The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Water, hereby gives notice of the following proposal regarding National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits:

Drawbridge Claymont, LLC and Honeywell International, Inc. have filed a timely and sufficient application for reissuance of their jointly held NPDES Permit No. DE0000655 (State Number WPCC 3218F/74) to discharge storm water runoff and groundwater infiltration to Zone 5 of the Delaware River from their facilities located on Philadelphia Pike in Claymont, New Castle County, Delaware.  Drawbridge facilities covered by this permit are on the south side of Philadelphia Pike, and the Honeywell facilities are on the north side.  A large portion of the Drawbridge parcel to the south of Philadelphia Pike has been filled and is currently leased to Braskem America, Inc. to operate a rail car storage facility.  The only remaining manufacturing onsite is Honeywell’s production of boron trifluoride (including fluosulfonic acid as an intermediate) on their parcel north of Philadelphia Pike. 

The majority of the discharge to Outfall 001 consists of storm water and infiltrated ground water that is treated to adjust pH, necessary because of site contamination from the many years of manufacturing there.  The site is currently undergoing Remedial Investigation under the Delaware Hazardous Substance and Cleanup Act, but with EPA Region III as the lead agency in clean-up efforts.

Based on a preliminary staff review and application of lawful standards and regulations, the Department proposes to re-issue this permit, subject to certain effluent limitations and conditions.  The proposed determinations are tentative. Persons wishing to comment upon or object to the proposed determinations are invited to submit same in writing to the Surface Water Discharges Section of the Division of Water, at the address listed below, no later than 30 days from this notice.  All comments received prior to said date will be considered in the formulation of final determinations regarding this application.

A public hearing on the above will NOT be held unless the Secretary of DNREC receives a request by 4:30 pm November 8, 2019, or if the Secretary determines that a public hearing is in the public interest.  A request for a hearing shall be in writing and shall state the nature of the issues to be raised at the hearing.  It must also show familiarity with the proposal and a reasoned statement of the permit’s probable impact.

The applications, fact sheets, and permits are available for inspection or copies may be obtained by contacting:

Division of Water
Surface Water Discharges Section
89 Kings Highway
Dover, DE 19901
302-739-9946