The N.C. Division of Water Resources on Wednesday issued Martin Marietta Inc.’s Vanceboro Quarry a revised wastewater discharge permit, which allows for the release of 12 million gallons per day from two outfalls into unnamed tributaries of Blounts Creek.
water quality
Public hearing Tuesday on proposed ‘WOTUS’ definition
A hearing is set for next week on the proposed definition rolled out last month for “Waters of the United States,” which outlines the waterbodies eligible for protection under the federal Clean Water Act, that conservationists warn will leave millions of acres of nontidal wetlands vulnerable to pollution, harm fish habitat and worsen flooding.
Opponents say river water transfer puts Cape Fear in peril
Fuquay-Varina seeks to transfer 6.17 million gallons per day from the Cape Fear River Basin to the Neuse River Basin to meet the Piedmont town’s projected water demands.
Pipe failure in Sunset Beach leads to sewage discharge
A break in a sewer main was repaired by Monday afternoon after more than 19,000 gallons of untreated wastewater discharged in Sunset Beach.
Chemours cannot keep documents sealed, federal judge rules
Chemours and its predecessor company DuPont had sought to seal records including regulatory compliance monitoring reports and internal corporate communications about chemical production.
EPA, Army Corps leaders publish revised ‘WOTUS’ definition
Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers officials said Monday that proposed changes to the existing “waters of the United States” definition are to focus on relatively permanent, standing or continuously flowing bodies of water.
Sediment Control Commission to meet Thursday
The North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission during its meeting Thursday is to consider continuing to give N.C. Department of Transpiration authority to review and approve erosion and sedimentation control plans for land-disturbing activities.
Asheboro plant discharges elevated levels of 1,4-dioxane
Sampling at Asheboro’s wastewater treatment plant revealed elevated discharges of 1,4-dioxane, a likely human carcinogen, in a waterway upstream of drinking water sources for some 900,000 North Carolinians.
Commission holds PFAS, 1,4-dioxane vote for future meeting
The Environmental Management Commission voted to postpone hearing proposed rules to monitor and minimize the two human-made chemical compounds from industrial users and dischargers.
Port’s Cape Fear dredge project fails taxpayers, environment
Guest commentary: Deepening the Cape Fear River will only worsen flooding around the downtown Wilmington waterfront and the North Carolina Battleship site and lead to a substantial loss of vital wetlands and floodplains.
Coastal Counties Fisheries Coalition to hold third meeting
The group formed in opposition to a proposed but failed shrimp-trawling ban is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Morehead City.
EMC committee may move proposed PFAS surface water rules
The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission’s Water Quality Committee will consider proposed monitoring and minimization rules
Wastewater rules comment period extended, hearing set
Public comments will be accepted through Dec. 15 on a draft rule that would allow domestic wastewater discharges into zero-flow streams.
Chemours is doubling down on its toxic history: NRDC
Chemours is not a company that can be trusted to expand its operations responsibly, and it’s an example of the national PFAS pollution crisis, writes Drew Ball of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Opponents urge EPA to uphold objection to Asheboro permit
Those who spoke last week at the Environmental Protection Agency’s hearing on Asheboro’s wastewater permit urged the EPA to uphold its objection to the city’s proposed permit with no effluent discharge limit for 1,4-dioxane into the drinking water supply of hundreds of thousands downstream.
Public should avoid blue, green water in Chowan River
State health and water quality officials urge the public to avoid contact with green or blue water on the Chowan River between the Occano community in Bertie County and Arrowhead Beach in Chowan County.
