DEQ News Release

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 3, 2017

Hearing Set for Proposed Change to Regulation

NORTH LITTLE ROCK –The Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission (APC&EC) will hold a public hearing in Hope on March 20, 2017, to receive comments on a third-party proposal by the Southwest Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) John W. Turk, Jr. Power Plant to change APC&EC Regulation 2 (Arkansas Water Quality Standards). The hearing will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Washington Suite in Hempstead Hall, University of Arkansas Community College at Hope, 2500 South Main Street, Hope, Arkansas 71802. The deadline for submitting written comments on the proposed regulation is 4:30 p.m. (Central Time) March 30, 2017.

The SWEPCO facility discharges treated wastewater from an outfall to the Little River under the provisions of NPDES Permit No. AR0051136 issued by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The treated wastewater discharged by SWEPCO is from a wastewater pond containing primarily cooling tower blowdown and previously monitored low volume waste. The Little River flows approximately two miles from the facility’s discharge to the Red River. The SWEPCO facility is requesting the following amendment to Regulation 2: for the Red River from the mouth of the Little River to the Arkansas/Louisiana state line, modification of the TDS water quality criterion from 500 mg/L to 780 mg/L.

Detailed copies of SWEPCO facility’s proposed regulation change, along with supporting documents and summary information, are available for public inspection during normal business hours by contacting Kelly Robinson at ADEQ headquarters, and in ADEQ information depositories located in public libraries at Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Mena, Russellville, the main branch of the Central Arkansas Library System and the Arkansas State Library. In addition, summary information concerning the proposal is available at other ADEQ information depositories located in public libraries at Arkadelphia, Batesville, Blytheville, Camden, Clinton, Crossett, El Dorado, Fayetteville, Forest City, Harrison, Helena, Hope, Jonesboro, Magnolia, Monticello, Mountain Home, Pocahontas, Searcy, Stuttgart, Texarkana, and West Memphis; and in campus libraries at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.

Oral and written comments on the proposed changes to Regulation 2 will be accepted at the hearing, but written comments are preferred in the interest of accuracy. Written or electronic mail comments will be accepted if received no later than 4:30 p.m. (Central Time) on March 30, 2017. Written comments should be sent to Kelly Robinson, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, 5301 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72118. Electronic mail comments should be sent to the following address: reg-comment@adeq.state.ar.us.

CONTACT: Kelly Robinson (Robinson@adeq.state.ar.us or 501.682.0916)


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