Comment Period Reopened on Discharge Permit for FMC Phosphorus Plant
Water Quality - Public Comment Opportunity
Draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit for the FMC Elemental Phosphorus Facility
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reopening the public comment period for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the FMC Corporation in Pocatello, Idaho. The NPDES program is the primary permitting system under the federal Clean Water Act, which governs all discharges to the nation’s surface water. We invite you to review and comment on this draft permit. FMC’s elemental phosphorus facility in located on the Fort Hall Reservation.
EPA has tenatively decided to reissue a discharge permit to FMC and has prepared a draft NPDES permit. EPA released the original draft of this premit for public review in August 1999. EPA has revised the draft permit, and the fact sheet outlining the basis of the permit limits and conditions, based upon new information.
Public Comment Period
The public comment period is being reopened from February 1 through April 3, 2000. During the comment period, any interested person may submit written comments and arguments supporting his/her postion. Any supporting materials which are submitted must be provided in full and may not be incorporated by reference, unless they are alreasy part of the Administrative Record. All comments must be postmarked by April 3, 2000 and will be considered in making the final decision to reissue this discharge permit. Written comments can be sent to:
U.S. EPA, Region 10
Attn: FMC NPDES Permit Comments
1200 Sixth Avenue (OW-130)
Seattle, Washington 98101
E-mail: koch.kristine@epa.gov
Public Hearings
Due to significant public interest regarding the issuance of this permit, EPA will host two public hearings to accept oral or written comments and data concerning this draft NPDES permit:
Wednesday, March 29
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Council Chambers
Fort Hall | Thursday, March 30
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Cavannaugh’s Pocatello Hotel
1555 Pocatello Creek Road, Pocatello |
What Does FMC do?
FMC produces the commercial product elemental phosphorus, known chemically as P4. Elemental phosphorus is manufactured by reducing of phosphate ore with coke (coal) in very large electric furnaces, using silica (sand) as a flux to control temperatures.
Where is FMC located?
FMC-Pocatello is located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Pocatello, Idaho and 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of the Portneuf River, a tributary of the Snake River. The majority of the site (including most of the processing areas) is located on the eastern portion of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. FMC Corporation owns approximately 1,500 acres of property. There are several small parcels of property owned by FMC Corporation to the north of Highway 30, but these parcels do not include any processing activities or discharge of wastewater.
What is FMC’s Proposed Discharge to the Portneuf River?
The proposed discharge enters the portneuf River at Latitude 42o 54' 44", Longitude 112o 31' 10", just south of the Interstate-86 eastbound bridge. FMC’s proposed discharge consists of wastewater from the following industrial activities:
- non-contact cooling water from bearing case cooling in the briquetting process,
- beam cooling and fan bearing cooling in the calcining process,
- furnace cooling;
- steam condensate from the phos dock operations; and
- boiler blow down and condensate.
Average annual flow from the facility is 2.27 million gallons per day (mgd) with a peak flow of 3.02 mgd.
For More Information
The proposed NPDES permit for FMC and other related documents are available for review beginning on February 1, 2000, on EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/r10earth/water.htm
Copies are also available for review at the following locations:
Shoshone Bannock Library
Pima & Bannock Roads
Fort Hall | Idaho State University
Library Government Documents Department
9th and Terry, Pocatello |
To request a personal copy, please contact EPA at (800) 424-4372, extension 8578 or by e-mail
at vakoc.misha@epa.gov
The Administrative Record contains the application, draft permit, fact sheet, all cited documents, and all supporting documentation. Any person wishing to review these documents may do so in person at the EPA Regional Office in Seattle, Washington between 8:30am and 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. Copies may also be obtained by submitting a written request to EPA Permit Writer Kristine Koch at the address/e-mail listed above.
Questions? Contact EPA at (800) 424-4372, extension 8578.
The locations indicated for the public hearings are accessible to people with disabilities. Persons requiring additional services should contact EPA as indicated above.