NC0085839_Bioassay Compliance Inspection Report_20220511

SENT VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL ONLY: NO HARD COPY WILL BE MAILED.

May 11, 2022

Jeff Ferguson
Sibelco North America
Email: [e-mail]

SUBJECT: Compliance Inspection Report
Red Hill Quartz Processing Plant
NPDES WW Permit No. NC0085839
Mitchell County

Dear Permittee:

The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted a Bioassay Compliance inspection of the Red Hill
Quartz Processing Plant on 4/07/2022. This inspection was conducted to verify that the facility is operating in
compliance with the conditions and limitations specified in NPDES WW Permit No. NC0085839. The
findings and comments noted during this inspection are provided in the enclosed copy of the inspection
report entitled "Compliance Inspection Report".

There were no significant issues or findings noted during the inspection and therefore, a response to this
inspection report is not required.

If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Stephanie Williams with the Water
Quality Regional Operations Section in the Asheville Regional Office at 828-296-4500 or via email at
[e-mail].

Sincerely,

Daniel Boss, Assistant Regional Supervisor
Water Quality Regional Operations Section
Asheville Regional Office
Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ

ATTACHMENTS: Inspection Report

Ec: Laserfiche, Dakota Norris
DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B4DC12A-B7D9-4508-BF28-9860AF2FB1DF
EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
Water Compliance Inspection Report
Form Approved.
OMB No. 2040-0057
Approval expires 8-31-98
Section A: National Data System Coding (i.e., PCS)
Transaction Code NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type Inspector Fac Type
1 N 52 NC0085839 22/04/07 B S31112171819 20
21 66
Inspection Work Days Facility Self-Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA ----------------------Reserved-------------------
D N67707172 73 74 75 80
Section B: Facility Data
Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include
POTW name and NPDES permit Number)
Red Hill Quartz Processing Plant
2241 Hwy 197 N
Bakersville NC 28705
Entry Time/Date Permit Effective Date
Exit Time/Date Permit Expiration Date
07:30AM 22/04/07 12/06/01
Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s)
///
Other Facility Data
08:00AM 22/04/07 16/02/29
Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number
Jeff Ferguson,136 Crystal Dr Spruce Pine NC 28777/Sustainablity
Manager/828-765-1114/8287650912
Contacted
No
Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated)
Other
Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
(See attachment summary)
Name(s) and Signature(s) of Inspector(s)Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date
Stephanie A Williams DWR/ARO WQ/828-296-4500/
Signature of Management Q A Reviewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date
EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete.
Page#1
DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B4DC12A-B7D9-4508-BF28-9860AF2FB1DF
5/10/2022
5/10/2022
NPDES yr/mo/day
22/04/07
Inspection Type
B3111218
1
Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
Stephanie Williams, with the Asheville Regional Office, performed a Bioassay Compliance Inspection
of the Red Hill Quartz Processing Plant’s wastewater disposal system. Whole Effluent samples were
split on Tuesday, April 5th and Thursday, April 7th for use in a Chronic Ceridaphnia dubia pass-fail
toxicity test. The Plant’s samples were analyzed by ETS and will be reported on the April DMR. DWR’s
samples were analyzed by our bioassay Laboratory in Raleigh and resulted in a fail.
Please note, due to an error in sampling, the results obtained by the State laboratory were not
representative of a true split and is one potential cause for the failure. Because of this error, this was
not considered a true split.
NC0085839 17 (Cont.)
Page#2
DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B4DC12A-B7D9-4508-BF28-9860AF2FB1DF
Permit:NC0085839
Inspection Date:04/07/2022
Owner - Facility:
Inspection Type:
Red Hill Quartz Processing Plant
Bioassay Compliance
Other Yes No NA NE
See summary.Comment:
Page#3
DocuSign Envelope ID: 9B4DC12A-B7D9-4508-BF28-9860AF2FB1DF