May 14, 2021
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
TO ALL INTERESTED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND PUBLIC GROUPS:
In accordance with the environmental review guidelines of the Council on Environmental Quality found at 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1500 and with the use as guidance of the implementing environmental review procedures of the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (US EPA) found at 40 CFR Part 6 entitled “Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act,” the New Mexico Environment Department Construction Programs Bureau has performed an environmental review of the following proposed action.
Los Alamos County White Rock Water Resources Recovery Facility
Los Alamos County, New Mexico
EPA Project Number: CWSRF 083
State of New Mexico CWSRF 083 Loan: $17,000,000
Los Alamos County applied for and received loan funding from the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF) through the State of New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) for construction of the White Rock Water Resources Recovery Facility. The water resources recovery facility (WRRF) is located at the northeastern edge of the community of White Rock, in Los Alamos County, New Mexico. The purpose of the White Rock WRRF project is to replace the facility’s older treatment technology with newer technology and improve the quality of its plant effluent. The new plant will allow the effluent to be used for expanded and efficient water reuse. It will also ensure that the plant and discharge remain in compliance with current and future regulatory requirements and further protect public health and the environment.
The existing wastewater treatment facilities consist of two trickling filters with primary and secondary clarifiers, chlorine disinfection, and limited effluent reuse. The trickling filter facility has been in service since the mid 1960’s, starting with a single process train. The last significant improvement to the WRRF took place over 30 years ago when a redundant parallel process train was added. Several critical components of the facility have aged beyond their useful life and it has become increasingly difficult to obtain replacement parts. Much of the equipment was made by companies no longer making replacement parts or no longer in business. The treatment system no longer has redundancy because the two parallel treatment units must now operate in series in order to maintain current regulatory compliance. The trickling filter technology allows for regulatory compliance with the facility’s current National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. NM0020133 for surface water discharge and NMED Groundwater Discharge Permit DP-907 for Class 1B effluent reuse, but is not adequate for the County to meet their treatment goals of Class 1A effluent for increased non-potable water reuse, or for what is anticipated to be more stringent future
regulatory requirements. Therefore, the majority of the aging facility will be replaced with newer
treatment technologies.
The proposed WRRF improvements will allow the County to achieve a Class 1A effluent, the highest quality reclaimed wastewater for reuse as defined by the NMED Ground Water Quality Bureau (GWQB) Guidelines for Above Ground Use of Reclaimed Domestic Wastewater. The new plant will meet the current regulations and limits of the current NPDES Permit No. NM0020133 and NMED Discharge Permit DP-907, and will be prepared to meet what is anticipated to be more stringent future regulatory requirements. The new facility is based on an oxidation ditch biological nutrient removal process. The proposed improvements include the construction of a new headworks building with new fine screens, grit trap and grit washer; construction of an oxidation ditch with mixing and aeration system; construction of two secondary clarifiers; construction of a new filtration/disinfection building that will house process pumps, tertiary disc filters, ultraviolet (UV) disinfection equipment, non-potable water pump station, and an electrical room; conversion of the existing digester tanks to solids holding tanks; installation of a new sludge dewatering fan press system; modifications to the
existing control room in the digester building to house the sludge dewatering system and an administration room; and necessary site improvements and demolition to accommodate the improvements. All construction will take place within the boundaries of the County facility property.
The environmental review process, which is documented by the enclosed Environmental Assessment, indicates that no potential significant adverse environmental impacts will result from the proposed action. The project individually, cumulatively over time, or in conjunction with other actions will not have a significant adverse effect on the quality of the environment. On the basis of the
environmental review determination that there are no predicted or cumulative significant adverse impacts associated with the project, I have determined that the project is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, and that preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is not necessary. My preliminary decision is based upon the enclosed Environmental Assessment, a careful review of the Environmental Information Document prepared for the project, the results of the public participation process, and other supporting data which are on file in the office listed below and available for public review upon request. Pursuant to the NMED Delegation Order dated September 14, 2020, the Cabinet Secretary has delegated the authority to issue National Environmental Policy Act findings of no significant impact to the Bureau Chief of the Construction Programs Bureau. Therefore, I am issuing this preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact pertaining to the project.
Comments supporting or disagreeing with my preliminary decision may be submitted for consideration to the attention of Andrea Telmo, PE, Project Manager, New Mexico Environment Department, Construction Programs Bureau, 121 Tijeras Avenue NE, Suite 1000, Albuquerque, NM 87102. After evaluating any comments received, the Construction Programs Bureau will make a final decision. No administrative action will be taken on this preliminary decision for at least 30 calendar days after release of this Finding of No Significant Impact. The preliminary decision and finding will then become final after the 30-day comment period expires if no new significant
information is provided to alter this finding. The complete Environmental Assessment is available for viewing on the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities website at https://ladpu.com/WR-WRRF.
PUBLISHED IN THE LOS ALAMOS DAILY POST THURSDAY MAY 20, 2021