RJ
12-10-2007, 05:22 PM
Action Will Cut Biological Pollutant Discharges to the Forge River by More than 70 Percent
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued a tough new permit which will place strict new limits on discharges into the headwaters of the Forge River by Jurgielewicz Duck Farm* DEC officials announced today. The draft permit would force massive reductions in biological pollution discharges by the facility* which is located at the headwaters of the Forge River north of Montauk Highway and west of Barnes Road* in the Mastic-Moriches area of the Town of Brookhaven.
"The finalization of this draft permit is an important and historic step that should lead to massive reductions in nitrogen discharges by this facility into West Mill Pond*" said DEC Regional Director Peter A. Scully. "The implementation of these new standards will result in real and measurable improvements to water quality in the Forge River."
Issuance of the draft State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit is the latest in a series of actions by DEC to reduce environmental impacts to the Forge River system resulting from the Jurgielewicz Duck Farm operation. As the result of an enforcement action by DEC and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office* the facility pleaded guilty in August 2004 to violating State Pollution Discharge regulations and agreed to remove an estimated 32*000 cubic yards of duck farm residue from West Mill Pond. A suspended civil penalty of $600*000 was also imposed. The cleanup was completed in early 2006.
The draft permit would result in several major discharge reductions* including:
• A seasonal reduction of between 75 and 95 percent in the amount of nitrogen discharged into West Mill Pond;
• A 75 percent reduction in the organic strength of discharged waste* to significantly reduce oxygen consumption in the receiving water body;
• An 86 percent reduction in discharged suspended solids; and
• An 80 percent reduction in total discharged residual chlorine.
Public comments on the permit will be accepted until January 4* 2008. Individuals interested in reviewing the draft permit should contact the DEC’s Region 1 Environmental Permits Office at (631)444-0365. The draft permit is posted on the DEC’s website http://www.dec.ny.gov/ under the section entitled "Environmental Notice Bulletin." Comments should be sent to:
Roger Evans* Regional Permit Administrator
NYSDEC Region 1
SUNY at Stony Brook
50 Circle Road
Stony Brook* N.Y. 11790
If no objections to the draft permit are received* it will become effective on January 7* 2008* and it is anticipated that construction of the new treatment plant at the duck farm would begin in the spring of 2008.
"The challenges to improved water quality in the Forge River have developed over an extended period* and will require perseverance and dedication from all levels of government and local citizens to overcome*" said Regional Director Scully. "Reducing the impact that farming activities have on the headwaters of the river system by ratcheting down the discharge from known sources of pollutants is a concrete step forward in our efforts to create a cleaner future for the Forge River."
New York’s SPDES program has been approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the control of wastewater and stormwater discharges in accordance with the Clean Water Act. Under New York State law the program is broader in scope than that required by the Clean Water Act in that it controls point source discharges to groundwaters as well as surface waters.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued a tough new permit which will place strict new limits on discharges into the headwaters of the Forge River by Jurgielewicz Duck Farm* DEC officials announced today. The draft permit would force massive reductions in biological pollution discharges by the facility* which is located at the headwaters of the Forge River north of Montauk Highway and west of Barnes Road* in the Mastic-Moriches area of the Town of Brookhaven.
"The finalization of this draft permit is an important and historic step that should lead to massive reductions in nitrogen discharges by this facility into West Mill Pond*" said DEC Regional Director Peter A. Scully. "The implementation of these new standards will result in real and measurable improvements to water quality in the Forge River."
Issuance of the draft State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit is the latest in a series of actions by DEC to reduce environmental impacts to the Forge River system resulting from the Jurgielewicz Duck Farm operation. As the result of an enforcement action by DEC and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office* the facility pleaded guilty in August 2004 to violating State Pollution Discharge regulations and agreed to remove an estimated 32*000 cubic yards of duck farm residue from West Mill Pond. A suspended civil penalty of $600*000 was also imposed. The cleanup was completed in early 2006.
The draft permit would result in several major discharge reductions* including:
• A seasonal reduction of between 75 and 95 percent in the amount of nitrogen discharged into West Mill Pond;
• A 75 percent reduction in the organic strength of discharged waste* to significantly reduce oxygen consumption in the receiving water body;
• An 86 percent reduction in discharged suspended solids; and
• An 80 percent reduction in total discharged residual chlorine.
Public comments on the permit will be accepted until January 4* 2008. Individuals interested in reviewing the draft permit should contact the DEC’s Region 1 Environmental Permits Office at (631)444-0365. The draft permit is posted on the DEC’s website http://www.dec.ny.gov/ under the section entitled "Environmental Notice Bulletin." Comments should be sent to:
Roger Evans* Regional Permit Administrator
NYSDEC Region 1
SUNY at Stony Brook
50 Circle Road
Stony Brook* N.Y. 11790
If no objections to the draft permit are received* it will become effective on January 7* 2008* and it is anticipated that construction of the new treatment plant at the duck farm would begin in the spring of 2008.
"The challenges to improved water quality in the Forge River have developed over an extended period* and will require perseverance and dedication from all levels of government and local citizens to overcome*" said Regional Director Scully. "Reducing the impact that farming activities have on the headwaters of the river system by ratcheting down the discharge from known sources of pollutants is a concrete step forward in our efforts to create a cleaner future for the Forge River."
New York’s SPDES program has been approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the control of wastewater and stormwater discharges in accordance with the Clean Water Act. Under New York State law the program is broader in scope than that required by the Clean Water Act in that it controls point source discharges to groundwaters as well as surface waters.