Updates - Congaree River
*October 13, 2023, photo of completion of cofferdam removal on Congaree River image On October 5, DHEC visited the Area 2 Cofferdam to visually inspect that tar-like material and sediment has been removed to the extent practicable. After the final site inspection, DHEC sent a letter to Dominion Energy stating that the removal efforts were complete and that the Area 2 Cofferdam could begin process of deconstruction…Community Engagement - CSXT Bramlett Road
On June 6, 2024, DHEC (now SCDES) held a public meeting to present DHEC’s Preferred Cleanup Plan to address contamination at the CSXT Bramlett Road Site, Greenville, South Carolina. The meeting was held at Mountain View Baptist Church at 111 Cagle Street in Greenville, SC and was also broadcast for those who wished to attend virtually. June 6, 2024 - Public Meeting Recording June 6, 2024 - Public…Enviva - Community Engagement
Public Hearing, DHEC held a Public Meeting to discuss the draft air synthetic minor construction permit on August 20, 2020 at 6:30 pm. A recording of the public meeting and information provided at the meeting can be found below. Recording of public hearing held on August 20, 2020 Public hearing presentation Public hearing transcript During the public hearing, DHEC staff provided a brief summary of the draft…, Contact, To report possible excess emissions or wood debris found on your personal property, contact the DHEC Regional Office in Greenwood at (864) 227-5915 . DHEC follows up on every complaint by visiting the facility and investigating possible causes for excess emissions. For information about community engagement, contact Monica Taylor at Monica.Taylor@des.sc.gov or (803) 898-7678 . For technical…Greenpointe Class 2 Landfill - Community Engagement
Update - October 25, 2023, DHEC has received a permit application for an increase in the annual tonnage rate of waste accepted at the Greenpointe Class 2 Landfill., If approved, this proposal would allow the landfill to accept more waste in a given year, but would not increase the existing footprint or final volume of waste the landfill is currently permitted to accept., As required by South Carolina's solid waste regulations, the landfill operator published a public notice of the proposed increase to their annual disposal rate in the Anderson Independent Mail newspaper on August 31, 2023. DHEC placed a draft permit for the, proposed increase to the annual disposal rate, on public notice on October 25, 2023 and began accepting comments for a 30-day period. The public notice was published in the Anderson Independent Mail newspaper., Please, click here, to submit comments or to request a public hearing., All comments and requests for a public hearing are required to be submitted by November 24, 2023. For questions or additional information, please contact DHEC's project manager for the site, Tim Eleazer, at (803) 898-1374 , or by email at E-mail Timothy.Eleazer@des.sc.gov Timothy.Eleazer@des.sc.gov ., Community Engagement, Community Engagement is an important component of our permitting process that allows us to hear from affected communities and look for ways we can address their concerns through the permitting process using the authorities provided in environmental statutes and regulations. The input that we receive from community members often results in changes to a permit and always results in a better final…, Public Meeting – February 18, 2021, DHEC held a virtual public meeting on February 18, 2021 to discuss the proposed landfill expansion in an informal setting., DHEC staff presented information about the proposed expansion and the permitting process, as well as answered questions from attendees. The DHEC presentation and recording of the meeting are available below:, , Greenpointe Class 2 Landfill Public Meeting Presentation - February 18, 2021 Greenpointe Class 2 Landfill Public Meeting Recording - February 18, 2021, Additional Information, January 2021 H2S Assessment for Greenpoint Class 2 Landfill Landfill Gases (PDF) Hydrogen Sulfide (PDF), What to Expect After the Public Comment Period , The period to submit comments on the proposed expansion closed on March 5, 2021, . DHEC will review all comments received during the public comment period and determine if any modifications should be made to the permit application or draft permit. DHEC’s final decision to either approve, modify, or deny a permit for the proposed expansion will be made available to everyone on DHEC’s mailing list and posted on this webpage. Any additional information or updates about the…, How to Notify DHEC of an Environmental Concern , DHEC is responsible for investigating environmental complaints, including odor complaints, when they occur. Unusual or abnormal odors could be an indication of a change in operating practices or equipment malfunction and should be reported to DHEC. All complaints are prioritized and investigated based on the health and safety of citizens. , DHEC is actively involved in investigating odor issues from local residents concerning the Greenpointe Landfill., As part of the investigation process, these concerns are being addressed with the landfill operator., Anyone wishing to file a complaint with DHEC concerning the Greenpointe Landfill should submit an email to, E-mail greenpointelf@dhec.sc.gov, GreenpointeLF@dhec.sc.gov, with as much detailed and specific information as possible, including: , date and time the issue was observed, and if it is actively occurring, address where the issue was observed, photos depicting the issue, if available, a detailed description of the issue, and your contact info if you would like follow-up after the incident has been investigated. It is important to note that any personal information submitted to DHEC in a complaint may be subject to public…, Greg Smith, Anderson County Solid Waste Director (864) 260-1001 E-mail gdsmith@andersoncountysc.org gdsmith@andersoncountysc.org Anderson County Noise Ordinance , Alesia Hunter , Anderson County Planning and Zoning Director (864) 260-4774 E-mail ahunter@andersoncountysc.org ahunter@andersoncountysc.org Road Conditions , Matt Hogan , Anderson County Roads and Bridges Manager (864) 260-4190 E-mail wmhogan@andersoncountysc.org wmhogan@andersoncountysc.org Number of Trucks on Roads, Kevin McLaughlin, SC Department of Transportation, District 2 Administrator (864) 227-6971 https://www.scdot.org/inside/countyOffices.aspx Truck Weight/Unsafe Conditions, SC State Transport Police, (803) 896-5500 Truck Speed, SC Highway Patrol, (864) 260-2200Greenpointe Class 2 Landfill - Landfill Overview
Update - October 25, 2023, DHEC has received a permit application for an increase in the annual tonnage rate of waste accepted at the Greenpointe Class 2 Landfill., If approved, this proposal would allow the landfill to accept more waste in a given year, but would not increase the existing footprint or final volume of waste the landfill is currently permitted to accept., As required by South Carolina's solid waste regulations, the landfill operator published a public notice of the proposed increase to their annual disposal rate in the Anderson Independent Mail newspaper on August 31, 2023. DHEC placed a draft permit for the, proposed increase to the annual disposal rate, on public notice on October 25, 2023 and began accepting comments for a 30-day period. The public notice was published in the Anderson Independent Mail newspaper., Please, click here, to submit comments or to request a public hearing., All comments and requests for a public hearing are required to be submitted by November 24, 2023. For questions or additional information, please contact DHEC's project manager for the site, Tim Eleazer, at (803) 898-1374 , or by email at E-mail Timothy.Eleazer@des.sc.gov Timothy.Eleazer@des.sc.gov ., Solid Waste Operations, A Class 2 Landfill is generally referred to as a construction and demolition debris landfill as the following items are allowed to be disposed in it: asphalt, concrete, lumber, cardboard, shingles, glass, land-clearing debris, etc. Class 2 Landfills are not required to have a liner system., Landfill Determination Process, Phase 1, Phase 1 of the permitting process is referred to as the landfill determinations process. Through the landfill determinations process, DHEC approves the location of the landfill and its maximum allowable footprint. DHEC determines whether the application is consistent with the Demonstration of Need Regulation (R.61-107.17), the County and State Solid Waste Management Plans, and applicable buffers…, Phase 2, Phase 2 is the technical review of the project. In Phase 2, the applicant submits a technical application that details how they plan to meet the location, operational, and design requirements found in the landfill regulation (R.61-107.19, Part IV). The main design requirements for a Class 2 Landfill are that the landfill maintain at least 2 feet of separation to groundwater after settlement of…Haile Gold Mine - Air Quality Permit
Haile Gold Mine (HGM) is currently permitted under Title V air operating permit 1460-0070 to operate a gold mine in compliance with state and federal air quality regulations. Operations include open pit mining of gold containing ore and an ore processing plant, where physical and chemical separation techniques are used to extract gold and silver. In June 2019, DHEC’s BLWM received an…, BAQ Permitting Documents , Title V Permit Title V Permit Statement of Basis Air Construction Permit 1460-0070-CC Air Construction Permit Statement of Basis for 1460-0070-CC Air Construction Permit 1460-0070-CD Air Construction Permit Statement of Basis for 1460-0070-CD Construction Permit 1460-0070-CD Response to Comments, BAQ Timeline of Events, September 7, 2012, - Received construction permit application for gold mine and processing plant , October 4, 2013, - Issued Construction Permit 1460-0070-CA for gold mine and processing plant , March 9, 2015, - Granted construction permit CA extension for 18 months , May 18, 2015, - Start of construction , May 31, 2016, - Issued construction permit exemption 1460-0070.01x for relocation of primary crusher PT-1, conveyors PT-2 and PT-3, and the addition new conveyors PT-2A and PT-3A , October 4, 2017, - Start of Operation/ 40 CFR 63 Subpart EEEEEEE Compliance Date , April 8, 2019, - Received complete Title V Application , April 12, 2019, - Issued Notice of Alleged Violation/Notice of Enforcement Conference for 40 CFR 63 Subpart EEEEEEE, reporting, and testing violations , October 29, 2019, - Received construction permit application for mercury abatement system , January 2, 2020, - Issued Construction Permit 1460-0070-CB for mercury abatement system , November 3, 2020, - Received operating permit request for construction permit 1460-0070-CB , December 8, 2020, – Executed Consent Order requiring HGM to comply with all reporting requirements, emissions limitations, and other permitting and regulatory requirements; the Consent Order also required HGM to pay a civil penalty for previous permit violations. , March 2, 2021, - Draft Title V Permit on Public Notice/EPA Review , March 31, 2021, – End of public comment period, June 1, 2021, – Title V Air Operating Permit Issued, August 26, 2021, - Received construction permit application for Concrete Batch Plant, December 3, 2021, - Received updates to the construction permit application for Concrete Batch to include the Portable Crusher, April 29, 2022, - Issued Construction Permit 1460-0070-CC for a Concrete Batch and a Portable Crusher, August 29, 2022, - BAQ received an air construction permit application to increase ore throughput related to the mining expansion., November 17, 2022, – Draft Construction Permit 1460-0070-CD on Public Notice, December 28, 2022, –, Department Decision was issued for Construction Permit 1460-0070-CD which established, a federally enforceable limit to avoid Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) of less than 250.0 tons per year of Particulate Matter (PM).Haile Gold Mine - Community Engagement
As part of the permitting process, DHEC engages surrounding communities and the general public to provide information about proposed permitted activities in communities; give community members and other interested parties an opportunity to bring relevant information to DHEC to consider prior to making a permit decision; and provide an opportunity to bring other concerns to the attention of…, Mining Public Hearing, USACE’s Charleston District and DHEC’s Bureau of Land and Waste Management (BLWM) held a, joint virtual public hearing on April 1, 2021 , to accept comments, both written and oral, on the draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and the application to modify Haile Gold Mine, Inc.’s Mine Operating Permit (I-000601). The presentation and the hearing recording are available below: Haile Gold Mine Public Hearing Presentation - April 1, 2021 Haile Gold Mine Public Hearing Recording - April 1, 2021 Haile Gold Mine Public…, USACE’s and DHEC’s public comment period will remain open through April 23, 2021. , All comments received will be considered. For additional information about the proposed project or to submit written comments to the appropriate office, please contact the following staff:, USACE: , Shawn Boone at (843) 329-8158 , or by email at shawn.a.boone@usace.army.mil ., DHEC: , Jeremy Eddy at (803) 898-7609 , or by email at eddyje@dhec.sc.gov ., Air Quality Title V Operating Permit Public Notice, On March 2, 2021, BAQ posted a public notice of a 30-day public comment period on the draft Air Quality Title V Operating Permit (Air Permit # TV-1460-0070)., If approved, the Title V Operating Permit will allow the facility to operate as a major source of emissions under the requirements of SC DHEC Regulation 61-62.70 -Title V Operating Permit Program . This permit will enable the facility to operate in compliance with state and federal air quality regulations., The draft/proposed permit has not yet been approved and is open to comment from the public, affected states, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through March 31, 2021, at 5:00 pm., Additional information about the air permitting process, including the public notice, draft Title V Permit, and Statement of Basis are available on DHEC’s Haile Gold Mine - Air Quality Permit webpage.Haile Gold Mine - Contact Us
Questions or comments about the, mine operating permit application and the mine permitting process, may be directed to:, , Jeremy Eddy Phone: ( 803)-898-7609 Email: eddyje@dhec.sc.gov Questions about the, air quality permit and DHEC’s air permitting, process may be directed to: Mareesa Singleton Phone: (803) 898-4113 Email: Mareesa.Singleton@des.sc.gov Questions about the, 401 Water Quality Certification and DHEC’s 401 Water Quality Certification program, may be directed to: Chuck Hightower Phone: (803) 898-0369 Email: Charles.Hightower@des.sc.gov Questions about the, NPDES general permit coverage and DHEC’s water permitting process, may be directed to: Byron Amick Phone: (803) 898-4236 Email: Byron.Amick@des.sc.gov Questions about the, dam construction permit and DHEC’s dam safety program, may be directed to: John McCain Phone: (803) 898-8178 Email: McCainJM@dhec.sc.gov , Mailing List , If you would like to be on our mailing list for this site, please provide your contact info in this form .Haile Gold Mine - Mine Operating Permit
The South Carolina Mining Act and Regulations were enacted in 1975 to regulate mining activities in South Carolina. Since that time, three separate mine operating permits (I-000214, I-000440, and I-000601) have been issued for this area in Lancaster County. In April 2010, all three permits were consolidated into one (I-000601) under Haile Gold Mine, Inc. In 2014, the United States Army Corps…, Mod 19-2 Detail Documents , Cover Letter MR-1300 Appendix A – Modification Details Alternatives Analysis Monitoring and Management Plan Emergency Management Control Plan Health, Safety, and Environment Compliance Standards Manual Site Wide Water Balance Report Reclamation Plan Public Hearing Notice and Memo Mod 19-2 Permit Document Memo Notice to Interested Parties, DHEC Mine Operating Permit Modifications, DHEC Mine Operating Permit Modifications 2014 - Present Date Modification Type & Number Description November 5, 2014 14-1 Re-initiated mining activities at the site. June 7, 2016 Minor 16-1 Added two tracts of land (McDonald and Hilton), relocated the administration building and reconfigured the Run-of-Mill pad. June 1, 2018 Minor 18-1 Approved the land use change to temporarily allow…Haile Gold Mine - Water Permits
401 Water Quality Certification , Under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, DHEC certifies projects that require federal permits for the discharge of fill into wetlands and waters of the state. The purpose of the 401 Water Quality Certification is to ensure that the projects can meet water quality standards. During this review, DHEC staff will consider whether there are feasible alternatives to the project and all potential water…, NPDES Permit #SC0040479 , HGM is permitted to discharge treated wastewater and stormwater of a tributary to Haile Gold Mine Creek under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by DHEC. This permit sets monitoring requirements and pollutant limits, as necessary, on the effluent from the wastewater treatment system. Duration of discharge, flow, pH, total suspended solids (TSS), total and free…, Wastewater Construction Permit, DHEC's Bureau of Water has also issued a wastewater construction permit to Haile Gold Mine, Inc. for an upgrade to the wastewater treatment system for the removal of thallium. Wastewater Construction Permit Application (received 10/5/2020) Wastewater Construction Permit (issued 3/17/2021) Letter of Approval - Summary of Pilot Study Results (March 5, 2021) Letter of Approval - Treatment…, Dam Safety Program , The Haile Gold Mine Duckwood Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), State ID # D4933, is a completely self-contained basin for storing mine tailings, which are the finely crushed rock and process water that has been through the milling and metal extraction process. The tailings are pumped from the mill to the TSF as a slurry. The tailings then settle out in the TSF and the water is evaporated off using…, There is no outflow to the environment., The soil embankment that surrounds the TSF is a complete perimeter berm that prevents inflow from streams or runoff. Rainfall is contained within the perimeter berm. The TSF is lined with 60-mil HDPE on the inside and up to the top of the embankment. The resumption of operations at Haile Gold Mine in 2014 required creation of the Duckwood TSF. A permit application for construction of a new…