NC0029246_Draft Permit_20250121

ROY COOPER
Governor
MARY PENNY KELLEY
Secretary
RICHAM E. ROGEPS, JR.
Director
Adam Motsinger
Norfolk Southern Railway Company
5281 Southern Railroad Station Rd
Linwood, NC 27299
Dear Permittee:
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
January 21, 2025
Subject: Draft of NPDES NCO029246
Lindwood Yard
Grade II Physical Chemical WPCS
Davidson County
The Division has reviewed your request to renew the subject permit. Please review this draft carefully to ensure a
thorough understanding of the information, conditions, and requirements it contains.
This draft contains the following major changes from the existing permit:
TKN and Nitrate + Nitrite have been added as parameters separate to total nitrogen. The corresponding
footnote has been added to Section A. (L).
Contact information in Section A. (2.) has been updated regarding Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET)
testing.
Section A. (4.) has been updated regarding electronic submission of effluent data. Federal regulations
require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs).
The NPDES standard conditions (Parts II, III, and IV) that are a part of the permit are not included in this draft
document (cover, map, and Part I). The conditions are the same as in your current permit except that agency and
division names have been updated. The latest version is available at https://bit.ly/3k5NFaL and can be viewed
online or downloaded as a PDF file.
With this notification, the Division will solicit public comment on this draft permit by publishing a notice in
newspapers having circulation in the general Davidson County area, per EPA requirements. Please provide your
comments, if any, to me no later than 30 days after receiving this draft permit.
Following the 30-day public comment period, the Division will review all pertinent comments and take
appropriate action prior to issuing a final permit. If you have questions concerning the draft, please contact me via
e-mail at [e-mail] or via phone at 919-707-3600.
Sincerely,
�_ 9__*
Sara Bassett
Environmental Specialist I
NPDES Compliance and Expedited Permitting
cc: NPDES files [Laserfiche]
Winston Salem Regional Office [Laserfiche]
D E Q�� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 1 1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
NORTH CARO�INA -
u.wmmemM�imn wl Q-` 919.707.9000

Aquatic Toxicology [Laserfiche]
Operator Certification Program [Laserfiche]

NPDES Permit NCO029246
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
PERMIT
TO DISCHARGE WASTEWATER UNDER THE
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM
(NZDES)
In compliance with the provisions of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1, other lawful standards
and regulations promulgated and adopted by the North Carolina Environmental Management
Commission, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended,
Norfolk Southern Railway Company
is hereby authorized to discharge wastewater from a facility located at the
Linwood Yard
off I-85 Belmont Road Extension (Exit 86), Linwood
Davidson County
to receiving waters designated as South Potts Creek, within the Yadkin -Pee Dee River Basin
in accordance with effluent limitations, monitoring requirements, and other conditions set forth in Parts
I, II, III and IV hereof.
The permit shall become effective
This permit and the authorization to discharge shall expire at midnight on January 31, 2030.
If the permittee intends to continue to discharge at the facility beyond the term of this permit, a
renewal application must be submitted no later than August 4, 2029 (180 days before the expiration of
this permit).
Signed this day
John E. Hennessy, Section Chief Regional Operations
Division of Water Resources
By Authority of the Environmental Management Commission
Page 1 of 7

NPDES Permit NCO029246
SUPPLEMENT TO PERMIT COVER SHEET
All previous NPDES Permits issued to this facility, whether for operation or discharge are hereby
revoked. As of this permit issuance, any previously issued permit bearing this number is no longer
effective. Therefore, the exclusive authority to operate and discharge from this facility arises under the
permit conditions, requirements, terms, and provisions included herein.
Norfolk Southern Railway Company
is hereby authorized to:
continue to operate an existing 0.317 MGD industrial wastewater treatment system that treats
wastewater generated from maintenance shops and stormwater from a Surface -Water Pollution
Control System, which includes runoff from fuel offloading areas, and stormwater in proximity to
above -ground storage tanks (ASTs) for the surface bulk -storage of petroleum hydrocarbon fuels in
excess of one million gallons, utilizing the following components:
• track collection pans
• bar screen
• grit chamber
• oil skimmers
• equalization basin
• chemical feed/flocculation
• dissolved air flotation unit
• clarifier
• aerated polishing pond
• activated carbon filtration system
• flow meter
• sludge drying beds
• grit chambers (stormwater)
• stabilization basins (stormwater)
• effluent control structures (stormwater)
located off I-85 [Belmont Road Extension (Exit 86)] at Norfolk Southern Railway Company,
Linwood Yard, Linwood, Davidson County; and
2. discharge from said treatment works via Outfall 011, at a location specified on the attached
map, into South Potts Creek (First Potts Creek) [Stream Segment 12-111], currently a Class
C waterbody within Subbasin 03-07-04 [HUC: 030401030103], in the Yadkin -Pee Dee
River basin.
Page 2 of 7

NPDES Permit NCO029246
PART I.
A. (1) EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
[15A NCAC 02B .0400 et seq., 02B .0500 et seq.]
Grade II Physical Chemical Water Pollution Control System [15A NCAC 08G .0302]
During the period beginning on the effective date of this permit and lasting until expiration, the
Permittee is authorized to discharge treated industrial wastewater including stormwater from outfall
011. Such discharges shall be limited and monitored) by the Permittee as specified below:
EFFLUENT
MONITORING
LIMITS
CHARACTERISTICS
REQUIREMENTS
Monthly
Daily
Measurement
Sample
Sample
Parameter Code
Average
Maximum
Frequency
Type
Location2
Flow (MGD) 50050
0.317 MGD
Continuous
Recording
Influent or
Effluent
Oil and Grease (mg/L)
30.0 mg/L
60.0 mg/L
2/Month
Grab
Effluent
EPA Method 1664 SGT-HEM 00556
BOD, 5-day (20°C) (mg/L) C0310
36.0 mg/L
54.0 mg/L
Weekly
Composite
Effluent
Total Suspended Solids
TSS (mg/L) C0530
30.0 mg/L
45.0 mg/L
Monthly
Composite
Effluent
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) (mg/L) 00300
Monitor & Report
Weekly
Grab
Effluent
Temperature (°C) 00010
Monitor & Report
Weekly
Grab
Effluent
pH (su) 00400
> 6.0and<9.0
Weekly
Grab
Effluent
standard units
Phenolics, Total Recoverable (µg/L) 32730
Monitor & Report
Quarterly
Grab
Effluent
Boron, Total (µg/L) 3 01022
Monitor & Report
Quarterly
Composite
Effluent
TKN (mg/L) 4 00625
Monitor and Report
Quarterly
Composite
Effluent
NO3-N + NO2-N (mg/L) 4 00630
Monitor and Report
Quarterly
Composite
Effluent
Total Nitrogen (TN) (mg/L)4 C0600
Monitor & Report
Quarterly
Calculated
Effluent
Total Phosphorus (TP) (mg/L) C0665
Monitor & Report
Quarterly
Composite
Effluent
Acute Toxicity 5 TGE313
See Footnote 4
Quarterly
Composite
Effluent
Turbidity (NTU) 6 00070
Monitor & Report
2/Month
Grab
U & D
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) (mg/L) 00300
Monitor & Report
Weekly
Grab
U & D
Temperature (°C) 00010
Monitor & Report
Weekly
Grab
U & D
Footnotes:
1. The Permittee shall submit Discharge Monitoring Reports electronically using NC DWR's eDMR
application system. See Condition A. (4).
2. U: at least 100 feet upstream from the outfall. D: at least 300 feet downstream from the outfall.
3. The following practical quantitation limit (PQL) shall be met: Boron (50 µg/L).
4. For a given wastewater sample, TN = TKN + NO3-N + NO2-N, where TN is Total Nitrogen, TKN is Total
Kjeldahl Nitrogen, and NO3-N and NO2-N are Nitrate and Nitrite Nitrogen, respectively.
5. Acute Toxicity (Ceriodaphnia dubia): pass/fail; permit limited; at 90%; March, June, September, and
December; see A. (2).
Page 3 of 7

NPDES Permit NCO029246
6. The discharge shall not cause the turbidity of the receiving water to exceed 25 NTU. If the turbidity exceeds
these levels due to natural background conditions, the discharge cannot cause an increase in the turbidity in
the receiving water.
Conditions:
There shall be no discharge of floating solids or visible foam in other than trace amounts.
Page 4 of 7

NPDES Permit NCO029246
A. (2) ACUTE TOXICITY PASS / FAIL PERMIT LIMIT (Quarterly)
[ 15A NCAC 02B .0200 et seq.]
The permittee shall conduct acute toxicity tests on a quarterly basis using protocols defined in the
North Carolina Procedure Document entitled "Pass/Fail Methodology For Determining Acute Toxicity
In A Single Effluent Concentration" (Revised December 2010 or subsequent versions). The monitoring
shall be performed as a Ceriodaphnia dubia 24 hour static test. The effluent concentration at which
there may be at no time significant acute mortality is 90% (defined as treatment two in the procedure
document). The tests will be performed during the months of March, June, September, and
December. These months signify the first month of each three month toxicity testing quarter assigned
to the facility. Effluent sampling for this testing must be obtained during representative effluent
discharge and shall be performed at the NPDES permitted final effluent discharge below all treatment
processes.
Should any single quarterly monitoring indicate a failure to meet specified limits, then monthly
monitoring will begin immediately until such time that a single test is passed. Upon passing, this
monthly test requirement will revert to quarterly in the months specified above.
All toxicity testing results required as part of this permit condition will be entered on the Effluent
Discharge Monitoring Form (MR-1) for the month in which it was performed, using the parameter
code TGE313. Additionally, DWR Form AT-2 (original) is to be sent to the following address:
Attention: North Carolina Division of Water Resources
Water Sciences Section/Aquatic Toxicology Branch
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1621
Or, results can be sent to the email, ATForms.ATB(a),deq.nc.gov.
Completed Aquatic Toxicity Test Forms shall be filed with the Water Sciences Section no later than 30
days after the end of the reporting period for which the report is made.
Test data shall be complete and accurate and include all supporting chemical/physical measurements
performed in association with the toxicity tests, as well as all dose/response data. Total residual
chlorine of the effluent toxicity sample must be measured and reported if chlorine is employed for
disinfection of the waste stream.
Should there be no discharge of flow from the facility during a month in which toxicity monitoring is
required, the permittee will complete the information located at the top of the aquatic toxicity (AT) test
form indicating the facility name, permit number, pipe number, county, and the month/year of the
report with the notation of "No Flow" in the comment area of the form. The report shall be submitted
to the Water Sciences Section at the address cited above.
Should the permittee fail to monitor during a month in which toxicity monitoring is required, then
monthly monitoring will begin immediately until such time that a single test is passed. Upon passing,
this monthly test requirement will revert to quarterly in the months specified above. Assessment of
toxicity compliance is based on the toxicity testing quarter, which is the three month time interval that
Page 5 of 7

NPDES Permit NCO029246
begins on the first day of the month in which toxicity testing is required by this permit and continues
until the final day of the third month.
Should any test data from either these monitoring requirements or tests performed by the North
Carolina Division of Water Resources indicate potential impacts to the receiving stream, this permit
may be re -opened and modified to include alternate monitoring requirements or limits.
NOTE: Failure to achieve test conditions as specified in the cited document, such as minimum
control organism survival and appropriate environmental controls, shall constitute an invalid
test and will require immediate follow-up testing to be completed no later than the last day of the
month following the month of the initial monitoring.
A. (3.) PERMIT RE -OPENER: WHOLE EFFLUENT TOXICITY
[G.S. 143-215.1(b)]
Whole Effluent Toxicity monitoring results indicating aquatic toxicity may result in the Division of
Water Resources re -opening this permit or requesting by letter that further action be taken. Additional
metals testing, a toxicity identification evaluation, a toxicity reduction evaluation, and/or an
assessment of discharge treatment alternatives may be requested.
A. (4.) ELECTRONIC REPORTING - DISCHARGE MONITORING REPORTS
[G.S. 143-215.1 (b)]
Federal regulations require electronic submittal of all discharge monitoring reports (DMRs) and
program reports. The final NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule was adopted and became effective on
December 21, 2015.
NOTE: This special condition supplements or supersedes the following sections within Part II of this
permit (Standard Conditions for NPDES Permits):
• Section B. (11.) Signatory Requirements
• Section D. (2.) Reporting
• Section D. (6.) Records Retention
• Section E. (5.) Monitoring Reports
1. Reporting Requirements [Supersedes Section D. (2.) and Section E. (5.) (a)I
The permittee shall report discharge monitoring data electronically using the NC DWR's
Electronic Discharge Monitoring Report (eDMR) internet application.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and
submitted electronically using eDMR. The eDMR system allows permitted facilities to enter
monitoring data and submit DMRs electronically using the internet. The eDMR system may be
accessed at: https:Hdeq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr.
If a permittee is unable to use the eDMR system due to a demonstrated hardship or due to the
facility being physically located in an area where less than 10 percent of the households have
Page 6 of 7

NPDES Permit NC0029246
broadband access, then a temporary waiver from the NPDES electronic reporting requirements
may be granted and discharge monitoring data may be submitted on paper DMR forms (MR 1, 1.1,
2, 3) or alternative forms approved by the Director. Duplicate signed copies shall be submitted to
the following address:
NC DEQ / Division of Water Resources / Water Quality Permitting Section
ATTENTION: Central Files
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
See "How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below.
Monitoring results obtained during the previous month(s) shall be summarized for each month and
reported via the eDMR system no later than the last calendar day of the month following the
completed reporting period. Regardless of the submission method, the first DMR is due on the last
day of the month following the issuance of the permit or in the case of a new facility, on the last
day of the month following the commencement of discharge.
Starting on December 21, 2025, the permittee must electronically report the following compliance
monitoring data and reports, when applicable:
Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports;
Pretreatment Program Annual Reports; and
Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 316(b) Annual Reports.
The permittee may seek an electronic reporting waiver from the Division (see "How to Request a
Waiver from Electronic Reporting" section below).
2. Electronic Submissions
In accordance with 40 CFR 122.41(1)(9), the permittee must identify the initial recipient at the time
of each electronic submission. The permittee should use the EPA's website resources to identify
the initial recipient for the electronic submission.
Initial recipient of electronic NPDES information from NPDES-regulated facilities means the
entity (EPA or the state authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES program) that is the
designated entity for receiving electronic NPDES data [see 40 CFR 127.2(b)].
EPA plans to establish a website that will also link to the appropriate electronic reporting tool for
each type of electronic submission and for each state. Instructions on how to access and use the
appropriate electronic reporting tool will be available as well. Information on EPA's NPDES
Electronic Reporting Rule is found at:
https://www.federalre_ig ster.gov/documents/2015/10/22/2015-24954/national-pollutant-discharge-
elimination-system-npdes-electronic-reporting-rule
Electronic submissions must start by the dates listed in the "Reporting Requirements" section
above.
3. How to Request a Waiver from Electronic Reporting
Page 7 of 7

NPDES Permit NC0029246
The permittee may seek a temporary electronic reporting waiver from the Division. To obtain an
electronic reporting waiver, a permittee must first submit an electronic reporting waiver request to
the Division. Requests for temporary electronic reporting waivers must be submitted in writing to
the Division for written approval at least sixty (60) days prior to the date the facility would be
required under this permit to begin submitting monitoring data and reports. The duration of a
temporary waiver shall not exceed 5 years and shall thereupon expire. At such time, monitoring
data and reports shall be submitted electronically to the Division unless the permittee re -applies for
and is granted a new temporary electronic reporting waiver by the Division. Approved electronic
reporting waivers are not transferrable. Only permittees with an approved reporting waiver request
may submit monitoring data and reports on paper to the Division for the period that the approved
reporting waiver request is effective.
Information on eDMR and the application for a temporary electronic reporting waiver are found on
the following web page:
http: //deq.ne. aov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
4. Signatory Requirements [Supplements Section B. (11.) (b) and Supersedes Section B. (11.)
All eDMRs submitted to the permit issuing authority shall be signed by a person described in Part
II, Section B. (I 1.)(a) or by a duly authorized representative of that person as described in Part II,
Section B. (I 1)(b). A person, and not a position, must be delegated signatory authority for eDMR
reporting purposes.
For eDMR submissions, the person signing and submitting the DMR must obtain an eDMR user
account and login credentials to access the eDMR system. For more information on North
Carolina's eDMR system, registering for eDMR and obtaining an eDMR user account, please visit
the following web page:
hqp:Hdeq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/edmr
Certification. Any person submitting an electronic DMR using the state's eDMR system shall
make the following certification [40 CFR 122.22]. NO OTHER STATEMENTS OF
CERTIFICATION WILL BE ACCEPTED:
"I certify, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were prepared under my
direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel
properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or
persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the
information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate,
and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information,
including the possibility of fines and imprisonment for knowing violations. "
5. Records Retention [Supplements Section D. (6.)]
Page 8 of 7

NPDES Permit NCO029246
The permittee shall retain records of all Discharge Monitoring Reports, including eDMR
submissions. These records or copies shall be maintained for a period of at least 3 years from the
date of the report. This period may be extended by request of the Director at any time [40 CFR
122.41].
Page 9 of 7

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NPDES Permit NCO029246
off I-85 Belmont Road Extension (Exit 86), Linwood 27299
Receiving Stream: South Potts Creek (First Potts Creek)
Stream Segment: 12-111 Stream Class: C
River Basin: Yadkin -Pee Dee Sub -Basin #: 03-07-04
County: Davidson HUC: 030401030103
GIS Unit,
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