Purpose of notice: To seek public comment on a draft permit from the Department of Environmental Quality that will allow the release of treated wastewater into a water in Botetourt County, Virginia.
Public comment period: October 22, 2025 to November 24, 2025
Permit name: Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit – Wastewater issued by DEQ pursuant to applicable water laws and regulations.
applicant Name, address and permit number: Town of Fincastle; P.O. Box 250, Fincastle, VA 24090; VA0060364
Facility name and location: Town of Fincastle WWTP; 1478 Botetourt Rd, Fincastle, Virginia 24090
Project description: The Town of Fincastle has applied for reissuance of a permit for the public Town of Fincastle WWTP. The applicant proposes to release treated sewage wastewaters at a rate of 0.125 million gallons per day from the current facility and 0.1875 million gallons per day from a proposed expanded facility into a water body. Sludge from the treatment process will be landfilled in the Smith Gap Landfill. The facility proposes to release the treated sewage wastewaters in Catawba Creek in Botetourt County in the Catawba Creek watershed. A watershed is the land area drained by a river and its incoming streams. The permit will limit the following pollutants to amounts that protect water quality: physical and chemical properties, nutrients, organic matter, solids, bacteria, and inorganics. This facility is subject to the requirements of 9VAC25-820 and has registered for coverage under the General VPDES Watershed Permit Regulation for Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus Discharges and Nutrient Trading in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in Virginia (Nutrient GP). The permittee has been assigned a waste load allocation in accordance with the 2007 amendment to Title 62.1- 44.19.15 of the Code of Virginia; this allocation cannot be traded or assigned to another facility, and the permittee will be required to achieve nutrient reductions equivalent to state-of-the-art, whether by nutrient removal technology or by reclamation/reuse.
HOW TO COMMENT AND/OR REQUEST A PUBLIC HEARING: DEQ accepts comments and requests for public hearing on the draft permit by hand-delivery, e-mail, or postal mail. All comments and requests must be in writing and be received by DEQ during the comment period. DEQ must receive hand-delivery and postal mail by close of business and email comments by 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the comment period. Submittals must include the names, mailing addresses or email addresses of the commenter/requester and of all persons represented by the commenter/requester. A request for public hearing must also include: 1) The reason why a public hearing is requested. 2) A brief, informal statement regarding the nature and extent of the interest of the requester or of those represented by the requester, including how and to what extent such interest would be directly and adversely affected by the permit. 3) Specific references, where possible, to terms and conditions of the permit with suggested revisions. A public hearing may be held, including another comment period, if public response is significant, based on individual requests for a public hearing, and there are substantial, disputed issues relevant to the permit.
Contact for public comments, document requests and additional information: Kevin A. Harlow; DEQ Blue Ridge Regional Office, 901 Russell Drive, Salem, VA 24153; Phone: (540) 759-9855; E-mail: Kevin.Harlow@deq.virginia.gov. The public may review the draft permit and application at the DEQ office named above by appointment or may request copies of the documents from the contact person listed above.
