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Home My WebLink About550007_Add-Info Request ADC550007_20240109ROY COOPER Governor ELIZABETH S. BISER Secretary RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR. Director Via E-mail John Beam Beam Dairy 3058 Johnstown Rd Cherryville, NC 28021-9058 Mr. Beam: NORTH CAROLINA Environmental Quality January 9, 2024 Subject: Additional Information Request Application No. ADC550007 Beam Dairy Lincoln County The Animal Feeding Operations Program of the Division of Water Resources (Division) has completed a preliminary review of the subject application received on October 30, 2023 for permit coverage under Cattle Farm Digester Waste Management System General Permit AWG500000 to construct one new concrete plug -flow anaerobic digester, new effluent solids recovery system, and biogas upgrading system to capture biogas as a part of the proposed farm digester system at the Beam Dairy. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with your Sustain RNG partners earlier today and look forward to meeting with you soon. Additional information is required before we may continue our review. Please address and submit the following item(s) within 30 (thirty) days of receipt of this letter. ❑ Permit Owner — The current permit, AWC550007, for the above referenced animal feeding operation, Beam Dairy, is issued to Mr. John Beam. Mr. Beam is the owner/permittee. The application form lists SRNG-Beam, LLC as the owner. The Farm Digester System cannot be permitted separately from the animal feeding operation. Please clarify the ownership and provide either an updated application for with Mr. Beam's information and signature or change of ownership documentation. ❑ Property Ownership — it appears that the proposed digester location is on a separate parcel with separate ownership. Please clarify. If the parcel is under separate ownership, please provide a copy of any lease agreement or easement. ❑ Biogas Use as a Renewable Energy Resource — Session Law 2023-63 (2023 Farm Act) requires that the gases collected by a farm digester system begin to be used as a renewable energy resource as quickly as feasible, but no later than within six months of the collection of gases. Until the gases are being used as a renewable energy resource the gas shall be flared rather than vented. o Please include the expected timeline regarding construction of digester system and utilization of gas as a renewable energy resource. Please confirm that timeline also complies with Session Law 2023-63. o Please verify a flare would be available and used if necessary for compliance with Session Law 2023-63. North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1 1636 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1636 NORTH CARCLINA 919.707.9129 John Beam ADC550007 Additional Information Letter January 9, 2024 Page 2 of 3 ❑ Gas Generation Estimate — Please submit an estimate for the daily volume of biogas to be generated by the proposed Digester. ❑ Site Map — Please provide a clearer site map for the facility including existing and proposed structures. Please include locations of well, emergency flare, biogas upgrading system, and biogas transfer station. Indicate all applicable setbacks (i.e., 100 feet from well). The drawings 22301-G- 100 and 223100-G-110 are difficult to read. ❑ Utilities — Please provide a diagram/map indicating location of utilities, especially overhead utilities, with respect to the farm digester system. Please confirm that flare locations comply with appropriate setbacks for utilities. ❑ 100-Year Floodplain —Please provide a map showing the location of the farm digester system and the 100-year floodplain. No component of a farm digester system may be constructed in the 100- year floodplain. ❑ Reception Pit Overflow — Please verify that the design for the reception pit includes overflow protection and that any overflow would go to the waste lagoon. ❑ Condensate — Please indicate intended disposal of condensate from the biogas upgrading system. ❑ Secondary Containment — Is secondary containment planned for any part of the farm digester system? With the proximity to surface waters and the municipal water intake downstream, you are strongly encouraged to consider the use of secondary containment for the reception pit and any other areas you deem appropriate. ❑ Leachate/Waste Milk —Will silage leachate and/or waste milk be introduced to the digester system? If so, into which structure — digester or lagoon? ❑ Safe — Please provide specifications regarding safety. Will there be biogas pressure release valves? What precautions are being taken with respect to hydrogen sulfide? Please include information regarding safety signage. ❑ Influent/Effluent Sampling — Please indicate location for sampling of influent to and effluent from each digester. ❑ Operation and Maintenance (O&M,) Plan — The O&M Plan should be updated for the new farm digester system. Please refer to NC NRCS Standard 366-Anaeorbic Digester for the minimum information to include. As noted in our discussion today, the O&M Plan should address any new areas for routine inspection by the operator; the specific example from our conversation today was to checking diversions and stormwater flows for signs of erosion or overflow into waste structures. Checking drains and overflow pipes is also recommended. O&M Plan should also address any safety concerns and methods related to the farm digester system. ❑ Odor Control Checklist — Thank you for including your Odor Control Checklist. The Cattle Odor Control Checklist Form was updated in 2023. While not required, you are strongly encouraged to utilize the updated form. I am enclosing a copy for your convenience. REQ5 North Carolina Department ofEnvironmental Quality I Division ofWater Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1 1636 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1636 NORTH CAROLINA 919.707.9129 onparhnem of EmironmanW 9uallly John Beam ADC550007 Additional Information Letter January 9, 2024 Page 3 of 3 ❑ Air Quality Permitting — Please provide information regarding any Air Quality permits, and/or applicability determinations regarding this project. Please provide information about if applications have been filed, permits (if issued), and/or results of an applicability determination. This includes any permits for the Biogas Upgrading System. Please be aware that you are responsible for meeting all requirements set forth in North Carolina rules and regulations. Any oversights that occurred in the review of the subject application package are still the responsibility of the applicant. In addition, any omissions made in responding to the above items shall result in future requests for additional information. Please reference the subject application number when providing the requested information. All revised and/or additional documentation shall be signed, sealed and dated, submitted to my attention at the address or email address below. Failure to provide this additional information on or before the above requested date may result in your application being returned as incomplete. If you have any questions regarding this letter, please feel free to contact me at (919) 707-3664 or Christine.Lawson@deq.nc.gov. Sincerely, DocuSigned by: 715598463EA94B7... Christine B. Lawson Engineer Animal Feeding Operations Enclosures: NC NRCS Standard 366 — Anaerobic Digester Cattle Odor Control Checklist cc: Mooresville Regional Office, Water Quality Regional Operations Section — via email Charles Kontz, Sustain RNG Joshua Cunningham, SRNG-Beam, LLC Laserfiche — File No. 550007 REQ5 North Carolina Department ofEnvironmental Quality I Division ofWater Resources 512 North Salisbury Street 1 1636 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1636 NORTH CAROLINA 919.707.9129 onparhnem of EmironmanW 9uallly