DWQ-2024-000095

January 8, 2024DIVISION OF WATER QUALITYUTAH DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITYPUBLIC NOTICE TO ISSUE A UPDES PERMITPURPOSE OF PUBLIC NOTICE
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLIC NOTICE IS TO DECLARE THE STATE OF UTAH'S INTENTION TO ISSUE A UTAH POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (UPDES) PERMIT UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE UTAH WATER
POLLUTION CONTROL ACT, SECTION 19-5-104(9) AND 107(2), UTAH CODE ANNOTATED 1953, AS AMENDED. SAID “PERMIT” REFERS TO THE UPDES PERMIT AND THE FACT SHEET STATEMENT OF BASIS (INCLUDING
TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOADS (TMDL’S)) IF APPLICABLE, AS PER SECTION 303(D) OF THE FEDERAL CLEAN WATER ACT (CWA)]. PERMIT INFORMATIONPERMITTEE NAME:Utah Iron, LLCFACILITY NAME:Iron Mountain
MineMAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 747, Cedar City, UT 84721TELEPHONE NUMBER:435-522-8504FACILITY LOCATION:2708 South Comstock Rd., Cedar City, UT 84721UPDES PERMIT NO.:UT0026298PERMITTED
OUTFALLS:001, 002OUTFALLLOCATIONS:001: latitude 37 39' 7.39"N and longitude 113 21' 5.70"W002: latitude 37 38'2.53" N and longitude 113 20'3.61" WRECEIVING WATER: Unnamed Tributary of
Iron Springs CreekBACKGROUND
The Utah Iron, LLC – Iron Mountain Mine (Mine) is an active open-pit iron mine facility and associated iron ore mill with standard industrial classification (SIC) code 1011 for iron
ores and SIC code 1081 for active and inactive metal mining and ore dressing facilities. The Mine first began operations in 1851 and has continued at various production levels since
that time. Iron ore production is currently estimated at 2-4 million metric tons annually. Historically, groundwater encountered during mining operations as stored in the mine pit is
either diverted onsite as the primary water source for iron ore processing, or if not diverted, is either infiltrated back into the ground and/or evaporated during the warmer months
of the year. However, more recently the Mine has anticipated encountering increasing amounts of groundwater that may need to be discharged off-site on an intermittent or seasonal basis.
Therefore, the Mine has applied for a UPDES Permit (Permit) to account for any future off-site discharges as required.
The effluent discharges as proposed will consist of groundwater pumped directly from a dewatering well adjacent to the mining pit and will not be used in the iron ore mill process and
will not be in direct contact with any process material or any ore processing facilities. A process flow diagram, which was included as part of the Permit application information, has
been included as an attachment to this Fact Sheet. The proposed groundwater discharge is designed to have a maximum average flow rate 280 gallons per minute, or 0.4 million gallons per
day (MGD) which will be diverted through a four-inch delivery pipe to either Outfall 001 or Outfall 002 as needed during operations. The Outfall locations will also include an energy
dissipation structure to reduce erosion in the receiving water streambed. This Permit will authorize the discharge of groundwater from the Mine during the next five years as appropriate.
For additional information, please refer to the draft permit and fact sheet documents.PUBLIC COMMENTSDuring the public comment period provided under Utah Administrative Code (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. Public comments are invited any time prior to the deadline of the close of business on February??, 2024. Written public comments can be submitted to: Jeff Studenka,
UPDES Individual Permits Section, Utah Division of Water Quality, PO Box 144870, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4870 or by email at:[e-mail]. After considering public comments,
the Utah Division of Water Quality may execute the permit issuance, revise it, or abandon it. The permit is available for public review under “Public Participation” at www.waterquality.utah.gov/.
If internet access is not available, a copy may be obtained by calling Jeff Studenka at [phone].
DWQ-2024-