310750_Certificate of Coverage (COC)_20240326

DocuSign Envelope ID: 790BB3BD-4461-4820-9lB2-3C43F7CAA672
ROY COOPER
Governor
ELIZABETH S. BISER
Secretary
RICHARD E. ROGERS, JP,.
Director
James E. Brice
Brice/Usher
725 Old Camp Road
Rose Hill, NC 28458
Dear James E. Brice:
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
March 26, 2024
Subject: Certificate of Coverage No. ADS310750
Brice/Usher
Swine Farm Digester Waste Collection,
Treatment, Storage, and Application System
Duplin County
In accordance with your application for coverage received September 11, 2023 and additional information
provided on December 27, 2023 and March 13, 2024, we are hereby issuing you this corrected Certificate
of Coverage (COC) under General Permit AWG400000, authorizing the construction and operation of a
farm digester system (including the existing animal waste management system) to produce biogas for use
as a renewable energy resource. The subject farm digester system consists of construction of one 607,158
cubic foot anaerobic digester with a 80-mil HDPE synthetic cover and 60-mil HDPE synthetic liner,
existing 781,194 cubic foot, 1,337,919 cubic foot, 1,156,530 cubic foot and 763,500 cubic foot earthen
lined lagoons, four influent lift stations, one digester mixing station, one level control wet well station, and
all necessary pipes, pumps, and appurtenances, to serve the permitted swine animal capacity at Brice/Usher
with no discharge of wastes to the surface waters, in conformity with the project plan, specifications, and
other supporting data submitted to and approved by the Department of Environmental Quality (Department).
This authorization includes the management and land application of animal waste as specified in the
facility's Certified Animal Waste Management Plan (CAWMP) for Brice/Usher, located in Duplin County,
with a swine animal capacity of no greater than the following annual averages:
Wean to Finish: Feeder to Finish: 17,136 Boar/Stud:
Wean to Feeder: Farrow to Wean: Gilts:
Farrow to Finish: Farrow to Feeder: Other:
If this is a Farrow to Wean or Farrow to Feeder operation, there may be one boar for each 15 sows. Where
boars are unnecessary, they may be replaced by an equivalent number of sows. Any of the sows may be
replaced by gilts at a rate of 4 gilts for every 3 sows.
This COC shall be effective from the date of issuance until September 30, 2024 and shall hereby rescind
Certificate of Coverage Number AWS310750 previously issued to this facility under General Permit
AWG100000. You will need to file a Permit Renewal Application by April 3, 2024. Attached please
find a blank renewal application form.
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

DocuSign Envelope ID: 790BB3BD-4461-4820-9lB2-3C43F7CAA672
James E. Brice
ADS310750
March 26, 2024
Page 2 of 3
Pursuant to this COC, you are authorized and required to operate the system in conformity with the
conditions and limitations as specified in General Permit AWG400000, the facility's CAWMP, and this
COC.
Please read this COC and the enclosed Swine Farm Digester Waste Management System General
Permit carefully. Condition I.16 requires regional office notification prior to operations of the new farm
digester system. Influent/Effluent monitoring must begin within six months of submission of the Engineer's
Certification for the farm digester system required by Condition I.15. Please pay careful attention to the
record keeping and monitoring conditions in this permit. Please use the most current record -keeping forms.
Session Law 2023-63 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.
Please notify DWR within ten (10) dgys of each of the following events:
(1) when the digester cover installation is complete with waste inside the digester, and
(2) when the use of the gases as a renewable energy resource begins.
An adequate system for collecting and maintaining the required monitoring data and operational
information must be established for this facility. Any increase in waste production greater than the certified
design capacity or increase in number of animals beyond that authorized by this COC (as provided above)
will require a modification to the CAWMP and must be approved by the Division of Water Resources
(Division) prior to actual increase in either wastewater flow or number of animals.
If your Waste Utilization Plan (WUP) has been developed based on site -specific information, careful
evaluation of future samples is necessary. Should your records show that the current WUP is inaccurate
you will need to have a new WUP developed.
The issuance of this COC does not excuse the Permittee from complying with all applicable laws, rules,
standards, and ordinances (local, state, and federal), nor does issuance of this COC to operate under this
permit convey any property rights in either real or personal property.
Per 15A NCAC 02T .1304 and NRCS standards a 100-foot separation shall be maintained between water
supply wells and any lagoon, storage pond, or any land application of waste.
Please be advised that any violation of the terms and conditions specified in this COC, General Permit
AWG400000 and/or the CAWMP may result in the revocation of this COC, civil penalties per NCGS 143-
215.6A, criminal penalties per NCGS 143-21.613, and/or injunctive relief per 143-215.6C.
If any parts, requirements, or limitations contained in this COC are unacceptable, you may apply for an
individual permit by contacting the Animal Feeding Operations Program for information on the application
process. Unless such a request is made within 30 days, this COC shall be final and binding.
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

DocuSign Envelope ID: 790BB3BD-4461-4820-9lB2-3C43F7CAA672
James E. Brice
ADS310750
March 26, 2024
Page 3 of 3
In accordance with Condition II.23 of General Permit AWG400000, waste application shall cease within
twelve (12) hours of the time that the National Weather Service issues a Hurricane Warning, Tropical Storm
Warning, or a Flood Watch/Flash Flood Watch associated with a tropical system for the county in which
the facility is located. You may find detailed watch/warning information for your county by calling the
Newport/Morehead City, NC National Weather Service office at [phone], or by visiting their
website at: www.weather..Qov/mhx/
This facility is located in a county covered by our Wilmington Regional Office. The Regional Office staff
may be reached at 910-796-7215. If you need additional information concerning this COC or General
Permit AWG400000, please contact the Animal Feeding Operations Program staff at [phone].
Sincerely,
DocuSigned by:
Icu��sl�, rA"
E3415E2C05B24CD...
Ramesh Ravella
Supervisor, Animal Feeding Operations
Division of Water Resources
Enclosures (General Permit AWG400000, Renewal Application Form)
cc: (Certificate of Coverage only for all ccs)
Duplin County Health Department
Duplin County Soil and Water Conservation District
Smithfield Hog Production — via email
Cavanaugh & Associates — via email
Laserfiche File No.: 310750
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