Public Notice: Categorical Exclusion Determination, Town of Newcastle Landfill Remediation Project

Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality | view as a webpage

Public Notice: CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION DETERMINATION For the City of Newcastle project Landfill #1 Remediation, Weston County, Wyoming

The Department of Environmental Quality/Water Quality Division (DEQ) has conducted a review of the proposed Landfill #1 Remediation project in accordance with EPA and State of Wyoming procedures for implementing the State Environmental Review Process. DEQ has determined that this project is eligible for a categorical exclusion. Accordingly, DEQ is exempting the project from further substantive environmental review requirements under the State Environmental Review Process. Neither an Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact nor an Environmental Impact Statement/Record of Decision will be required for the proposed action. The following is a brief description of the situation and the proposed action and a brief statement of how the action meets the criteria for a categorical exclusion.

The overall project includes design and installation of various corrective measures to remediate the site: 1) A groundwater cut-off trench to intercept contaminated groundwater, including surface seepage, flowing out of the landfill. 2) An evaporation pond to dispose of the collected groundwater. 3) A passive landfill gas venting system. 4) A sewer connection to the City sewer system for short term emergency and bypass use for groundwater disposal. 5) Removal of surface soils downstream of the landfill that were contaminated by seepage and placement of those soils into the landfill.

WDEQ Landfill Remediation Program (LRP) and the City will be jointly funding the project. Project work funded under this loan is estimated to cost approximately $4,000,000. WDEQ will fund 75%, or $3,000,000, and the City will fund 25%, or $1,000,000. The city has applied for an SRF loan request for the City's $1,000,000 share. The loan interest is 1.5% for a term of 20 years. The rate increases for this project were incorporated into the recent rate analysis.

The City of Newcastle is aware of and accepts the fact that they will be responsible for any required mitigative actions associated with and including storm water runoff, erosion control, archeological/historic artifacts, and air quality concerns. These will be part of the standard State Revolving Funds Program contract conditions. There are no noteworthy environmental issues/impacts/mitigation issues.

DEQ is granting an exclusion because the project is intended to address environmental issues created by Landfill #1. Past Nature and Extents studies have shown the seeping water from Landfill #1 is contaminated. The corrective measures planned with this project will improve the area's environment. This project will be completely constructed in previously disturbed ground, specifically ground disturbed by operations while landfill #1 was in operation. DEQ has determined that exempting the proposed project from further review under the State Environmental Review Process will not result in adverse impacts to the population or the area of Landfill #1 Remediation project, Newcastle, Weston County, Wyoming.

The documentation to support this decision will be on file in the DEQ Cheyenne Office and is available for public review upon request. Requests for information about the proposed decision may be directed to Stan Miller, SRF Project Engineer by email ([email protected]) or phone (307) 777-6371). Written comments shall be addressed to Stan Miller, Department of Environmental Quality, 200 W. 17th St., Suite 200, Cheyenne, WY 82002 or via FAX (307) 635-1785., and be postmarked on or before 5:00 p.m. on December 21, 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 or email 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 the public comment period for such requests

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