Plainfield Renewable Energy LLC, Plainfield
Notice of Tentative Determination of Intent To Renew a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit for The Following Discharges into the Waters of the State Of Connecticut
1.0 TENTATIVE DECISION
The Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“the Commissioner”) hereby gives notice of a tentative determination to renew a permit based on an application and administrative record submitted by Plainfield Renewable Energy, LLC (“the Applicant”) under Section 22a-430 of the Connecticut General Statutes (“CGS”) for a permit to discharge into the waters of the state. The proposed permit authorizes discharges to the Quinebaug River and the groundwaters in the Mill Brook watershed under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) Permit No. CT0030473.
The tentative determination includes a termination of Permit No. SP0002464. The groundwater discharges from DSNs 102, 103, and 104 were previously associated with Permit No. SP0002464. Reference to Permit No. SP0002464 has been removed from the proposed permit, and all discharges, including DSNs 102, 103, and 104, are proposed to be covered under Permit No. CT0030473.
The tentative decision to renew the permit also includes the following determinations:
- The permit will assure the protection and propagation of a balanced indigenous population of shellfish, fish and wildlife in and on the receiving waters under Section 316(a) of the Clean Water Act, 33
U.S.C. § 1326(a); - A determination of best technology available under Section 316(b) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1326(b); and
- In accordance with applicable federal and state law, the Commissioner has made a tentative determination that continuance of the existing system to treat the discharge would protect the waters
of the state from pollution
The proposed permit, if issued by the Commissioner, will require that some wastewaters are treated to meet the applicable effluent limitations and periodic monitoring to demonstrate that the discharge will not cause pollution.
2.0 APPLICANT'S PROPOSAL
Plainfield Renewable Energy, LLC presently discharges wastewater from operations associated with an electricity power generating facility. The Applicant discharges 173,571 gallons per day of cooling water blowdown directly to the Quinebaug River.
In addition, once per year, the Applicant discharges 225,000 gallons per day of fire pump test water,
225,000 gallons per day of fire hydrant test water, and 250,000 gallons per day of make-up supply
tank drain and overflow wastewater to the groundwater in the Quinebaug River watershed.
The name and mailing address of the permit Applicant are: Plainfield Renewable Energy, LLC, 12 Mill Brook Road, Plainfield, CT 06374
The activity takes place at: 12 Mill Brook Road, Plainfield, CT 06374 and the pump house is at 114 Packer Road, Canterbury, CT 06331.
3.0 REGULATORY CONDITIONS
3.Type of Treatment
DSN 101: Cooling tower blowdown – Treatment includes filtration, dechlorination using sodium bisulfite and pH adjustment.
DSN 102: Fire pump test wastewater - Wastewater is not treated. DSN 103: Fire hydrant test wastewater - Wastewater is not treated.
DSN 104: Make-up supply tank drain and overflow wastewaters - Wastewater is not treated.
Water Intake 101-H: Cooling Water Intake Structure – Cylindrical wedge wire screen to minimize impingement and entrainment; and
Water Intake 101-H: Intake cooling water – Neutralization, coagulation, flocculation, clarification, filtration
of intake water treatment to meet required process water quality, on as needed basis.
3.2 Effluent Limitations
This permit contains effluent limitations consistent with a Case-by-Case Determination using the criteria
of Best Professional Judgement and which will protect the waters of the state from pollution when all the conditions of this permit have been met.
In accordance with Section 22a-430-4(l) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies the permit contains effluent limitations for the following types of toxic substances: heavy metals and total residual chlorine.
This permit contains the following variances from the effluent limitations required by Section 22a-430-4(l)
of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
3.3 Compliance Schedule
This permit contains enforceable compliance schedules which require the Applicant to:
1. Conduct a thermal verification study and submit the report for the Commissioner’s review and concurrence; and
2. Propose alternative actions and implement the preferred action(s) to achieve compliance with pH effluent limitations contained in the permit.
4.0 COMMISSIONER’S AUTHORITY
The Commissioner is authorized to approve or deny such permits pursuant to Section 402(b) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, 33 USC 1251, et. seq. and Section 22a-430 of the CGS and the Water Discharge Permit Regulations (Section 22a-430-3 and 4 of the RCSA).
5.0 INFORMATION REQUESTS
The application has been assigned the following numbers by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Please use these numbers when corresponding with this office regarding this application.
APPLICATION NO. 201801917 PERMIT ID NO. CT0030473
Interested persons may obtain copies of the application from Mark Boucher, Plainfield Renewable Energy, LLC., 12 Mill Brook Road, Plainfield, CT 06374, mboucher@plainfieldre.com, (860) 457-9307.
The application is available for inspection by contacting Oluwatoyin Fakilede, Environmental Engineer 3, at 860-424-3025 or oluwatoyin.fakilede@ct.gov, at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 061065127 from 8:30-4:30, Monday through Friday.
Any interested person may request in writing that his or her name be put on a mailing list to receive notice of intent to issue any permit to discharge to the surface waters of the state. Such request may be for the entire state or any geographic area of the state and shall clearly state in writing the name and mailing address of the interested person and the area for which notices are requested.
6.0 PUBLIC COMMENT
Prior to making a final decision to approve or deny any application, the Commissioner shall consider written comments on the application from interested persons that are received within 30 days of this public notice. Written comments should be directed to Oluwatoyin Fakilede, Environmental Engineer 3, Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 061065127 or DEEP.IndustrialNPDESPublicComments@ct.gov and should indicate Plainfield Renewable Energy, LLC and the Permit ID No. CT0030473 in the subject line. The Commissioner may hold a public hearing prior to approving or denying an application if in the Commissioner's discretion the public interest will be best served thereby, and shall hold a hearing upon receipt of a petition signed by at least twenty -five persons. Notice of any public hearing shall be published at least thirty (30) days prior to the hearing.
7.0 PETITIONS FOR HEARING
Petitions shall be submitted within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this public notice and should include the application number noted above and also identify a contact person to receive notifications. Petitions may also identify a person who is authorized to engage in discussions regarding the application and, if resolution is reached, withdraw the petition. Upon receipt of a petition, the Commissioner shall take action as required by relevant laws, including Public Act 25-84, which was effective upon passage in June 2025.
The Office of Adjudications will accept electronically-filed petitions for hearing in addition to those submitted by mail or hand-delivered. Petitions with required signatures may be sent to deep.adjudications@ct.gov; those mailed or delivered should go to the DEEP Office of Adjudications, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106. If the signed original petition is only in an electronic format, the petition must be submitted with a statement signed by the petitioner that the petition exists only in that form. Original petitions that were filed electronically must also be mailed or delivered to the Office of Adjudications within 30 days of electronic submittal. Additional information can be found at www.ct.gov/deep/adjudications.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you are seeking a communication aid or service, have limited proficiency in English, wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint, or require some other accommodation, including equipment to facilitate virtual participation, please contact the DEEP Office of Diversity and Equity at 860-418-5910 or by email at deep.accommodations@ct.gov. Any person needing an accommodation for hearing impairment may call the State of Connecticut relay number - 711. In order to facilitate efforts to provide accommodation, please request all accommodations as soon as possible following notice of any agency hearing, meeting, program, or event
/s/Audra Dickson, Director
Water Permitting and Enforcement Division
Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Published in the Norwich Bulletin on December 9, 2025.