PUBLIC NOTICE
February 14, 2021
Groundwater Discharge Permit Proposed for Approval
DP-873, Cannon Air Force Base
Comment period extended to May 15, 2021
The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED or department) Ground Water Quality Bureau (GWQB) provides notice that the following draft Groundwater Discharge Permit has been proposed for approval: Cannon Air Force Base (CAFB) proposes to renew and modify the groundwater discharge permit (DP-873 or Permit) for the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to receive and treat domestic and industrial wastewater at a volume of up to 1.5 million gallons per day and to discharge treated wastewater from the WWTP to a synthetically lined impoundment, a synthetically lined impoundment at the golf course, the North Playa Lake and to various re-use locations at a volume of up to 900,000 gallons per day. In addition, CAFB proposes to discharge domestic wastewater to fourteen septic tank/leachfield systems and two holding tanks at a volume of up to 7,500 gallons per day. The draft Permit modification consists of a change in the quality of the wastewater discharged from the WWTP due to the presence of perfluorinated chemicals, which NMED began regulating in December 2018.
Applicant: Cannon Air Force Base, Robert A. Masaitis, Colonel, USAF, 506 North Air Commando Way, Cannon AFB, NM 88103
Facility Description: The Facility is an active Air Force base and is home to the 27th Special Operations Wing of the United States Air Force, which is assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command.
Discharge Locations: Discharge locations at the Facility potentially affecting groundwater include two synthetically lined impoundments at the WWTP, a synthetically lined impoundment at the golf course, the North Playa Lake, and various re-use locations, including the golf course, driving range, dog park, and softball fields. In addition, discharge locations include fourteen septic tank/leachfield systems and two holding tanks from buildings at CAFB not connected to the WWTP.
Activities that Produce the Discharge: Sources of wastewater influent to the WWTP include residential and industrial wastewater. More specifically, sources of discharge to the WWTP include, but are not limited to, aircraft maintenance facilities, aircraft wash racks, aircraft corrosion control facilities, vehicle maintenance facilities, RV dump station for trailers, multi-family housing units, and two Child Development Centers.
Facility Location: The Facility is located at 100 Air Commando Way, Cannon AFB, approximately seven miles west of Clovis along Highway 60/84, in Sections 18, 19, 20, and 24, Township 2N, Range 35E and in Sections 12, 13, 24, 25, and 30, Township 2N, Range 34E, in Curry County.
Potential Contaminants: Potential contaminants from these types of discharge include nitrogen compounds, inorganic compounds, metals, and perfluorinated chemicals.
Groundwater Most Likely to be Affected by the Discharge: Groundwater most likely to be affected is at a depth of approximately 312 feet and had a pre-discharge total dissolved solids concentration of 300 milligrams per liter.
Public Involvement: NMED maintains a Facility-specific Public Involvement Plan (PIP) for each permitting action so that the department can plan for providing public participation opportunities and information that may be needed for the community to participate in a permitting process. The department’s issuance of this public notice (Notice) is addressed in the PIP.
How to obtain more information: To learn more about this draft Permit and the permitting process, or to obtain a copy of the draft Permit, the associated Fact Sheet, which provides a brief summary of the basis for the draft Permit conditions and is available in both English and Spanish, or the associated PIP, please contact the NMED Permit Contact, Ms. Avery Young, by telephone at (505) 699-8564 or by email at Avery.Young@state.nm.us. NMED will provide, at no cost, documents either by email or US mail to any community member requesting a copy. Please specify how you would like the document(s) delivered. NMED maintains a facility-specific mailing list for persons wishing to receive notices for permitting actions associated with this Facility. When requesting documents, please specify if you would like to be added to this list.
Access documents online:
Click this link to view the Fact Sheet.
Click this link to view the draft permit.
Click this link to view the Public Involvement Plan.
Click this link to view the public notice.
NMED has placed a hard copy of the draft Permit, the Fact Sheet, the Permit application, and the PIP at the following document repository locations: Clovis-Carver Public Library (701 N Main St, Clovis); Portales Public Library (218 S Avenue B, Portales). As of the date of NMED’s issuance of this Notice, both libraries are open to the public. In the event either library restricts public access during this public comment period due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, NMED asks community members to request documents as described above.
How to submit a comment or request a hearing: NMED is allowing 60 days after the date of publication of this Notice for anyone to submit written comments and/or a request for a public hearing regarding the draft Permit. Requests for a public hearing shall be in writing and shall set forth the reasons why a hearing should be held. Comments or a request for hearing regarding the draft Permit should be addressed to the GWQB, PO Box 5469, Santa Fe, NM 87502-5469, or emailed to the NMED Permit contact, Ms. Avery Young, at Avery.Young@state.nm.us, reference line “DP-873 Comments.”
A hearing will be held if the New Mexico Secretary of Environment (Secretary) determines that there is substantial public interest. The Secretary will appoint a hearing officer and will ensure the hearing is held in the locally affected community. During the hearing process, members of the public may file technical testimony prior to the hearing and may provide verbal and written comments during the hearing itself. Once the hearing is complete, the hearing officer will provide the Secretary with a hearing report that includes a suggested determination. The Secretary will then issue a Final Order which will complete the Administrative Record (Record) for the permitting action. After the Record for a permitting action is complete and all required information is available, NMED will approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove the Permit based on the Record and/or Final Order from the Secretary.
How to request accommodations: If you are a non-English speaker, do not speak English well, or if you have a disability, you may contact Ms. Avery Young by telephone during normal business hours at (505) 699-8564 or by email at Avery.Young@state.nm.us to request assistance, translation services, an interpreter, or other reasonable accommodations in order to learn more about the Permit or the permitting process, or to participate in activities associated with the permitting process. Requested translation, interpretation services, and accommodations or services for persons with disabilities will be arranged. Telephone conversation assistance is available through Relay New Mexico at no charge for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have difficulty speaking on the phone, by calling 1-800-659-1779; TTY users: 1-800-659-8331; Spanish: 1-800-327-1857. Telephone interpretation assistance for persons that are a non-English speaker or do not speak English well is available at no charge when calling NMED.
NMED does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age or sex in the administration of its programs or activities, as required by applicable laws and regulations. NMED is responsible for coordination of compliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning non-discrimination requirements implemented by 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 13 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. If you have any questions about this Notice or any of NMED’s non-discrimination programs, policies or procedures, you may contact: Kathryn Becker, Non-Discrimination Coordinator, New Mexico Environment Department, 1190 St. Francis Dr., Suite N4050, P.O. Box 5469, Santa Fe, NM 87502, (505) 827-2855, nd.coordinator@state.nm.us. If you believe that you have been discriminated against with respect to a NMED program or activity, you may contact the Non-Discrimination Coordinator identified above or visit our website at /non-employee-discrimination-complaint-page/ to learn how and where to file a complaint of discrimination.