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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQCS00193_Remission Decision (DV-2023-0091)_20240123 DocuSign Envelope ID:7B94D778-C405-4864-A1AF-167BB7755A7A e ROY COOPER �! Governor �x;S ,`J ' `ELIZABETH S. BISER ' ; ,.7.1 Secretary s, RICHARD E. ROGERS,JR. "- a ' '` Director NORTH CAROLINA .Environmental Quality January 23,2024 CERTIFIED MAIL 7018 1830 0001 8036 9544 RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED Mr. Mike Wagner, Public Works Director Town of Fuquay-Varina 136 N. Main Street Fuquay-Varina;NC 27526 Subject: Remission Request of Civil Penalty Assessment Collection System Permit WQCS00193 Town of Fuquay-Varina Collection System Wake County Case Number DV-2023-0091 Dear Mr. Wagner: The Division of Water Resources has considered the information submitted in support of your request for remission in accordance with G.S. 143-215.6A(f) and has not found grounds to modify the initial civil penalty assessment of$340.68. A copy of the remission decision is attached. Two options are available to you at this stage of the remission process: You may pay the penalty. If you decide to pay the penalty,please make your check in the amount of$340.68,payable to the Department of Environmental Quality(DEQ). Send the payment within thirty(30) calendar days of your receipt of this letter to the attention of: Ms. Wren Thedford NC DEQ-DWR—Water Quality NPDES Permitting Section 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617 OR You may decide to have the Environmental Management Commission's (EMC's) Committee on Civil Penalty Remissions make the final decision on your remission request. If payment is not received within 30 calendar days from your receipt of this letter,your request for remission with its supporting documents, and the recommendation of the Division of Water Resources will be delivered to the Committee on Civil Penalty Remissions for a final agency decision. North Carolina Departm Enironm Quality I Divit s-As\ 51 12 North Salisbury Streetent I of I617 Mav il Service ental Center I Raleigh,sion NorthofWa CerarolinaResources 27699-1617 Nu,an+c AD- 0.4-sttsate, 919.707.9000 DocuSign Envelope ID:7B94D778-C405-4864-A1AF-167BB7755A7A Mr. Mike Wagner Case DV-2023-0091 DWR Remission Decision p. 2 You have the option of presenting your request in person to the Committee on Civil Penalty Remissions. If you or your representative would like to speak before the Committee,you must complete and return the attached Request for Oral Presentation Form within thirty(30)calendar days of receipt of this letter. Send the completed form to: Ms. Wren Thedford NC DEQ-DWR—Water Quality NPDES Permitting Section 1617 Mail Service Center Raleigh,North Carolina 27699-1617 Please be advised that if an in-person presentation is not requested, the Committee's decision regarding your remission request will be based upon the written record. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions,please contact Bob Sledge at 919-707-3602, or via e-mail at bob.sledge@deq.nc.gov. Sincerely, En,Do'c'u,Sl-gneldby: fou1•i 'a.'r` C464531431644FE... Michael J. Montebello, Chief Water Quality NPDES Permitting Section Division of Water Resources Attachments ec: Laserfiche Files (RRO) DocuSign Envelope ID:7B94D778-C405-4864-A1AF-167BB7755A7A DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES CIVIL PENALTY REMISSION FACTORS Case Number: DV-2023-0091 Region: Raleigh County: Wake Assessed Entity: Town of Fuquay-Varina Collection System Permit: WQCS00193 0 (a) Whether one or more of the civil penalty assessment factors were wrongly applied to the detriment of the petitioner: r (b) Whether the violator promptly abated continuing environmental damage resulting from the violation: Permittee States:The Town states its staff responded within 30 minutes of receiving notification of the SSO.The Town discovered a manhole that had been penetrated and filled by roots,which in turn allowed for collection of grease and debris,eventually leading to a blockage at that location.Town personnel removed the roots,eliminating the SSO, and made temporary repair to the manhole to reduce chances of reoccurrence.The incident was resolved in about 1.5 hours.More substantial maintenance work was done at this location after the beginning of the new fiscal year. DWR Response:DWR agrees that the Town provided a timely response to the incident.However, the Town did note that conditions at the site may have resulted from improper construction of the manhole.Increased construction oversight or inspection frequency may have kept the SSO from occurring. System improvements were known to DWR at the time of the assessment and led to the minimal amount of the penalty. ❑ (c) Whether the violation was inadvertent or a result of an accident: ❑ (d) Whether the violator had been assessed civil penalties for any previous violations: One prior civil penalty has been assessed against the Town for an SSO within the past five years. O (e) Whether payment of the civil penalty will prevent payment for the remaining necessary remedial actions: DECISION(Check One) Request Denied Full Remission ❑ Retain Enforcement Costs? Yes ❑ No 0 Partial Remission ❑ $ EDo'wl.Si_gne'd byy: IttiJ• Ilittudtbdth1/23/2024 C464531431644FE... Michael J.Montebello,Branch Chief Date Water Quality NPDES Permitting Branch Division of Water Resources DocuSign Envelope ID:7B94D778-C405-4864-A1AF-167BB7755A7A STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION COUNTY OF WAKE DWR Case Number DV-2023-0091 IN THE MATTER OF ASSESSMENT ) OF CIVIL PENALTIES AGAINST: ) REQUEST FOR ORAL PRESENTATION Town of Fuquay-Varina ) Town of Fuquay-Varina Collection System ) I hereby request to make an oral presentation before the Environmental Management Commission's Committee On Civil Penalty Remissions in the matter of the case noted above. In making this request,I assert that I understand all of the following statements: • This request will be reviewed by the Chairman of the Environmental Management Commission and may be either granted or denied. • Making a presentation will require the presence of myself and/or my representative during a Committee meeting held in Raleigh, North Carolina. • My presentation will be limited to discussion of issues and information submitted in my original remission request,and because no factual issues are in dispute,my presentation will be limited to five(5)minutes in length. The North Carolina State Bar's Authorized Practice of Law Committee has ruled that the appearance in a representative capacity at quasi-judicial hearings or proceedings is limited to lawyers who are active members of the bar. Proceedings before the Committee on Remissions are quasi-judicial.You should consider how you intend to present your case to the Committee in light of the State Bar's opinion and whether anyone will be speaking in a representative capacity for you or a business or governmental entity. If you or your representative would like to speak before the Committee,you must complete and return this form within thirty(30)days of receipt of this letter. Depending on your status as an individual,corporation,partnership or municipality,the State Bar's Opinion affects how you may proceed with your oral presentation. See www.ncbar.com/ethics,Authorized Practice Advisory Opinion 2006-I and 2007 Formal Ethics Opinion 3. • If you are an individual or business owner and are granted an opportunity to make an oral presentation before the Committee, then you do not need legal representation before the Committee;however,if you intend on having another individual speak on your behalf regarding the factual situations, such as an expert,engineer or consultant,then you must also be present at the meeting in order to avoid violating the State Bar's Opinion on the unauthorized practice of law. • If you are a corporation,partnership or municipality and are granted an opportunity to make an oral presentation before the Committee,then your representative must consider the recent State Bar's Opinion and could be considered practicing law without a license if he or she is not a licensed attorney. Presentation of facts by non-lawyers is permissible. If you choose to request an oral presentation,please make sure that signatures on the previously submitted Remission Request form and this Oral Presentation Request form are: 1)for individuals and business owners,your own signature and 2)for corporations, partnerships and municipalities,signed by individuals who would not violate the State Bar's Opinion on the unauthorized practice of law. Also,be advised that the Committee on Civil Penalty Remissions may choose not to proceed with hearing your case if the Committee is informed that a potential violation of the statute concerning the authorized practice of law has occurred. This the day of ,20 . SIGNATURE TITLE(President,Owner,etc.) ADDRESS TELEPHONE( ) email