The N.C. Division of Air Quality has scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 6 on a draft air quality permit for a proposed asphalt plant in Ashe County.
Appalachian Materials LLC has applied for a permit to build and operate a drum mix, hot mix asphalt plant on Glendale School Road in Glendale Springs, N.C. The permit deals with the control of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and other air emissions from the proposed plant.
The public hearing has been scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Ashe County Courthouse, 150 Government Center, Jefferson, N.C. 28640. People may register to speak at the hearing and/or submit written comments. Written comments will be accepted until Oct. 6, and can be sent to Jalal Adouli, N.C. Division of Air Quality, Winston-Salem Regional Office, 450 Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27105, or emailed to jalal.adouli@ncdenr.gov.
People wishing to speak at the hearing should plan to limit their comments to three minutes or less. The hearing officer will have the discretion to limit speaking times if necessary to accommodate the number of speakers.
Under the permit, Appalachian Materials must demonstrate it can comply with state and federal rules for controlling particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and other air emissions. Under the proposed permit, the facility would use a bag filter as the primary means for controlling emissions.
By law, the DAQ must review permits for compliance with air quality regulations. The division has no authority over zoning, land use, or where a company decides to locate a facility. Local governments are responsible for regulating land use.
The draft permit may be viewed online at /about/divisions/air-quality/air-quality-permits/draft-permits-reviews-related-public-notices-hearings or at the DAQ Winston-Salem Regional Office, 450 Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27105. Questions can also be directed to staff at the Winston-Salem Regional Office at 336-776-9800.
More information on air quality issues can be found at the N.C. Division of Air Quality's website, www.ncair.org.