DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY UTAH DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PUBLIC NOTICE OF RENEWAL OF GROUND WATER DISCHARGE PERMIT
PERMIT NO. UGW150002
Purpose of Public Notice
The Utah Division of Water Quality is soliciting comments on its proposal to renew a ground water discharge permit described below under authority of the Utah Water Quality Act, Section 19-5-104(g) Utah Code Ann. West Supp.2016), and Utah Admin Code R. 317-6.
Permit Information
Permittee Name:
PacifiCorp Huntington Power Plant
Mailing Address:
201 South Main Street
Suite 2200
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Facility Location:
Highway 31 West of Huntington
Huntington, Utah 84528
The PacifiCorp Huntington Power Plant is a coal-fired steam electric generating facility. The power plant has been operating the Huntington Research Farm to dispose of non-contact cooling water, boiler blowdown, and treated domestic wastewater, which is stored in a clay-lined evaporation pond throughout the year. This water has been used to irrigate 255 acres of farmland located southeast of the power plant from April through October. Under the terms of the renewed permit, land application will be phased out by the March 31, 2023 and replaced with alternative methods for wastewater disposal. The permit is being modified to include these new methods, which are described in Appendix E. The power plant site also contains a closed landfill for the disposal of coal combustion waste, including fly ash, bottom ash and scrubber sludge. PacifiCorp has also identified other potential ground water discharge sources at the plant site. These include the coal pile and blending facility, the power plant site itself, and the pond used to hold process wastewater before land application at the Research Farm. An active coal combustion waste landfill, formerly regulated under this permit, will now be regulated by the Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control under the new Coal Combustion Residual regulations.
Under the ground water discharge permit, Pacificorp will continue the current ground water monitoring program at the land application site and other plant facilities. Protection limits for ground water quality have been established for monitor wells located at sites where ground water quality may be affected by plant activities and facilities. The most important such area is located between the land application site and Huntington Creek. To help insure that any ground water affected by power plant operations is not impacting the creek, monitoring frequency has been increased for these wells from semi-annually to quarterly. A new monitor well has also been added to provide better coverage in this area. As a permit condition, PacifiCorp shall also use best management practices to minimize any potential discharge of contaminants from other plant facilities.
Public Comments
Public comments are invited any time prior to Thursday, November 7, 2019. Written comments may be directed to the Division of Water Quality, PO Box 144870, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4870. All comments received prior to close of business Thursday, November 7, 2019, will be considered in the formulation of final determinations to be imposed on the permit. A public hearing may be held if written requests are received within the first 15 days of this public comment period that demonstrate significant public interest and substantive issues exist to warrant holding a hearing.
Further Information
Additional information may be obtained upon request by calling Mark Novak at (801) 536-4300 or mnovak@utah.gov or by writing the aforementioned address. Related documents are available for review during normal business hours at DWQ, 195 North 1950 West in Salt Lake City or on the DWQ web page at https://deq.utah.gov/public-notices-archive/water-quality-public-notices#groundwater-permits.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with special needs (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) should contact Dana Powers, Office of Human Resources at (801) 536-4413, TDD (801) 536-4414.
Published in the ETV Newspaper on October 9, 2019.