The DNREC Divisions of Water, Air Quality and Waste and Hazardous Substances will hold a joint public hearing (Docket #2022-P-MULTI-0012) regarding applications for permits needed to expand the Bioenergy Innovation Center, in Seaford. Public comment period closed.

Applications have been received from Bioenergy Development Company, LLC (BDC), for permits from the Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances, the Division of Air Quality, and the Division of Water. The permits would allow expansion of the Bioenergy Innovation Center, at 28338 Enviro Way, in Seaford from its existing organic waste composting to include an anaerobic digestion system, a wastewater pretreatment system and a biogas upgrading plant.

Copies of all application materials are available on the DNREC website.

Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances: Resource Recovery Permit

Notice is hereby given by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control that BDC has applied for a resource recovery facility permit to construct an anaerobic digestion system, biogas upgrading plant, and compost facility, located at the above referenced address, designed to process poultry industry wastes into digestate, pipeline-grade renewable natural gas (RNG), and compost. Wastes the facility will accept include Poultry litter, hatchery waste, dissolved air flotation (DAF) solid cake and liquid sludge, offal, waste activated sludge, and fats, oils, and greases. The capacity of the proposed facility is 250,000 tons per year.

A copy of the Resource Recovery Permit application and supporting documents are available online. For information on how you can inspect a physical copy of this application or if you have any questions about the Resource Recovery Permit, please contact Adam Schlachter via email at adam.schlachter@delaware.gov or via phone at (302) 739-9403.

Division of Air Quality: 7 DE. Admin. Code 1102 Natural Minor Permit Applications

BDC has requested a permit to construct one (1) natural gas fired emergency generator with a standby power rating of 1,082 KW (1,451 HP) and four (4) anaerobic digesters with associated biogas upgrade and air pollution control equipment at the above referenced address. The engine used in the proposed generator set is certified to comply with, and will be required to adhere to, U.S. EPA regulations under the provisions of Subpart JJJJ to 40 CFR 60 and the applicable emissions standards located therein. Construction of the generator would be completed in accordance with the requirements of Permit: APC-2022/0048-CONSTRUCTION.

The facility is proposed to receive and anaerobically digest poultry industry liquid and solid cake DAF waste, poultry litter, and bioreactor sludge from the on-site wastewater plant. Biogas generated during the anaerobic digestion process would be filtered and conditioned to meet the standards required for use in the natural gas pipeline grid. The digestate produced would be dewatered and is proposed for use in the adjacent compost facility or to be marketed as a soil amendment subject to future Department approval. A series of filtration equipment would be used to refine the gas and separate unwanted compounds from the product gas stream. The unwanted gas stream would be combusted by a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) or, in the event of equipment maintenance or excessive biogas production, a flare prior to emission into the atmosphere.

Emissions from the regenerative thermal oxidizer associated with the anaerobic digestion process will be permitted to emit 0.017 tons per year (TPY) of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), 1.104 TPY of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 0.023 TPY of particulate matter (PM), 0.002 TPY of sulfur oxides (SOx), and 0.258 TPY of carbon monoxide (CO) by Permit: APC-2022/0049-CONSTRUCTION. Emissions from the flare associated with the anaerobic digestion process will be permitted to emit 0.001 tons per year (TPY) of VOCs, 4.5 TPY of NOx, 0.002 TPY of PM, 0.001 TPY of SOx, and 20.6 TPY of CO by Permit: APC-2022/0049-CONSTRUCTION.

A copy of the Air Quality Natural Minor Permit application and supporting documents are available online. For information on how you can inspect a physical copy of this application or if you have any questions about the Air Quality Natural Minor Permit, please contact Tracy Mattson via email at tracy.mattson@delaware.gov or via phone at (302) 739-9402.

Division of Water: Wastewater Facility Construction Permits

BDC proposes to construct an anaerobic digestion system and a wastewater pretreatment system as part of a proposed resource recovery facility that processes poultry industry wastes into digestate, pipeline-grade renewable natural gas and compost at the above referenced address. The anaerobic digestion system and wastewater pretreatment system will include three (3) 0.208-million-gallon (MG) pretreatment tanks, and four (4) 1.95 MG fermentation tanks, a Membrane Bioreactor System (MBR), a 0.198 MG anoxic tank, a 0.412 MG aerobic reactor, a 0.198 MG ultrafiltration feeding tank and ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis treatment systems. The treated wastewater will be pumped and hauled to the Seaford wastewater treatment and disposal facility. A future construction phase will eliminate the need to transport the wastewater via truck by constructing a sanitary sewer pump station and force main that will connect to a future City of Seaford force main located in front of the site on Seaford Road.

A copy of the Wastewater Facility Construction Permit applications and supporting documentation available online. For information on how you can inspect a physical copy of this application and supporting documents or if you have any questions about the Wastewater Facility Construction Permit, please contact Derrick Caruthers via email at derrick.caruthers@delaware.gov or via phone at (302) 739-9948.

The Department will accept public comment through the close of business on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. Comments will be accepted in written form via email to DNRECHearingComments@delaware.gov, using the online form at de.gov/dnreccomments, or by U.S. mail to the address below.

Public Hearing Officer

Lisa A. Vest
DNREC Office of the Secretary
89 Kings Highway
Dover, DE 19901

Transcript, Hearing Officer’s Report and Secretary’s Order

Public Hearing Transcript

Hearing Officer’s Report
– Appendix A – BDC DNREC Exhibits Page
– Appendix B – BDC Technical Response Memo (March 29, 2023)
– Appendix C – BDC Technical Response Correction Memo (April 26, 2023)
– Appendix D – Addendum TRM (July 18, 2023)
– Appendix E – DWHS (Resource Recovery) revised Draft Permit (as referenced in the TRM as “App. I”)
– Appendix F – DW (Construction of Anaerobic Digester) revised Draft Permit (as referenced in the TRM as “App. II”)
– Appendix G – DW (Construction of Pretreatment System) revised Draft Permit (as referenced in the TRM as “App. III”)
– Appendix H – DAQ (Construction of natural gas-fired emergency generator) revised Draft Permit (as referenced in the TRM as “App. IV”)
– Appendix I – DAQ (Construction of anaerobic digestion plant) revised Draft Permit (as referenced in the TRM as “App. V”)
– Appendix J – DAQ Memorandum from Jordan Matthews, P.E., to Amy Mann, P.E. (March 20, 2023), detailing the DAQ’s extensive review of both DAQ permit applications submitted by BDC
– Appendix K – BDC Addendum Corrective Memo (September 5, 2023), providing additional clarity for the benefit of the Record with regard to clerical corrections made to Appendix B noted above.

Secretary’s Order No. 2023-MULTI-0022 — Approval of Permit Applications of Bioenergy Development Company, LLC (“BDC”) for expansion of their existing organic waste composting operation to include an anaerobic digestion system, a wastewater pretreatment system and a biogas upgrading plant, located at 28338 Enviro Way, Seaford, Delaware, as follows: One (1) Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances Resource Recovery Permit; Two (2) Division of Air Quality 7 DE Admin. Code 1102 Natural Minor Permits; and Two (2) Division of Water Wastewater Facility Construction Permits
(Effective Date: Sept. 6, 2023)

Hearing Exhibits

The exhibits presented by DNREC and the applicant during the hearing are listed and available on a Bioenergy Innovation Center Project Exhibits page.

Hearing Presentations

DNREC Presentation

Applicant’s Presentation

Legal Notices

Notice of the Permit Applications and Public Hearing

Delaware State News (Aug. 21, 2022)

News Journal (Aug. 21, 2022)

DNREC Website (Aug. 21, 2022)

Cape Gazette (Aug. 23, 2022)

Notice of the Permit Applications and Public Hearing, Updated

Cape Gazette (Sept. 23, 2022)

DNREC Website (Sept. 23, 2022)

Sept. 23 Notice in Translation
– En Español
– An Kreyòl Ayisyen

Delaware State News (Sept. 25, 2022)

News Journal (Sept. 25, 2022)

Public Comments