Alcoa/Badin Business Park violated its discharged permit limits for cyanide and fluoride leaving Outfall 005, which flows into Little Mountain Creek. The creek ultimately connects with Lake Tillery, a drinking water reservoir, about six miles downstream. Alcoa had proposed pumping the contaminated water to Outfall 012, where cyanide and fluoride will flow into Badin Lake. The company predicted the volume of lake water would dilute the pollution to meet legal standards. West Badin, a historically and predominantly Black community lies alongside the former Alcoa plant, beginning at Wood Street near Outfall 005. (Map: Alcoa 2020 update to DEQ)
The NC Department of Environmental Quality is returning the Alcoa’s application for a Special Order by Consent and the proposal as drafted “will not be moving forward,” the agency announced today.
To try to comply with state water quality requirements, the company has a creative, if dubious solution.
A proposed deal between Alcoa and the NC Department of Environmental Quality would allow the company to increase the amount of cyanide it discharges into Badin Lake, a popular fishing and swimming destination and a drinking water supply in Stanly County.
DEQ has not yet approved the proposal, called a Special Order by Consent. Based on a review of more than 300 public comments, the agency is “looking at all options,” DEQ spokeswoman Anna Gurney said.
The proposal also covers fluoride that would be discharged into the lake.