Over 100 people attended a Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) public hearing held March 19 to comment on a draft permit for a Virginia Pollution Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) planned for the AWS Lake Anna Technology Campus. If approved the permit would regulate the release of treated water into Sedge’s Creek, a mostly dry tributary of Cooling Pond 1 of Dominion Energy’s WHTF at Lake Anna.
The permit would allow AWS to release treated non contact cooling water at a rate of 280,000 gallons per day into a water body. Residual solids generated during the process will be dewatered and disposed of off site in accordance with state and federal regulations.
Harry Looney, Lake Anna Civic Association Water Quality Monitoring Committee co-chair team attended the hearing and raised a number of concerns about parts of the draft permit he thought needed more detail.
“Our primary concerns are with water quality conditions. While we applaud the extensive water quality testing outlined in the draft DEQ permit, we have several concerns related to transparency for this permitting action,” Looney said.
Questions Looney asked including: “What chemical additives will be used to treat the non-contact cooling water? Only chlorine and will the water be fulled dechlorinated piror to release? Will the results of AWS water quality testing be made avaiable to the public? Will AWS commit to providing their water usage date to Louisa County? Why wasn’t a closed loop water cooling system considered for this facility? How exactly will this discharge be released? What specific steps are the DEQ and the applicant taking to uphold the anti-degradation zone requirments explicity outlined in the Clean Water Act?
Lastly, Looney echoed many comments when he asked, “Why are we holding a hearing on a discharge permit now, when construction of the LATC has already started?”
Looney also noted LACA has a water quality monitoring station in Sedge’s Creek to establish a baseline of “normal” conditions in the creek.
When asked, Louisa County Economic Director Andy Wade noted this discharge was always part of the AWS project. Dominion Energy’s External Affairs Manager Sarah Marshall told L&T she was not concerned with the permit application.
Those unable to attend the public hearing can submit comments to the DEQ’s Ben Cunningham at DEQ-Central Office, 1111 East Main St. Suite 1400, Richmond, VA 23219 Phone: (804) 659-2686 Email: Benjamin.Cunningham@deq.virginia.gov or NRO.VPDESPermits@deq.virginia.gov through April 3.
A DEQ spokesperson in attendance noted there will be second public hearing held for the public to address secondary comments, date to be announced.
