PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has fined the city of Rapid City $8,045 for Surface Water Discharge Permit violations at its regional recycling and municipal landfill facility (RALF).
The RALF discharges effluent to an unnamed tributary of Rapid Creek under a state-issued Surface Water Discharge Permit. Between May 2015, and February 2020, Rapid City reported violations of its permit limits for ammonia, total recoverable selenium, total suspended solids, pH, and total petroleum hydrocarbons.
As ordered in DENR’s October 19, 2020, Notice of Violation, Rapid City must verbally report any daily maximum violations, 30-day average effluent violations, or whole effluent toxicity violations to DENR within 24-hours of becoming aware of the violations and submit an engineering report to DENR identifying the causes of the effluent violations and steps taken to correct the violations. In addition, Rapid City must submit a detailed map of the facility to DENR including information on site topography, drainage areas, stormwater discharge points, control measures, and other areas of concern. Finally, by March 1, 2021, Rapid City must submit a schedule for completing any planned improvements necessary to ensure permit compliance.
Rapid City operates a regional recycling and municipal landfill facility located south of Rapid City that discharges effluent to an unnamed tributary of Rapid Creek. DENR requires Rapid City to sample its discharge and report any violations. For more information about DENR’s Surface Water Discharge permitting program visit https://denr.sd.gov/des/sw/swdischargepermits.aspx.
All environmental penalties are deposited in the state Regulated Substance Response Fund, which is used to respond to environmental emergencies.
