ENB Region 9 Completed Applications 01/31/2007

The application is for the addition of 2.7 acres to the permitted 14.3 acre Hinz Mine, for a total of 17.0 acres.  The new acreage consists of 2.1 acres of a recently acquired 2.7 acre parcel of land  and the property line set-back between the originally approved mine limit and the new area.  No changes in mine operation procedures are proposed.  The reclamation objective is the same as the original, farmland with potential for future residential development.  The mine is located about 700 feet east of Route 19, 1500 feet south from the Rice Road intersection and the expansion is at the southwest corner of the existing mine.  

Filed application documents, and Department draft permits where applicable, are available for inspection under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Law during normal business hours at the address of the contact person.

The Department is proposing to modify the SPDES permit for the Huntley Generating Station under the Environmental Benefit Permit Strategy.  The permit is also being modified to satisfy the current requirements of Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act. 316(b) requires the water intake structures for electric generating units reflect the Best Technology Available (BTA) for minimizing adverse environmental impact.

The station is a coal fired facility that began operation 1916.  The current units in operation have an electrical generating capacity of 800 MW.  A maximum of 882 million gallons of condenser cooling water per day is withdrawn from the Niagara River through a shoreline intake. There are two screen houses as part of the intake unit.  Screen house 1 has been updated with Ristroph type screens containing full fish protection.  A low stress fish return system was also installed to return impinged fish to the Niagara River.  Screen house 2 has not been modified and has conventional screens without fish protection features.

The EBPS modifications are primarily administrative changes.  The only significant water quality related change to the permit includes requiring quarterly monitoring for Total Mercury, Total Cyanide, Total Sulfide and Total Phenols for the discharge from Outfall 7. The priority pollutant scan submitted with the EBPS application showed the presence of these elements in the discharge.  If these pollutants are not detected as part of the monitoring the facility may request that this requirement be deleted at the time of the permit renewal in 2008.

The modifications related to the BTA requirements being contemplated by the Department includes the submission of a Design Construction and Technology Plan.  The plan will utilize impingement and entrainment data the facility collected in 2006 to evaluate technologies and operational alternatives to minimize impacts.  Upon approval of the plan the Department will select the technologies and operation measures that minimize fish entrainment and mortality but are not wholly disproportionate to the environmental benefits derived.  The selected alternative will be incorporated into the SPDES permit as a schedule of compliance and will be an enforceable condition of the permit.  The modification to include the compliance schedule will be the subject of another modification and public notice.  The information is being requested as part of this modification is being done so pursuant to 6 NYCRR Part 704.5 and 40 CFR 125 ? Subpart J.

A draft SPDES permit and fact sheet are available for review.  The station is located along the upper Niagara River, approximately 1.5 miles downstream of the head of Grand Island.

Filed application documents, and Department draft permits where applicable, are available for inspection under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Law during normal business hours at the address of the contact person.