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Home My WebLink AboutDWQ-2025-003816Official Draft Public Notice Version Month Day, year The findings, determinations, and assertions contained in this document are not final and subject to change following the public comment period. FACT SHEET BRONCO UTAH OPERATIONS, LLC. – EMERY MINE DISCHARGE PERMIT MODIFICATION UTAH POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (UPDES) UPDES PERMIT NUMBER: UT0022616 MAJOR INDUSTRIAL FACILTY FACILITY CONTACTSPerson Name:Brian FredricksonPosition:President/CEOPerson Name:John C. PappasPosition:Environmental Manager and Signatory AuthorityPhone Number:(435) 650-7339 Permittee Name:Bronco Utah Operations, LLCFacility Name:Emery MineMailing Address:PO Box 527Emery, UT 84522 Facility Location:550 South Hwy 10 Consol Coal RoadEmery County, Utah DESCRIPTION OF FACILITY The Bronco Utah Operations, LLC – Emery Mine (Mine) is an active underground coal mine facility with Standard Industrial Classification Code 1222 - bituminous underground coal mining operations located near the town of Emery, Utah. The Mine currently has nine (9) permitted discharge points known as Outfalls 001 through 009. The Mine has been continually pumping and discharging intercepted groundwater during active Mine operations since the early 1980’s. Over the last several years, the Mine has only discharged mine water from Outfalls 001 & 003 with an average total effluent flow range of 0.4 million gallons per day (MGD) to 1.5 MGD. Currently Outfall 001 is the only active discharge point from the Mine. Outfall 004 & 005 have not discharged mine water to date, but may be used in the future for Mine dewatering operations. Historically, discharges from the Mine have been exclusively comprised of intercepted groundwater from the mine area, as there has not been enough accumulated storm water to discharge from any of the storm water sedimentation ponds for over 20 years (Outfalls 002, 006, 007 & 009). Outfall 008 has not been developed to date, but is identified in a plan for future activities maintained by the Division of Oil Gas and Mining and is included as an authorized outfall in this permit as appropriate. Regarding Outfall 007, the Mine has requested a permit modification to relocate the discharge location coordinates as part of ongoing mining activities. The Outfall location change does not result in any further changes to the permit or discharge limitations as authorized therein. A summary of the permit modification follows in the next section of this Fact Sheet. SUMMARY OF CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS PERMIT There is only one change being proposed with this permit modification. Outfall 007 is being relocated from its current location to a new nearby location approximately 650 feet to the southwest. The outfall relocation request and outfall map have been attached to this Fact Sheet for reference. The new Outfall 007 coordinates as highlighted below have been updated in the modified permit as appropriate. This change is the only change being proposed with this permit modification that is subject to public comment during the public notice period. All other permit monitoring requirements remain unopened and unchanged as appropriate. DISCHARGE INFORMATION DESCRIPTION OF DISCHARGE OUTFALLS The permitted discharge outfalls are as follows:Outfall NumbersLocation of Discharge Outfalls001Discharge of mine water located at latitude 38 51’ 38” and longitude 111 16’ 09” from Sediment Pond #1 to Quitchupah Creek. 002Discharge of storm water located at latitude 38 51’ 34” and longitude 111 15’ 24” from Sediment Pond #2 to Quitchupah Creek. 003Discharge of mine water located at latitude 38 52’ 33” and longitude 111 16’ 53” from Sediment Pond #6 to Quitchupah Creek. 004Discharge of mine water located at latitude 38 52’ 17” and longitude 111 17’ 41” from Sediment Pond #10 to Quitchupah Creek. 005Discharge of mine water located at latitude 38 51’ 34” and longitude 111 15’ 23” from Sediment Pond #3 to Quitchupah Creek. 006Discharge of storm water located at latitude 38 51’ 32” and longitude 111 15’ 30” from Sediment Pond #8 to Quitchupah Creek. 007Discharge of storm water located at latitude 38 51’ 44.92” and longitude 111 15’ 45.60” from Sediment Pond #5 to Quitchupah Creek. 008Slurry pond emergency discharge located at latitude 38 51’ 45” and longitude 111 16’ 15” from Sediment Pond #7 to Quitchupah Creek. 009Discharge of storm water located at latitude 38 52’ 30” and longitude 111 14’ 08” from Sediment Pond #9 to Christiansen Wash. The permittee is expected to be able to continue complying with the permit limitations, self-monitoring and reporting requirements for all Outfalls as follows: Parameter Effluent Limitations *a Maximum Monthly Avg Maximum Weekly Avg Daily Minimum Daily Maximum Total Flow *b 3.0 -- -- -- TSS, mg/L -- -- -- 70 Sulfate, mg/L -- -- -- 3,209 TDS, mg/L *g -- -- -- 4,766 Oil & Grease, mg/L*c -- -- -- 10.0 pH, Standard Units -- -- 6.5 9.0 Total Iron, mg/L -- -- -- 1.4 WET Chronic Biomonitoring *d -- -- -- IC25> 57.6% effluent Sanitary Waste *c -- -- -- None Turbidity *e -- -- -- Report Self-Monitoring and Reporting Requirements *a Parameter Frequency Sample Type Units Total Flow *b Twice Monthly Recorded MGD TSS Twice Monthly Grab mg/L Total Iron Twice Monthly Grab mg/L pH Twice Monthly Grab SU Oil & Grease *c Twice Monthly Visual Yes/No Oil & Grease *c When Sheen Observed Grab mg/L TDS, mg/L *g Twice Monthly Composite mg/L Sulfate, mg/L Twice Monthly Composite mg/L Sanitary Waste *c Twice Monthly Visual Yes/No Turbidity *e Twice Monthly Grab NTU WET – Biomonitoring *d Ceriodaphnia dubia - Chronic Fathead Minnows - Chronic Quarterly, Alternating Species each quarter when mine is discharging. Composite Pass/Fail Total & Dissolved Metals *f Quarterly Grab mg/L *aSee Permit Part VII, for definition of terms. Effluent limits apply to all outfalls unless otherwise stated. *bTotal Effluent Flow is limited to 3.0 MGD as a thirty-day average from all discharging outfalls combined. Flow measurements of effluent volume shall be made in such a manner that the permittee can affirmatively demonstrate that representative values are being obtained. *cA visual inspection for any oil and grease sheen, sanitary wastes, floating solids, and visible foam shall be performed at least twice per month at all Outfalls. There shall be no visible sheen, floating solids, or visible foam in other than trace amounts upon any discharges and there shall be no discharge of any sanitary wastes at any time. If a sheen is observed discharging from any Outfall, then a sample of the effluent shall be collected immediately thereafter and the oil and grease shall not exceed 10 mg/L in concentration. *dChronic WET monitoring is required for mine water discharges from Outfalls 001, 003, 004 and 005 only. The chronic WET testing shall alternate test species as detailed in the permit. *eTurbidity monitoring shall be conducted twice monthly from all discharging Outfalls and from the receiving water whenever possible. *fStarting on the effective date of this permit, the following total and dissolved metals shall be monitored quarterly for at least two years and until at least 10 sampling events are competed from all discharging outfalls; Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Selenium, Silver and Zinc. The permittee is required to utilize the lowest detection limit possible using sufficiently sensitive standard test methods and certified laboratories. Once at least 10 sampling events have been completed, the permittee may request a permit modification based upon a subsequent reasonable potential analysis for a reduction in testing frequency and/or removal of any applicable metals parameters as appropriate. The permit issuing authority may approve or deny the request based on the results and other available information. *gWithin two years from the effective date of this permit, the permittee shall complete and submit to the Director, a TDS loading evaluation and exemption demonstration report in accordance with the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum NPDES Policies entitled, “2020 Review, Water Quality Standards for Salinity, Colorado River System, Appendix B.” PERMIT DURATIONIt is recommended that this modified permit be effective for the remainder of five (5) year permit cycle, which is scheduled to expire December 31, 2027.Drafted by:Jeff Studenka, Discharge Permit WriterUtah Division of Water Quality, (801) 536-4300PUBLIC NOTICE INFORMATION (to be updated after)Began: Month Day, YearEnded: Month Day, YearComments will be received at: 195 North 1950 West PO Box 144870 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4870The Public Notice of the draft permit was published on State of Utah and/or DWQ’s website for at least 30 days as required.During the public notice and comment period provided under UAC R317-8-6.5, any interested person may submit written comments on the draft permit and may request a public hearing, if no hearing has already been scheduled. A request for a public hearing shall be in writing and shall state the nature of the issues proposed to be raised in the hearing. All comments will be considered in making the final decision and shall be answered as provided in UAC R317-8-6.12.ADDENDUM TO FSSOBDuring finalization of the Permit certain dates, spelling edits and minor language corrections were completed. Due to the nature of these changes, they are considered minorchanges and the permit is not required to be re Public Noticed as provided in UAC R317-8-5.6(3)Responsiveness Summary(Explain any comments received and response sent. Actual letters can be referenced, but not required to be included). This Page Intentionally Left Blank ATTACHMENT 1 Outfall Relocation Request & Map (DWQ-2025-003761) This Page Intentionally Left Blank