ �AYtS YYVKE PAikvrEl- s-r We s-t-(�1,►� Dctv, Alf . 6471Z:vso .v e (-71- CAR ST51/6 300-77% /E 4t: fivec . / A R.R.) s c,yif2,r ' mts Whrifif; Ai/64Zr/ RA'/Aerds4 7: W66 iS J0\114`oct.soN V:(S. i/ / mac. D '11 76,te,57 iA/i2 7/s,.1; ay/iv/kJ V�N�cc1� N c 1 _ t. _ � c ..ice tr. :•.,---a:c.•..Y. .:— _ ._ ;ippnt4L.r.{,:wear..:1K{'tL�'•Yf+!-J1�aYl'..� t' lY� `t._-:•7' Lr.trn:t1 +.yam -- •`f lame (. ,. ,�iartir�, (overt State of North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development .�...•-►�-•' Asheville Regional Office ‘ S. Thc,ma. Rhodes, Secretary DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT WATER QUALITY SECTION June 27, 1986 r- R \N f� - _ C-rk0" Mr. Andrew J. Regis, Vice -President Geology and Environmental Affairs Unimin Corporation 258 Elm Street New Canaan, CT 06840 Subject: Questionnaire Relating to Allocation of Fluoride Unimin Corporation Avery County, North Carolina Dear Mr. Regis: Pursuant to our discussion on June 26, 1986, we have developed the attached questionnaire for purposes of gathering information which will allow us to allocate the fluorides discharged to the North Toe River. I am asking for your suggestions regarding any aspect of this questionnaire. Thursday, July 3, 1986, I am going to send the questionnaire out in final form so please phone your suggestions to Mr. Mike Parker,.Mr. Forrest Westall, or me before that date. I very much appreciate your taking time to meet yesterday to discuss the . issue of fluoride allocations to the North Toe River industries. I look forward to hearing from vou. RECE\VEfl 301 7 - A986 ( 1 ?�kll? ! �, • �flC 'I11 • •. . 1,,.yi.c• iuri��ir„ ^•+ \\i,� �., , ;{�•� ��-�tc•�•iilr \( ►=•ici ^i, Mr. Andrew J. Regis June 27, 1986 Page Two It occurs to me that it would be helpful if you started assembling the information required on the draft form for the reason that when it finally goes out I will be feeling the need for a fast turn around time. Thanks! RMD:ls Enclosure xc: R. Paul Wilms / George Everett ✓ Forrest R. Westall Sincerely, Ti—r—c,.„J Roy M. Davis, Regional Supervisor Division of Environmental Management The information provided should represent feed/production for the highest month in the past twelve or the monthly average of the highest of the previous five years. In the case of a new source we are requesting projections on the same basis as described above. This is drawn from 40 CFR 122.45(b) 2 dated July 1, 1985. Please indicate how you choose to provide this information. Additionally please indicate the number of days worked by the particular plant during the months used as a basis for the information provided. Total raw ore feed tonnage to all processes on site. tons/month Feed tonnage to all processes which utilize fluorides. tons/month Feed tonnage to feldspar recovery processes which utilize fluoride. tons/month (a) Amount of hydrofluoric acid used in this process. gallons/month (b) Percentage of HF acid in solution used. % (c) Amount oT finished material produced by this process. tons/month Feed tonnage to high purity Quartz recovery processes which utilize fluorides. tons/month (a) Amount of hydrofluoric acid used in this process. gallons/month (b) Percentage of HF acid in solution used. (c) Amount of finished material produced by this process. tons/month Feed tonnage to any other recovery processes on site which utilize fluorides (please indicate type of product recovered). tons/month (a) Amount of hydrofluoric acid used in this process. gallons/month (b) Percentage of HF acid in solution used. (c) Amount of finished material produced by this process. tons/month -2- The information provided is based upon; highest month of the :ast twelve or monthly average of the highest of the past -:•welve or projections based upon above . (Please -:-.neck) I Signature Company Represented Date