Complaint ID 107264 — Public Copy

Received the action plan from Mr. Perry Mincey on March 5, 2024. They have ceased water discharge into the wetlands. They are constructing a new holding pond on property. I will make a site visit within two weeks to confirm progress. No further action is required.

A Notice of Violation was mailed on February 29, 2024 to Midland Lakes Borrow Pit for the unauthorized discharge of pollutants into waters of the state. EPD is requesting a corrective action plan be submitted to cease the discharge and prevent future unpermitted discharges. A voicemail was left for Mr. Author Rud, inviting him to call me back for an overview of the resolution of the complaint. Mr. Perry Mincey responded in writing to the NOV. His letter is attached to this complaint. The company has modified their operation to prevent discharges in the future. No further action is required by the Division.

Jonathan Hulme, Effingham county engineer, delivered a Stop Work Order on 2/20/2024 from the county. There is no NPDES permit for discharge. There is a draft for an NOV being reviewed.

There is a referenced NPDES permit on the Midland Lakes Borrow Pit Expansion Land Use Plan. I am requesting information about this permit from Perry Mincey with Clifton Construction. I have not been able to find a NPDES permit for this surface mine discharge in our database. Mr. Troy Smith with Greenland Developers, the land owners company, does not know about any NPDES permit for the surface mine.

Rhett Schley and I made a site visit on 1/17/2024. The trip report memo is attached. We will follow up with watershed unit this week about any NPDES permit they may have.

Called Mr. Rud for more information. His property parcel is 03730013 and the Surface mine parcel is 03730018IND. The propertys are back to back. Mr. Rud explained that the pit has been in operation for years. He recently went to the property line and found that the surface mine pond has a discharge drain pipe that is constantly running water to his and another property. The trees have begun to die and there is new wildlife that has arrived since the surface mine operation began. The owner of the surface mine land is BURNS JON G JR AS TRUSTEE, PO BOX 1628 SPRINGFIELD, GA 31329. The Surface Mine EPD permit number is 1900-15 and is permitted to Midland Lakes LLC, listed agent Perry Mincey. I have drafted an NOV for an unpermitted discharge from the surface mine into waters of the state if the NPDES permit is not produced.