WQ0015487_Regional Office Staff Report_20200520

Permit Rescission Form

Information to be filled out by Central Office:

Facility Name: Suncrest Chip Mill

Permit Number: WQ0015487

Regional Office: Asheville

County: Haywood

Date Rescission Requested: December 6, 2016

Permit Expiration: October 31, 2015

Received Original Request: X Central Office Regional Office

Form of Received Request: X Letter Signed Annual Fee Invoice Other

Information to be filled out by Region:

Please Check Appropriately:

Site Visit Performed Groundwater Concerns Addressed

Render Decision for Rescission of the Above Referenced Permit:

Approved Denied

Note: If approved this permit will become inactive in the BIMS database and will not be billed through
the division billing system.

Complete if Approved: Rescind Immediately

Reason for Approval – Powell Industries (PI) wet-decking process, which necessitated the non-discharge
permit, has been discontinued. Closure of the PI wastewater pond (WWP) began in November 2019 and was
completed in March 2020. Closure of the WWP was conducted in accordance with a closure plan approved by
the Asheville Regional Office. A final closure report was provided to the Asheville Regional Office on March
23, 2020.

Closure proceedings began with the removal a total 483,000 gallons of wastewater between November 15, 2019
and February 6, 2020. Wastewater was pumped from the WWP into tankers and transported to the Town of
Waynesville Wastewater Treatment Plant for disposal.

After the WWP was dewatered, two wastewater residual samples were composited from eight locations (four
per composite) in the WWP and analyzed for volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds,
nutrients, phenol, and various metals. Analytical results were compared to the NCDEQ Protection of
Groundwater Preliminary Soil Remediation Goals (PSRGs). Acetone was the only VOC detected in the
wastewater residual grab samples. The detected concentrations are below the Protection of Groundwater
Standard PSRG. A total of 10 metals were detected in wastewater residual composite samples. All
X X
X
X
concentrations were below the Protection of Groundwater PSRGs. Groundwater monitoring and testing of the
underlying residuum was not required.

Between January 22, 2020 and February 4, 2020, a total of 1,409 tons of wastewater residuals were removed
from the bottom of the WWP and disposed of at the Haywood County White Oak Landfill. Brett Laverty with
the Asheville Regional Office conducted a site inspection on February 7, 2020 and confirmed the removal of
wastewater residuals from the WWP. Waste manifests, weigh tickets, analytical reports, and photographs were
provided in the March 23, 2020 closure report.

It is important to note that both stormwater and wastewater discharges were historically routed to the WWP and
frequently discharged to Jonathans Creek in direct violation of PI’s non-discharge permit. On January 17, 2017,
Roberts and Stevens Attorneys at Law representing PI provided correspondence to the Division of Water
Resources indicating their intentions to rescind a Closed-Loop Recycle System permit. The subject
correspondence acknowledged the company would be required to properly close-out the wastewater pond and
demonstrate compliance with the terms and conditions of their general stormwater permit (NCG2100000)
before the wastewater permit could be rescinded. The Asheville Regional Office has also been working closely
with the regional industrial stormwater inspector (NCDMLR) during this period of transition. In an effort to
achieve compliance with their stormwater permit, PI will be converting the WWP to a stormwater retention
pond and is in the process of installing several stormwater best management practices up gradient of the WWP.

Reason for Denial______________________________________________________________________

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Signature of Certifier: _________________________________________________________________

Date Certified: May 20, 2020