PAYSON WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADE PUBLIC NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND ANTIDEGRADATION REVIEW
Notice Tags
Water Quality
Notice Type(s)
Notice
Event Start Date & Time
November 3, 2023 08:00 AM
Event End Date & Time
December 4, 2023 05:00 PM
Description/Agenda
November 2, 2023
PAYSON WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADE PUBLIC NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND ANTIDEGRADATION REVIEW
TO ALL INTERESTED GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES AND PUBLIC GROUPS
The Division of Water Quality (DWQ), Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), herewith publishes a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Payson Wastewater Treatment Plant (Payson WWTP) located in Payson, Utah County, Utah. An Environmental Assessment (EA) was developed to examine potential environmental impacts associated with the project.
As required by guidelines for preparing environmental impact statements, an environmental review was performed on the proposed DWQ action below:
PROJECT INFORMATION
PROJECT NAME: Payson Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade
MAILING ADDRESS: 1062 North Main, Payson, UT 84651
PROJECT LOCATION: The proposed project is located at the site of the existing plant at 1062 North Main, Payson, UT 84651
WATERCOURSES: Beer Creek to Utah Lake
ESTIMATED PROJECT COST: $72,000,000
PROJECT NUMBER: SRF 266
FEDERAL/STATE/LOCAL SHARE FUNDING: $14,500,000 from Utah Water Quality Board (UWQB), $6,065,355 from Utah Lake Preservation ARPA Grant Fund, and $51,434,645 in local contribution.
PERMIT INFORMATION
FACILITY NAME: Payson Wastewater Treatment Plant
PERMITTEE NAME: Payson City
MAILING ADDRESS: 1062 North Main, Payson, UT 84651
TELEPHONE NUMBER: 801-465-5277
PERMIT NO.: UT0020427
BACKGROUND
The City of Payson first installed the Payson WWTP in the 1930's. Since then, there have been several upgrades to the facility. The facility's current design capacity is an average daily flow of 3.0 million gallons per day (MGD), with a peak hydraulic capacity of 5.75 MGD. The Payson WWTP effluent discharges through a 24-inch pipe into an irrigation ditch which flows into Beer Creek. Beer Creek is designated beneficial uses classes 2B (infrequent primary contact recreation), 3C (nongame fish and other aquatic life), and 4 (agricultural uses). Beer Creek then flows into Benjamin Slough and Utah Lake. Payson City effluent is also utilized by an effluent reuse system as cooling water in a neighboring power plant.
The proposed nutrient removal upgrade project will modify the existing facility for biological phosphorus removal and expand the daily average flow design capacity from 3.0 MGD to 4.0 MGD. Payson proposes to upgrade the existing facility to an Oxidation Ditch process with anaerobic basins. The upgrade is necessary to comply with current nutrient regulations and prepare the facility for the community's future.
The Utah Water Quality Board (UWQB) approved funding for this project and authorized a $13,500,000 loan at 0.5% over 30 years plus $1,000,000 in additional funding as principal forgiveness. Payson was also allocated $6,065,355 in ARPA grant funds through the Utah Lake Preservation Fund. The rest of the balance of the project will be made up using cash reserves, and additional municipal bonds.
The proposed project will primarily be completed within the fence line of the existing treatment facility. The project will occur primarily on paved roads or previously developed areas. No wetland impacts are anticipated for the project. The proposed project would not modify or eliminate any recreational open space and would be unlikely to impact any agricultural lands. The project should not cause any increased impacts to air quality once operational and fugitive dust control measures are implemented during construction. The additional discharge should not significantly alter stream flow conditions or result in stream bank modifications. The increased capacity will allow the plant to meet the requirements of Payson's Utah Pollutant Discharge Elimination Permit. An EA was prepared by Forsgren Engineering as part of Payson WWTP's Capital Facilities Plan. The EA evaluated the potential environmental effects and consequences of the proposed upgrades.
ANNOUNCEMENT
This notice announces the availability of the EA which is included in the 2019 Capital Facilities Plan and the 2023 Amendment, along with the antidegradation review (ADR) included as Appendix B of the 2023 Amendment, and the 2023 Updated Wasteload Analysis (WLA) for public review and comment. Utah Administrative Code requires an ADR for any project that will increase the level of pollutants in waters of the state. A Level II ADR was conducted for the proposed project, as required for facilities proposing an increased design capacity. This notice also announces the availability of the ADR, which is included in Appendix B in the Capital Facilities Plan.
Based on the information on the EA, as summarized here, the DWQ determines that the proposed action will not negatively impact water quality. Additionally, the review process did not indicate significant environmental impacts would result from the proposed action. Consequently, the preliminary decision is to not prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) and the DWQ is issuing a FONSI for the proposed action. This action is taken on the basis of a careful review of the Capital Facilities Plan, environmental information documents, ADR, and other supporting information. These documents are available for public review online on the DWQ webpage.
Comments supporting or disagreeing with this decision may be submitted for consideration. After evaluating the comments received, the DWQ will make a final decision.
No administrative action will be taken on the project for at least 30 calendar days while advertising the FONSI, Facility Plan, EA, and the ADR.
Questions or comments may be directed to Linsey Shafer via email at wqcomments@utah.gov or if necessary via telephone at (385) 405-4158. (Note: Please Include 'Payson WWTP FONSI' in the subject line of any email)
John K. Mackey P.E.
Executive Secretary, Utah Water Quality Board
November 2, 2023
DWQ-2023-119848
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) during this meeting should notify Brenda Johnson at 801-536-4329.