Sushma Masemore Deputy Secretary for Environment | North Carolina Department Of Environmental Quality
Sushma Masemore Deputy Secretary for Environment | North Carolina Department Of Environmental Quality
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Water Resources has granted approval for the renewal of a wastewater discharge permit for Martin Marietta Materials Inc.'s Vanceboro Quarry. This decision follows a public hearing and comment period, during which feedback was collected.
The division organized a public hearing on November 19 in Washington, North Carolina to discuss the draft permit as part of the public comment process. A report detailing the comments received is available online, along with the finalized permit.
Starting April 1, 2025, the new permit will oversee mine dewatering and stormwater discharge from the quarry into unnamed tributaries of Blounts Creek. This creek is designated as a Class C, Swamp, Nutrient Sensitive waterbody within the Tar-Pamlico River Basin.
The permit stipulates that monitoring for pH levels, total suspended solids (TSS), and turbidity—an indicator of suspended material—must occur twice monthly in the discharge from the mine. Additionally, once discharging begins, there is a requirement to assess biological integrity every two years through studies involving benthic macroinvertebrates or benthos. Benthos are small aquatic organisms residing in water.
Further details about the permit and its technical aspects can be accessed online.
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