Firm seeks to put biosolids in Nelson

By Erin McGrath

Published: September 10, 2008

Synagro Technologies Inc., a nationwide residuals management company, has submitted an application to the Virginia Department of Environment Quality to apply biosolids to land in Nelson County.

The DEQ received the application Aug. 4, said Gary Flory, a water compliance manager at DEQ for the Valley region. After a technical review of the application, the DEQ replied Aug. 18 with a letter saying the application was “administratively incomplete.”

‘We’re in the very, very early stages. We’re a ways away from the actual application (of biosolids) to the land.’
- Gary Flory, a water compliance manager at DEQ

“We’re in the very, very early stages,” Flory said. “We’re a ways away from the actual application (of biosolids) to the land.”

Synagro can have up to 60 days to complete the application, said DEQ biosolids specialist Dave Fireley Jr.

A total of 572 acres of land in Nelson County could receive land-applied biosolids if the application is approved.

Synagro plans to amend the application as soon as possible, said Synagro spokesman Hunter Richardson in an e-mail this week.

Richardson said the biosolids will originate from wastewater treatment plants in Virginia and other surrounding states.

“Synagro has a number of state-approved sources available to land-apply, all of which are eligible to be used as a fertilizer source for Nelson County farmers,” Richardson said.

Last September, the Nelson County Board of Supervisors adopted a biosolids ordinance prohibiting anyone without state approval to land-apply biosolids in the county.

Biosolids, as defined in the ordinance, are “sewage sludge that has received an established treatment for required pathogen control and is treated or managed to reduce vector attraction to a satisfactory level and contains acceptable levels of pollutants, such that it is acceptable for use for land application, marketing, or distribution in accordance with state law and regulations.”

The ordinance also allows the county to have a biosolids monitor to test biosolids before, after and during the land application process. The monitor would also oversee the permit and regulation process for those looking to apply biosolids in the county.

Nelson County Administrator Steve Carter said the county has not hired a biosolids monitor but is in the process of contracting with one.