20070812 Ver 2_Dunn Response letter_20090216

Beverly Eaves Perdue
Governor
NCDENR
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
Coleen H. Sullins
Director
February 16, 2009
Ms. Virginia R. Dunn
6323 Bentridge Drive
Charlotte, NC 28226
Subject: Response to your letter of January 25, 2009 concerning Alcoa's hydroelectric projects
DENR tracking number 00601200902962
Dear Ms. Dunn:
Dee Freeman
Secretary
I am responding to your letter of January 25, 2009 on behalf of Secretary Freeman. In your letter, you ask that
the Division of Water Quality deny the 401 Water Quality Certification for the Yadkin Projects due to concerns
about water and fish tissue contamination from the Alcoa site near Badin Lake. As you know, the Division
conducted a public hearing on January 15, 2009 in Albemarle, NC in order to provide an opportunity for public
comment before we decide whether to issue or deny the Certification. The public record for that hearing is open
until February 16, 2009 and after that time, the Hearing Officers will be reviewing the record in the context of
our 401 Water Quality Certification rules to determine if we can issue the required Certification based on the
available information, whether additional information is needed or whether we should deny the Certification.
While that decision is being made, it is clearly premature for me to take a position as to our ultimate action.
However based on review of the preliminary information, we have decided to collect another water sample for
chemical analysis from the discharge from Badin Lake in order to supplement the sampling done by Alcoa in
August of 2008. The results of that analysis will be taken into consideration in our final permitting decision. In
addition, I have forwarded your original letter to the Hearing Officers for their use in their review of the file.
Thank you for you comments on this important matter. If you have additional questions, please contact John
Domey of my staff at 919-733-9646. 1
Since yours,
s
Coleen H. Sulli
cc: File copy
Secretary Dee Freeman
John Dorney
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
Location: 512 N. Salisbury St. Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 ' T?TOne t. 7
Phone: [phone] \ FAX: [phone] \ Customer Service: 1-877-623-6748 lv o thCarohna.
Internet: vrww.ncwaterquality.org ?aturq???
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