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Home My WebLink AboutWQ0006560_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20190918 September 18, 2019 Thomas L Johnson 5315 Bryson City Rd Franklin, NC 28734 SUBJECT: Compliance Inspection Report Mason Mountain Mine Non-discharge Permit No. WQ0006560 Macon County Dear Permittee: The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the Mason Mountain Mine on 9/04/2019. This inspection was conducted to verify that the facility is operating in compliance with the conditions and limitations specified in Non-discharge Permit No. WQ0006560. Comments regarding the inspection and additional information regarding the recent rules changes can be found in the attached inspection report. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact at 828-296-4686 or via email at mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov. Sincerely, Mikal Willmer, Environmental Specialist Water Quality Regional Operations Section Asheville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ ATTACHMENTS: Inspection Report EC: WQS-ARO Server LF G:\WR\WQ\Macon\Wastewater\Non-discharge\Brown L. Johnson (Mason Mtn. Mine)\Inspection September 4, 2019\20190918_WQ0006560_CEI Compliance Inspection Report Permit:WQ0006560 Effective:06/19/15 Expiration:05/31/20 Owner :Thomas L Johnson SOC: Contact Person: Region: County: Directions to Facility: Macon Asheville Thomas L Johnson Effective:Expiration:Facility:Mason Mountain Mine 465 Mason Mtn Dr Franklin NC 28734 Title:Phone:828-524-4570 Take Hwy 28 North from Franklin to mason Mountain Mine on the right. Secondary ORC(s): Phone:Certification:Primary ORC: System Classifications: On-Site Representative(s): Related Permits: Secondary Inspector(s): Primary Inspector: Inspection Date:Exit Time:Entry Time: Phone: 09/04/2019 12:50PM 01:30PM Mikal Willmer 828-296-4686 Facility Status: Permit Inspection Type: Reason for Inspection:Inspection Type: Not CompliantCompliant Routine Closed-Loop Recycle Compliance Evaluation Question Areas: Miscellaneous Questions Record Keeping (See attachment summary) Page 1 of 4 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0006560 09/04/2019 Compliance Evaluation Thomas L Johnson Routine Inspection Summary: Mikal Willmer, with the Asheville Regional Office, conducted a compliance evaluation inspection of the Mason Mountain Mine on September 4, 2019. This inspection was conducted to determine whether the facility is being operated and maintained in compliance with Permit No. WQ0006560. Mr. Thomas Johnson (owner) was present and assisted in the inspection. Overall the facility is being operated and maintained in compliance. Ponds are in series, the lower pond has approximately 36" of freeboard and Mr. Johnson reports he attempts to maintain this level. Sediment is reused for panning at the facility. Recycle flow rates are significantly less than 100,000 gallons per day. There were no signs of bypass or discharge from the system at the time of the inspection. Mr. Johnson submitted additional maintenance records for the pond for 2019 on September 17, 2019. Please note, the rules that govern closed-loop recycle systems (15A NCAC 02U) have changed as of March 21, 2019. Gem mining facilities meeting the requirements of 15A NCAC 02U.0113 item 18 are now considered "permitted by regulation". If you determine your facility meets these requirements, a permit rescission request may be submitted to the Non-Discharge Permitting Unit. Page 2 of 4 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0006560 09/04/2019 Compliance Evaluation Thomas L Johnson Routine Type Yes No NA NE Reuse (Quality) Single Family Spray, LR Infiltration System Activated Sludge Spray, LR Single Family Drip Lagoon Spray, LR Activated Sludge Drip, LR Activated Sludge Spray, HR Recycle/Reuse Record Keeping Yes No NA NE Is a copy of current permit available? Are monitoring reports present: NDMR? NDAR? Are flow rates less than of permitted flow? Are flow rates less than of permitted flow? Are application rates adhered to? Is GW monitoring being conducted, if required (GW-59s submitted)? Are all samples analyzed for all required parameters? Are there any 2L GW quality violations? Is GW-59A certification form completed for facility? Is effluent sampled for same parameters as GW? Do effluent concentrations exceed GW standards? Are annual soil reports available? # Are PAN records required? # Did last soil report indicate a need for lime? If so, has it been applied? Are operational logs present? Are lab sheets available for review? Do lab sheets support data reported on NDMR? Do lab sheets support data reported on GW-59s? Are Operational and Maintenance records present? Were Operational and Maintenance records complete? Has permittee been free of public complaints in last 12 months? Is a copy of the SOC readily available? Page 3 of 4 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0006560 09/04/2019 Compliance Evaluation Thomas L Johnson Routine No treatment units bypassed since last inspection? See summary for inspection details.Comment: Page 4 of 4 Certificate Of Completion Envelope Id: 50F86F47F49E4E7C9F57A5E23879B91F Status: Completed Subject: Please DocuSign: 20190918_WQ0006560_CEI.ltr.docx, 20190918_WQ0006560_CEI.draft.pdf Source Envelope: Document Pages: 5 Signatures: 1 Envelope Originator: Certificate Pages: 1 Initials: 1 Mikal Willmer AutoNav: Disabled EnvelopeId Stamping: Disabled Time Zone: (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) 217 W. Jones Street Raleigh, NC 27699 Mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov IP Address: 149.168.204.10 Record Tracking Status: Original Sep 18, 2019 | 10:23 Holder: Mikal Willmer Mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov Location: DocuSign Signer Events Signature Timestamp Mikal Willmer mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov Environmental Specialist North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Signature Adoption: Drawn on Device Using IP Address: 149.168.204.10 Sent: Sep 18, 2019 | 10:24 Viewed: Sep 18, 2019 | 10:24 Signed: Sep 18, 2019 | 10:24 Freeform Signing Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign In Person Signer Events Signature Timestamp Editor Delivery Events Status Timestamp Agent Delivery Events Status Timestamp Intermediary Delivery Events Status Timestamp Certified Delivery Events Status Timestamp Carbon Copy Events Status Timestamp Witness Events Signature Timestamp Notary Events Signature Timestamp Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted Sep 18, 2019 | 10:24 Certified Delivered Security Checked Sep 18, 2019 | 10:24 Signing Complete Security Checked Sep 18, 2019 | 10:24 Completed Security Checked Sep 18, 2019 | 10:24 Payment Events Status Timestamps