NC0021474_Comments_20220802

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COMMITTEES:
SENATOR AMY GALEY
24TH DISTRICT APPROPRIATIONS ON JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
EDUCATIOWHIGHER EDUCATION
JUDICIARY
OFFICE: 21 1 1 LEGISLATIVE BUILDING STATE&LOCAL GOVERNMENT
18 WEST JONES STREET
RALEIGH,NC 27601
PHONE: [phone]
EMAIL: AMY.GALEYCp NCLEG.NE I
July 18, 2022
Ms. Elizabeth Biser, Secretary
Department of Environmental Quality
217 West Jones Street
Raleigh,North Carolina 27603 RECEIVED
RE: NPDES Permit Modification AUG 0 2 2022
Water Resource Recovery Facility Expansion
City of Mebane, North Carolina
NCDEQIDWRINPDES
Dear Ms. Biser,
I am writing you in support of the City of Mebane project to expand its Water Resource Recovery Facility.
The City is currently in the process of designing and permitting a project to expand the capacity from 2.5
milliongallonsper day(MGD)to 4.0 MGD. The expansion of the City's wastewater service is of the utmost
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importance to keep up with high industrial, commercial, and residential growth the area is experiencing.
I would appreciate your continued support for this project, and request assistance with the following specific
needs:
1. The expansion project has an overall budget of$52 million, of which $3.3 million has been committed
to this project by the City.The City has recently submitted a funding application to the NC DEQ
Division of Water Infrastructure for a Clean Water SRF Loan for the project. The City is seeking a
low-interest loan to fund the project and is requesting to increase the customary 20 year
payback term to 30 years to reduce the annual debt payments. Financially, a 30-year term will
allow the users of the facility to better afford this sizeable project through a more reasonable increase
in rates and fees.
2. Prior to receiving Authorization to Construct from NC DEQ, the NPDES Permit must be modified.
The application to modify the NPDES permit was submitted to NC DEQ Division of Water Resources
in early April 2022. The permit application requests an expansion of the wastewater discharge to
4.0 MGD, plus the future expansion to 6.0 MGD as growth continues. Permitting timeframes are
historically long as DEQ staff receive numerous applications to consider for permit renewals and
permit modifications throughout the State. The permit modification is necessary by January 2023
in order to receive an Authorization to Construct for the facility expansion construction. This
timeline is necessary to align with the potential funding discussed above and to accommodate
wastewater flows tributary to the Water Resource Recovery Facility.
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Thank you in advance for your consideration and assistance with this important project. If you or your staff
have any questions or would like to discuss further, please do not hesitate to contact me at(919) 301-1446, or
Mebane's City Manager Chris Rollins at(919) 563-5901.
Sincerely,
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Senator Amy S. Galey
District 24—Alamance,Guilford
Cc: Ms. Elizabeth Biser, Secretary NCDEQ
Ms. Joy Hicks, Senior Director for Governmental Affairs and Policy NCDEQ
Mr. Shadi Eskaf, Division Director DWI NCDEQ
Mr. Michael Montebello,NPDES Municipal Permitting Unit DWR NCDEQ
Mr. Chris Rollins, City of Mebane,City Manager
Mr. Preston Mitchell, City of Mebane, Assistant City Manager
Mr. Andy Lovingood, PE,President, McGill Associates P.A