Some of the original e-memos included abbreviations. In the text below, we have included our interpretation in brackets [].
Anything in red is material we have
highlighted for emphasis.Some useful background: BOD stands for 'biological
oxygen demand'. It refers to any sort of organic matter in water
that rots and consumes oxygen in the process. Plant and animal life
then suffocates for lack of oxygen. The 'rotten egg odor' of polluted
water is due to BOD.
Hi -
Just a thought on the ethanol plant discussions. People seem to have a
lot of frustration because we can’t give specific answers to questions
that is, we haven’t gotten a permit application yet, so we have no detail
which is in writing. Its a shame the EA isn’t
done before the local decisions are made. If it were, we would have specifics!
I know communities could wait and probably don’t want to, but I think the
public would appreciate it! (And process details
should be a part of the EA submittal! Permit calculations might even be
included.) This seems like a chicken and egg thing........
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 9:31
AM
Subject: RE: Qs from Elba citizen
x, I talked with the company reps a little before the meeting about what the plant would be discharging. No process WW [waste water] but they do have a non contact cooling water discharge of around 100, 000 gpd I don’t have the exact numbers but I think that was what he told me. In addition, they would have softener backwash. This stuff is very high in chloride concentrations but would likely be diluted out with the cooling water to point where it will likely not be a problem, but we will look at it. He told me the boiler blowdown would be recycled through the plant and not discharged. This would be a surface water discharge to the Crawfish River and would be permitted. We would likely issue either a general permit for this discharge or a specific. Either way they would have to meet discharge limits that would be protective of the resource. I also talked to the Minnesota DNR about ethanol plants. They told me they have had some problems with ethanol plants having BOD exceedences. There are times when the non contact water gets contaminated. Would have to wait and see about that but we would enforce our limits. Thats about all I know for know as we have not gotten any permit applications. If you want to discuss more give me a call. Thanks.... x
Sent: Monday, January 22,
2001 10:49 AM
Subject: RE: Qs from Elba
citizen
On Friday I sent you my comments on the EA which in fact deal with this in part. Zero discharge is idealistic and at times they will have to discharge to the City’s sanitary sewer system I’m sure, especially when the biothane unit is down or having problems, which it will being a biological system. Having this” emergency connection” is critical. If you look at the EAs from Minnesota ethanol plants, they have a sewer use contracts worked out with a WWTP [Waste Water Treatment Plant] for treating their “pretreated” wastes. For BSE [Badger State Ethanol], as long as the effluent from the methanator is of high quality is can be recycled back through the process, however, if the effluent is poor with elevated biological solids then they will likely need to have it go somewhere else.... like the Monroe WWTP.
The boiler blowdown and the cooling tower bleed-offs will either go directly to Honey Creek (if the limits don’t preclude this option) or to the City’s sewer system. They haven’t decided on this yet. Call me if you’d like to further discuss. Thanks. x
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2001
9:02 AM
Subject: RE: Qs from Elba
citizen
Thanks x. At Elba (Dodge County) they have no WWTF [Waste Water Treatment Facility] existing to use so different situation. I assume they’d need to include one then? Thanks again
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2001
5:28 PM
Subject: RE: Qs from Elba citizen
Hmmmm, without a safety valve (WWTP to go to) I am not sure what they are planning to do at Elba. I think limits need to be set that is protective of the receiving water as Dan said and they will need to plan & design accordingly. As I have always said, BOD may need to be addressed because zero discharges are realistically unlikely. Hope this helps. x
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2001
8:15 AM
Subject: RE: Qs from Elba citizen
x, I agree 100%. The 0 discharge concept sounds great but I have yet to see it be reality. In fact, that is exactly what the Minnesota DNR folks told me. The cooling water violates BOD limits because of membrane failures in the RO [reverse osmosis] units. Also, they at times get spoiled batches of the cooked mash and must dispose of it, usually by landspreading. We’ll see what happens... x
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001
11:31 AM
Subject: FW: Qs from Elba citizen
FYI. As I have always contended,
we need to be very certain if BOD limits are going to be needed here. I
think any permit we issue to BSE [Badger State
Ethanol] have BOD limits to be sure we protect
Honey Creek. x