Good evening. My name is Gene Ellis and I am the licensing and property manager for Alcoa Power Generating Inc. We welcome this opportunity for the public to comment on our application for a 401 water quality certificate from the North Carolina Division of Water Quality, which is required for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue a long-term license for our hydroelectric project.
The relicensing process involves a comprehensive examination of the Yadkin Project over the course of several years. This includes an environmental impact assessment under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulations. Tonight’s hearing involves one specific aspect of our operations — whether or not the Yadkin Project will meet North Carolina water quality standards as measured in water being discharged from the powerhouses.
You may hear mention of environmental sites associated with the Badin Works plant historically operated by Alcoa Inc. Let me be very clear. Alcoa is committed to protecting public health and the environment. We have worked closely with state government in ensuring that we manage these sites in the interest of public health and the environment. Alcoa will not abandon this commitment and fully understands that this is an ongoing responsibility. It is important to recognize that these environmental issues are being addressed separately by Alcoa under the close regulatory authority of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Water quality has been an important focus of the relicensing process from the beginning. Independent consultants have conducted numerous studies of the Yadkin River water quality during the past six years. In addition, the State routinely collects water quality data in the Yadkin Project reservoirs.
Based on this volume of data, we believe that discharges from the Yadkin Project dams will meet applicable water quality standards in North Carolina. To address concerns about dissolved oxygen levels, we have already begun investing in new equipment to increase dissolved oxygen levels and improve water quality in the Yadkin River. In fact, recent testing has demonstrated that dissolved oxygen levels are already increasing and water quality is improving.
Within the past year, APGI has worked with DWQ to conduct an additional study and submit plans for further sampling and analysis to augment the 401 application. That work includes an independent assessment of the quality of water being discharged from the Narrows powerhouse at Badin Lake. This sampling — for a wide array of constituents — was requested by DWQ in response to concerns that were raised by Stanly County.
The findings, which were filed with DWQ in September 2008, demonstrate that the operation of the Narrows development does not result in the discharge of pollutants in excess of North Carolina water quality standards. Of the more than 100 substances that were tested, absolutely none were detected in concentrations in excess of North Carolina water quality standards. In most cases, tests could not detect the presence of any of the substances, even using highly sensitive and sophisticated testing methods.
After carefully reviewing the data relating to the water quality in the discharges from our dams, APGI strongly believes that discharges from the Yadkin Project will meet North Carolina’s water quality standards and that a 401 certification should be issued in the next few months.
As I mentioned earlier, this certificate is required as part of the federal relicensing process for the Yadkin Project and any further delay in issuing the certificate will continue to delay the benefits that the people of North Carolina negotiated in relicensing. This 401 certification process needs to stay focused on the sole issue that the State has been asked to consider — whether or not the water being discharged from our dams will meet State water quality standards. Thank you.
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