TEMPORARY TURBIDITY INCREASE IN THE BELLE FOURCHE RIVER

Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality | view as a webpage

Public Notice: TEMPORARY TURBIDITY INCREASE IN THE BELLE FOURCHE RIVER

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) has received a request from Navajo Transitional Energy Company, for a temporary increase in turbidity in the Belle Fourche River near Gillette, Wyoming. The temporary increase in turbidity is associated with the construction of a temporary crossing for a dragline.

Activity in warm water streams like the Belle Fourche River is normally limited to a fifteen (15) NTU increase over background. Approval of this request would allow an exceedance of this limit for up to seven (7) total working days, subject to monitoring and reporting. This activity will follow the procedures in Chapter 1, Section 23(c)(ii), of the WDEQ Water Quality Rules, which allow for temporary elevated levels of turbidity in certain circumstances. The applicant has applied for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineer 404 permit for the project.

Requests for information about the proposed temporary turbidity increase should be directed to Eric Hargett by email ([email protected]) or phone (307-777-6701). Written comments must be addressed to Eric Hargett, Wyoming DEQ/WQD, 200 W. 17th Street - 4^TH floor, Cheyenne, WY, 82002, and be postmarked on or before 5:00 p.m. on September 16, 2024 to be considered. Electronic comments may only be submitted through and accepted by the Wyoming DEQ comment portal provided at http://wq.wyomingdeq.commentinput.com/. Phone comments will not be accepted.

Para español, visite deq.wyoming.gov. Americans with Disabilities Act: special assistance or alternative formats will be made available upon request for individuals with disabilities. Please provide at least fourteen (14) days before the close of public comment period for such requests.

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