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Home My WebLink AboutWQS Variance List 9-6-2022316(a) Thermal (Temperature) Variances Thermal wastewater discharges in North Carolina (NC) are subject to effluent limitations under NC Administrative Code: 15A NCAC 02B .0211 (18). This rule limits thermal discharges to 2.8 degrees C (5.04 degrees F) above the natural water temperature and includes further restrictions based on geographic regions of the state. Exceptions to these limits are allowed under the temperature variance provisions of the Clean Water Act in Section 316(a). Under this provision of the Clean Water Act, permittees must demonstrate that the variance for the thermal component of the discharge assures the protection and propagation of a balanced, indigenous population of shellfish, fish and wildlife in the receiving water. The permit holders listed below have requested continuance of the federal 316(a) temperature variance, which allows for site by site limitations based upon studies conducted by the permittee and submitted to NC Department of Environmental Quality. The Division of Water Resources (NC DWR) has determined that these studies, submitted by the permittees, comply with Section 316(a) of the Clean Water Act. Under the provisions in 15A NCAC 02B .0208 (b), and other appropriate lawful standards and regulations, NC DWR proposes to continue the 316(a) variance in conjunction with the renewal of the following National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits: NPDES Permit # Facility Name County Subbasin NC0000272 Blue Ridge Paper Products, Inc–Canton Mill Haywood 040305 NC0000396 Duke Energy–Asheville Combined Cycle Station Buncombe 040302 NC0003468 Duke Energy–Dan River Steam Station Rockingham 030203 NC0004774 Duke Energy–Buck Steam Station Rowan 030704 NC0004979 Duke Energy–Allen Steam Station Gaston 030836 NC0004987 Duke Energy–Marshall Steam Station Catawba 030832 NC0024392 Duke Energy–McGuire Steam Station Mecklenburg 030832 Variances to NC Water Quality Standards Water Quality Standard NPDES Permit # Facility Name County Subbasin Chloride NC0001074 Mt. Olive Pickle Company Wayne 030621 Chloride NC0001970 Bay Valley Foods, LLC Duplin 030622 9/6/2022