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Home My WebLink AboutWQ0003442_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20190923 Certified Mail #7019 0700 0000 8867 6340 Return Receipt Requested September 23, 2019 Keith N Maddox Wesser Ruby Mine LLC PO Box 159 Almond, NC 28702 SUBJECT: Compliance Inspection Report Nantahala Gorge Ruby Mine CLRS Non-discharge Permit No. WQ0003442 Swain County Dear Permittee: The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the Nantahala Gorge Ruby Mine CLRS 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. WQ0003442. The findings and comments noted during this inspection are provided in the enclosed copy of the inspection report entitled "Compliance Inspection Report". An additional information request was sent to the above address on or about 9/9/2019. To date, a response has not been received. Please respond in writing or call this office within 30 days of your receipt of this letter regarding the items addressed in the summary of the inspection report. Please contact me at 828-296-4686 or via email at Mikal.willmer@ncdenr.gov Sincerely, Mikal Willmer, Environmental Specialist I Water Quality Regional Operations Section Asheville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ ATTACHMENTS: Inspection Report EC: WQS-ARO Server LF G:\WR\WQ\Swain\Wastewater\Non-discharge\Wesser Ruby Mine\Inspection September 4, 2019\20190923_WQ0003442_CEI Compliance Inspection Report Permit:WQ0003442 Effective:03/09/18 Expiration:02/28/23 Owner :Wesser Ruby Mine LLC SOC: Contact Person: Region: County: Directions to Facility: Swain Asheville Keith N Maddox Effective:Expiration:Facility:Nantahala Gorge Ruby Mine CLRS 11900 US 19 74 W Bryson City NC 28713 Title:Phone:704-488-3854Manager From Asheville, follow I-40 west ~15 miles to Rt. 19 west. Follow Rt. 19 west ~25 miles, through Collins Gap. The mine is on the right, approx. one mile east of the Town of Wesser. 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 11:30AM 12:00PM 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 Storage (See attachment summary) Page 1 of 4 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0003442 09/04/2019 Compliance Evaluation Wesser Ruby Mine LLC Routine Inspection Summary: Mikal Willmer, with the Asheville Regional Office, conducted a compliance evaluation inspection of the Nantahala Gorge Ruby Mine on September 4, 2019. This inspection was conducted verify the system is in compliance with Permit No. WQ0003442. Mr. Maddox could not be reached and the system appeared to closed for the season. The permittee should update the facility contact information. Both sluices appeared dry and no evidence of recylce water being discharge to the ground or surface waters. Over 2' of free board in both ponds. An additional information request will be sent to obtain maintenance records and discuss the new "deemed" permitted language in 02U. 9/23/2019: No response received to the additional information request sent on 9/9/2019. Facility will be listed as non-compliant until ARO staff can further discuss system maintenance and the updated regulations. Page 2 of 4 Inspection Date: Permit: Inspection Type : Owner - Facility: Reason for Visit: WQ0003442 09/04/2019 Compliance Evaluation Wesser Ruby Mine LLC Routine Type Yes No NA NE Lagoon Spray, LR Single Family Drip Activated Sludge Drip, LR Infiltration System Reuse (Quality) Single Family Spray, LR Activated Sludge Spray, 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: WQ0003442 09/04/2019 Compliance Evaluation Wesser Ruby Mine LLC Routine No treatment units bypassed since last inspection? Attempted to contact Mr. Maddox by phone. Unable to get in contact. See summary for details.Comment: Page 4 of 4 Certificate Of Completion Envelope Id: 475614B000ED41CCAD6BAC4B79CBE8B7 Status: Completed Subject: Please DocuSign: 20190923_WQ0003442_CEI.ltr.docx, 20190923_WQ0003442_CEI.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 24, 2019 | 15:05 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 24, 2019 | 15:06 Viewed: Sep 24, 2019 | 15:06 Signed: Sep 24, 2019 | 15:06 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 24, 2019 | 15:06 Certified Delivered Security Checked Sep 24, 2019 | 15:06 Signing Complete Security Checked Sep 24, 2019 | 15:06 Completed Security Checked Sep 24, 2019 | 15:06 Payment Events Status Timestamps