Document o2Go48o4Q2gJD9J9NXxevRxD
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION 4 ATLANTA FEDERAL CENTER
61 FORSYTH STREET ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-8960
ELECTRONIC MAIL RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Mr. Howard Brown 235 Milton Mashburn Drive Andrews, North Carolina 28901 Email: eatmoretrout@yahoo.com
Re: Reconnaissance Inspection Report, NPDES Permit No. NC0054992 Cherokee Trout Farm at Morgan Mill
Dear Mr. Brown:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 inspected the Cherokee Trout Farm at Morgan Mill located at 10285 Big Cove Road, Cherokee, North Carolina on May 10, 2022, for compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit and the Clean Water Act.
The inspections findings are provided in the enclosed Reconnaissance Inspection Report. If you have any questions about the inspection report, please contact Tristan Odekirk at (404) 562-9295 or via email at Odekirk.Tristan@epa.gov.
Sincerely,
Enclosure
Jairo Castillo, P.E. Chief, Wastewater Enforcement Section Water Enforcement Branch
NPDES No. NC0054992
United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 4
CV-NC0054992-5-10-2022
Reconnaissance Inspection Report
SECTION A: National Data System Coding
MO/DAY/YR
Inspection-Type
Inspector
5/10/2022
ROS
Tristan Odekirk
SECTION B: Facility Data
Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For industrial users discharging to POTW, Entry Date/Time
also include POTW name and NPDES permit number)
Cherokee Trout Farm at Morgan Mill 10285 Big Cove Road Cherokee, North Carolina 28901
5/10/2022 12:30 AM Exit Date/Time 5/10/2022 1:00 PM
Names of On-site Representative(s)/Title(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) Howard Brown, owner, C.R. Brown Enterprises Inc. 828-321-3334 eatmoretrout@yahoo.com Rainee Tetreault, Lead Environmental Lab Technical EBCI Natural Resources Program 828-359-6771, RaineTr@ebci-nsn.gov Michael Bolt, Manager, Tribal Environmental Laboratory, EBCI Natural Resources Program MichBolt@ebci-nsn.gov
Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number Howard Brown, owner, C.R. Brown Enterprises Inc. 828-321-3334 eatmoretrout@yahoo.com
Other Facility Data
Contacted
Yes
No
Permit
SECTION C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated)
Flow Measurement
Operation &
Maintenance
Records/Reports
Self-Monitoring Program
Sludge
Handling/Disposal
Facility Site Review Compliance Schedules
Pretreatment
Facility-Type Industrial wastewater facility Permit Effective Date 6/9/2017 Permit Expiration Date 6/9/2022
CSO/SSO (Sewer Overflow) Pollution Prevention Multimedia
Effluent/Receiving Waters
Laboratory
Storm Water
Other:
SECTION D: Summary of Findings/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary)
See attached comments
Name(s) and Signature(s) of Inspector(s)
Tristan Odekirk
Digitally signed by
Odekirk, Tristan Date: 2022.06.07 Odekirk, Tristan
17:34:26 -04'00'
Signature of Management QA Reviewer
Jairo Castillo Castillo,
Digitally signed by Castillo, Jairo
Jairo
Date: 2022.06.16 15:57:46 -04'00'
Agency/Division/Phone and Fax Number USEPA R4, ECAD, 404-562-9295
Agency/Division/Phone and Fax Number USEPA R4, ECAD, 404-562-9257
Date
6/7/22
Date
United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 4
CV-NC0054992-5-10-2022 Reconnaissance Inspection Report
(Continued)
Section D: Summary of Findings / Comments On Friday April 29, 2022, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Water Quality Program contacted Region 4 USEPA with notice of a potential unpermitted discharge from the Cherokee Trout Farm at Morgan Mill. In response, on May 10, 2022, the EPA conducted a Reconnaissance Inspection (RI) at the Cherokee Trout Farm at Morgan Mill located in 10285 Big Cove Road, Cherokee, North Carolina, 28901. EPA met with Mr. Howard Brown, owner of the facility, and inspected the facility's water intake structure and reviewed their monitoring records. The following is a summary of RI findings and observations. I. Facility Review The discharge from the facility was from the intake structure as seen in Figures 1-4. EPA observed that the water had no contact with any trout ponds before being discharged to the Raven Fork River.
Figure 1. Discharge from the facility as seen from upstream on opposite shore of the Raven Fork River (Receiving stream).
Internet Address (URL) http://www.epa.gov
Figure 2. Same view as Figure 1 but zoomed in. Facility structures visible behind trees (red circle).
Figure 3. Facility water intake structure. Overflow seen is source of new discharge. This water has no contact with any trout ponds.
Internet Address (URL) http://www.epa.gov
Figure 4. View of discharge entering Raven Fork River from the facility. Cascades shown are the same as visible in Figure 1. II. Discharge Monitoring Reports The Cherokee Trout Farm at Morgan Mill has submitted all discharge monitoring reports in the past as paper copies. According to Part III section A.1 of the permit, "[s]tarting in January 2017, monitoring data required by this permit shall be submitted on EPA Form 3320-1 Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) forms using the electronic DMR (NetDMR) internet application." The inspector discussed the facility's DMR submittals and agreed to schedule a meeting with Mr. Brown to assist with setting up and using NetDMR to electronically submit future DMRs.
End of Report
Internet Address (URL) http://www.epa.gov