310086_Certificate of Coverage (COC) - Digester General_20241031

Docusign Envelope ID: E69C641E-253F-4A31-88FF-B3ED7B955AF3
ROY COOPER
Governor
MARY PENNY KELLEY
Secretary
RICHARD E. ROGERS, JR.
Director
Earth Right Farms, Inc.
Paradise Hill Farm
127 Circle Drive
Kenansville, NC 23849
Dear Earth Right Farms, Inc.:
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
October 31, 2024
Subject: Certificate of Coverage No. ADS310086
Paradise Hill Farm
Swine Farm Digester Waste Collection,
Treatment, Storage, and Application System
Duplin County
In accordance with your application for coverage received June 28, 2024, and additional information
received September 3, 2024, September 10, 2024, and September 19, 2024, we are hereby issuing you this
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 one new
366,336 cubic foot anaerobic digester with a 80-mil HDPE synthetic cover and a 60-mil HDPE liner,
existing 256,275 cubic foot and 707,460 cubic foot earthen lined lagoons, one level control wet well station,
and all necessary pipes, pumps, and appurtenances, to serve the permitted swine animal capacity at Paradise
Hill Farm 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 Paradise Hill Farm, located in Duplin
County, with a swine animal capacity of no greater than the following annual averages:
Wean to Finish: 5,587 Feeder to Finish: 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, 2026, and shall hereby rescind
Certificate of Coverage Number AWS310086 previously issued to this facility under General Permit
AWG100000. Pursuant to this COC, you are authorized and required to operate the system in conformity
D North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
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512 North Salisbury Street 1 1636 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1636
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Docusign Envelope ID: E69C641E-253F-4A31-88FF-B3ED7B955AF3
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ADS310086
October 31, 2024
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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 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) dqys 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.
D E QQ; 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
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Docusign Envelope ID: E69C641E-253F-4A31-88FF-B3ED7B955AF3
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October 31, 2024
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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.gov/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:
Kawt�sl�, r°a"
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Ramesh Ravella
Supervisor, Animal Feeding Operations
Division of Water Resources
Enclosures (General Permit AWG400000, Engineer Certification 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
Chris Fey, Roeslein & Associates — via email
Chuck Sutton, Monarch — via email
Laserfiche File No.: 310086
D E Qq; 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
HCan. C.aaau u
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