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Home My WebLink About090037_NOD-2024-PC-0076_20240424ROY COOPER Governor ELIZABETH S. BISER Secretary RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR. Director Kendall Huffman MFV Golden Farms Inc Singletary Farm PO Box 1139 Wallace, North Carolina 28466-1139 NORTH CAROLINA Environmental Quality April 24, 2024 Subject: NOTICE OF DEFICENCY Administrative Code 15A NCAC 2T .1304 NOD-2024-PC-0076 Singletary Farm Golden Farms Inc Permit No. AWS090037 Bladen County Dear Kendall Huffman: On April 17, 2024, staff of NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Division of Water Resources (DWR), Water Quality Regional Operations Section (WQROS) inspected the Singletary Sow Farm waste disposal system. We wish to thank Riley Pickett with Murphy Family Ventures, who was present during the inspection. As a result of this notification, you are hereby notified that, having been permitted to have a non - discharge permit for the subject animal waste disposal system pursuant to 15A NCAC 2T .1304, you have been found to be deficient in your permit as follows: Deficiency 1: Failure to to remove sludge from lagoon: The Permittee shall conduct a survey of the sludge accumulation in all lagoons every year. The survey report should be written on forms provided or approved by the Division and shall include a sketch showing the depth of sludge in the various locations within each lagoon. This survey frequency may be reduced if it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Division that the rate of sludge accumulation does not warrant an annual survey. - [15A NCAC 02T .0108(b) and .1304(b)J DffNorth Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources oan caaouNn Fayetteville Regional Office 1225 Green St., Suite 714 1 Fayetteville, North Carolina 28301-5043 M910.433.3300 oep.m.m or em�nmen� ouaim Singletary Farm April 24,2024 Page 2 If the sludge accumulation is such that the structure does not satisfy the criteria set by NC NRCS Conservation Practice Standard No. 359, a sludge removal or management plan must be submitted to the appropriate Division Regional Office within (90) days of the determination. The plan shall describe removal and waste utilization procedures to be used. Compliance regarding sludge levels must be achieved within two (2) years of the determination. - [15A NCAC 02T .0108(b) and .1304(b)J During the inspection DWR Staff documented with pictures that the lagoon had islands of sludge in the middle and along the edge. It was also noted that the sludge survey that was completed indicated 51% sludge in the lagoon. Any amount above 50% requires a Plan of Action (POA) to reduce the amount of sludge in the lagoon. A visual look at the lagoon indicated that it contained more than what was being reported. During the inspection, MFV Staff informed DWR Staff that it was hard to do the sludge survey and they could not get a good reading with the method they were using. At the time, DWR staff asked if a more accurate one could be performed with a different method, and it was conducted on 4/18/2024. This survey showed that the lagoon was 75% full of sludge. In 2021, it was reported that the lagoon had only 9% sludge, but DWR Staff was informed by MFV staff that only half of the lagoon was surveyed because there was too much sludge in the other half. They had a POA, but it expired on 12/31/2021 and it was not renewed. There has not been any action taken to reduce the sludge in this lagoon. Required Corrective Action for Deficiency 1: A Plan of Action for the removal of sludge and a waste management plan for the removal of the sludge is needed. The Division of Water Resources requests that, in addition to the specified corrective action above, please submit the following items on or before 30 days from receipt of this letter: 1. An explanation from the OIC for this farm regarding how these violations occurred. 2. Steps to remove the sludge from the lagoon. 3. A list from the OIC concerning the steps that will be taken to prevent these violations from occurring in the future. Failure to comply with conditions in a permit may result in a recommendation of enforcement action, to the Director of the Division of Water Quality who may issue a civil penalty assessment of not more that twenty-five thousand ($25,000) dollars against any "person" who violates or fails to act in accordance with the terms, conditions, or requirements of a permit under authority of G.S. 143-215.6A. REQ� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources Fayetteville Regional Office 1 225 Green Street, Suite 714 1 Fayetteville, North Carolina 28301-5043 n_o cnaoun,n 910-433-3300 oeo+ro�.m m emro��w n�sim Singletary Farm Page 3 April 24, 2024 If you have any questions concerning this Notice, please contact Diane Harrison (910)-385-9785 or me at (910) 433-3336. Sincerely, Docu Signed b(yAM'/•R.I I E4E1A9691DB248E... Mark Brantley Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations Section Division of Water Resources cc: DWR - WQROS - CAFO Unit — Central Office FRO Compliance Animal Files-Laserfiche D North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources Fayetteville Regional Office 1 225 Green Street, Suite 714 1 Fayetteville, North Carolina 28301-5043 NoarHcnaou n 910-433-3300 oeo+ro�.m m emro��w n�sim