Document jyvv2bVq052EM22V075rwYKMy

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 8 1595 Wynkoop Street Denver, CO 80202-1129 Phone 800-227-8917 www.epa.gov/region08 Ref: 8 Montana SENT VIA EMAIL DIGITAL READ RECEIPT REQUESTED David Hofer Seville Colony (b) (6) Re: Inspection Report for Seville Colony, unpermitted Dear Mr. Hofer: On June 14, 2023, a representative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency inspected the Seville Colony's domestic lagoon in Cut Bank, Montana. At the time of the inspection, Seville Colony was not covered by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System general permit for Wastewater Lagoon Systems in Indian Country. The inspection was conducted under the authority of Section 308 of the Clean Water Act (Act). Enclosed is a report of the inspection. Based on the information reviewed and obtained during the inspection, I did not document any findings and am not requesting additional information at this time; however, recommendations have been proposed in the body of the inspection report. Please contact me at 406-457-5022 or prideaux.lisakay@epa.gov if you have any questions regarding this letter or the enclosed report. Sincerely, Prideaux, LisaKay Digitally signed by Prideaux, LisaKay Date: 2023.08.21 10:36:39 -06'00' Lisa-kay Prideaux NPDES and Wetlands Enforcement Section Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division Enclosures: 1) NPDES Lagoon Inspection Report - Seville Colony 2) NPDES Inspection Photo Log - Seville Colony cc: The Honorable Illif `Scott' Kipp Sr, Chairperson, Blackfeet Tribe (electronic) Gerald Wagner, Environmental Director, Blackfeet Tribe (electronic) Barry Adams, Water Quality Coordinator, Blackfeet Tribe (electronic) NPDES Inspection Report - Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations National Database Information Inspection Date: June 14, 2023 Inspection Type: Domestic Lagoon Entry/Exit Time: 8:00 am / 10:00 am NPDES ID Number: Unpermitted Site NAICS Code: 112112 Inspection ID: 202307_MTU000072 Lead inspector and affiliation: Lisa-kay Prideaux, EPA Region 8 Montana Operations Office Facility Location Information (Name/Location/ Mailing Address) Site/Facility Name & Location: Email Report to: Seville Colony (b) (6) David Hofer (b) (6) Contact Information Facility Contacts: Name(s)/Title David Hofer / Plumber / Seville Colony / present during the inspection Person/Company meeting definition of "Operator" Seville Colony Authorized Official(s) Edward G. Waldner / Manager / Seville Colony David Hofer / Plumber / Seville Colony Permit Information Is the permit on site and available? N/A, the site is not permitted Receiving Water(s): No Discharge Effective Date: N/A Expiration Date: N/A Latitude (from inspection): (b) (6) Longitude (from inspection): (b) (6) Regulatory Inspector's source of information: Conversations with Facility contacts, field observations made during site visit, previous inspections, previous permit, Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS), and Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO). Weather conditions during inspection (e.g., temperature, sky, precipitation): Clear, sunny and 68F, no precipitation within the previous 24-hours Areas Evaluated During Inspection Permit Self-Monitoring Program Records Compliance Schedule Facility Site Review Laboratory Effluent/Receiving Waters Operations and Maintenance Flow Measurement Sludge Handling/Disposal Pretreatment Pollution Prevention Stormwater Combined Sewer Overflow Sanitary Sewer Overflow Seville Colony Page 1 of 5 Report Review and Signature Drafter Name Prideaux, LisaKay Digitally signed by Prideaux, LisaKay Date: 2023.08.21 10:37:49 -06'00' Lisa-kay Prideaux Management Signature/Name EMILIO Digitally signed by EMILIO LLAMOZAS LLAMOZAS 14:48:24 -06'00' Date: 2023.08.21 Emilio Llamozas Address/Phone Number U.S. EPA Region 8, Montana Operations Office 10 West 15th Street, Suite 3200 Helena, Montana 59626 406-457-5022 Address/Phone Number U.S. EPA Region 8 1595 Wynkoop Street 8ENF-W-NW Denver, Colorado 80202 303-312-6407 Date 07/25/2023 Date 08/18/2023 Seville Colony Page 2 of 5 Inspection Narrative and Site Description The inspection was conducted at the Seville Hutterite Colony (facility) located in Cut Bank, Montana to evaluate the facility's discharge status and permit application status. Currently, the facility is unpermitted. The facility is located within the boundaries of the Blackfeet Reservation. The EPA is responsible for implementing the NPDES program in Indian Country within the State of Montana. The inspection was announced approximately one week prior to the inspection to coordinate logistics and ensure a facility representative would be on site. On June 14, 2023, I, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inspector Lisa-kay Prideaux, met with the Seville Colony plumber, David Hofer. I presented credentials and had an opening conference to explain the purpose of the inspection. I then proceeded to ask questions of Mr. Hofer to help me evaluate the facility's discharge status, and to obtain facility information for NPDES permit coverage. Throughout the inspection, I noted my observations in a field notebook. Photographs taken during the inspection are included in the attached photo log. The Seville Hutterite Colony was founded in 1983 and is a certified organic multi-animal species farm. The facility serves approximately 120 residences within the Colony. Wastewater from the housing complex is collected and transferred through piping to a single bentonite lined treatment lagoon located directly east of the animal waste lagoon cell 1. The lagoon is approximately 1.34-acres in size and has a capacity of approximately 10 million gallons. The lagoon does not have a discharge pipe. Mr. Hofer escorted me around the housing complex and to the treatment lagoon (photo 670). At the time of the inspection, there was some light erosion rills in the northwest corner of the lagoon. Mr. Hofer stated they have received several heavy rains this spring, and the erosion rills will be repaired once the rains have ceased for the spring. At the end of the inspection, I held a closing conference with Mr. Hofer where I discussed the process for the inspection report. The inspection concluded at approximately 10:00 am. Findings, Corrective Actions and Recommendations Recommendation #1: Visual erosion rills were observed. Specifically, on the northwest corner of the domestic wastewater lagoon, light erosion rills were forming on the lagoon walls (photo 670). Regulatory requirements: 40 CFR 122.41(e) requires, at all times, the proper operation and maintenance of all facilities and systems of treatment and control (and related appurtenances) which are installed or used. Recommended Action: EPA recommends the erosion rills be filled and compacted to maintain integrity of the lagoon walls. Seville Colony Page 3 of 5 Ref: 8 Montana SENT VIA EMAIL DIGITAL READ RECEIPT REQUESTED The Honorable John Grainger, Mayor City of Poplar (b) (6) Re: Inspection Report for City of Poplar/Wastewater Treatment Plant, NPDES Permit No. MT0030597 Dear Mayor Grainger: On July 24, 2024, a representative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency inspected the City of Poplar's Wastewater Treatment Plant in Poplar, Montana, to evaluate compliance with the facility's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for wastewater discharge. The inspection was conducted under the authority of Section 308 of the Clean Water Act. Enclosed is a report of the inspection. Inspection findings are summarized within the enclosed inspection report in a table titled "Findings, Corrective Actions and Recommendations." Within thirty (30) days of receipt of this report, please provide the EPA with a summary of corrective actions taken to address each of the findings identified in the report and any information that may change the findings or content of the report. This summary should be sent to: Lisa-kay Prideaux U.S. EPA Region 8 - Montana Office Prideaux.lisakay@epa.gov Wilfred Lambert Fort Peck Acting Environmental Director wlambert@fortpecktribes.net Please contact me at 406-457-5022 or Prideaux.Lisakay@epa.gov if you have any questions regarding this letter or the enclosed report. Sincerely, Prideaux, LisaKay Digitally signed by Prideaux, LisaKay Date: 2025.01.17 11:01:09 -07'00' Lisa-kay Prideaux NPDES and Wetlands Enforcement Section Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division Enclosures: NPDES Inspection Report - POTW Photo Log cc (electronic): The Honorable Justin Gray Hawk Sr., Chairman, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes Wilfred Lambert, Acting Environmental Director, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes Shane Halverson, Public Works Director, City of Poplar Ryan Kopp, Project Manager, Interstate Engineering