CTUB Fails to Provide Most Accurate Information on Rockwool Industrial Waste To Environmental Regulators

CHARLES TOWN, WEST VIRGINIA.  Rockwool has told the Charles Town Utility Board (CTUB) that the company’s expected industrial waste flows will be more than three times greater than the proposed limit in CTUB’s sanitary sewer permit application.   

Challenged with this information, Kristen Stolipher, CTUB Assistant Utility Manager told the City Council last night that her utility intends to use a “phased” approach to environmental approvals for Rockwool’s industrial waste.   

As part of its plans for a massive new industrial sewer, CTUB is asking WVDEP for a permit to handle a maximum flow of 14,900 GPD.  But in correspondence with CTUB on January 24 and February 5, 2019, Rockwool explained their capacity needs are actually 46,800 GPD, which is over three times greater than the discharge limit in CTUB’s pending permit modification. Rockwool’s latest number is also consistent with the Hatch Chester engineering analysis from January 22, 2018, which states that Rockwool expects to discharge 40,000 GPD “beginning in 2019”.  Hatch Chester details additional multiple “fully operational” discharges totals, up to 100,000 GPD in less than 10 years.   

Jefferson County Vision Board Member Lori Maloney said, “Why isn’t CTUB using the Hatch Chester engineering numbers?  CTUB fully knows what Rockwool’s actual needs are -- they plan to build a sewer line based on this engineering!  And why isn’t CTUB updating their permit application to use Rockwool’s latest estimates?

“This is basic ethics and common sense.  CTUB knows Rockwool needs 46,800 GPD in phase one.  CTUB plans to build a sewer to handle 46,800 GPD.  CTUB’s permit application should be for 46,800 GPD”, Maloney continued.

“Further, if CTUB obtains a permit at 14,900 GPD but fails to obtain the next one for 46,800 GPD, the overall project financing will be undermined and West Virginia taxpayers and the City of Charles Town will be put at financial risk.  There’s absolutely no reason for CTUB to proceed with inaccurate estimates at the WVDEP.”

Copies of Rockwool’s recent letters are available: 

January 24, 2019: https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.jcvision.com/rockwool/sewer/Rockwool+January+24+Letter.pdf

February 5, 2019: https://s3.amazonaws.com/www.jcvision.com/rockwool/sewer/RW_CTUB_Feb5-2019.png

NPDES Permit Information: https://dep.wv.gov/news/pages/rockwoolinformation.aspx