Public Notice: NTEC-Navajo Mine, Fruitland, New Mexico; Proposed Reissuance of NPDES Permit No. NN0028193 and §401 Water Quality Certification
Summary
EPA is issuing a notice of proposed action under the Clean Water Act to reissue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit NN0028193 to:
NTEC- Navajo Mine, Fruitland, New Mexico
Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC)
P.O. Box 3767 Farmington, New Mexico 87499
EPA is soliciting comments on the reissuance of the NPDES permit No. NN0028193 for the NTEC-Navajo Mine, a coal mine located in Fruitland, San Juan County, New Mexico, within the northeastern portion of the Navajo Nation. The proposed permit will authorize the discharge from 42 outfalls which discharge to the Chaco River, a tributary to the San Juan River. The permittee is classified as a minor discharger.
EPA is also soliciting comments regarding issuance of a Clean Water Act (CWA) §401 water quality certification for this permit. Under CWA §401, a federal agency may not issue a permit that may result in any discharge into waters of the United States unless a state or authorized tribe where the discharge would originate issues a §401 certification verifying compliance with existing water quality requirements or waives the certification requirement.
The Navajo Nation has authority to issue §401 certifications. The Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA) received a complete application from NTEC on March 4, 2025, for issuance of a §401 Water Quality certification for this proposed permit. The §401 Cert ID no. is 2023-105SR. For additional information on the §401 certification including the administrative record of the §401 certification, or to submit comments on the §401 certification please contact the NNEPA at:
Navajo EPA
P.O. Box 339
Window Rock, AZ 86515
(928) 871-7185
patrickantonio@navajo-nsn.gov
The proposed NPDES permit and fact sheet can be found at the bottom of this page or at Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) - Navajo Coal Mine, Fruitland, NM.
Applicants or Respondents
Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) P.O. Box 3767
Farmington, NM 87499
United States
