The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has issued an air permit for the Enviva Pellets Hamlet, LLC facility in Richmond County, which includes added requirements to address concerns of people in the community.
In response to community concerns raised during the public engagement process, air quality staff completed additional modeling beyond the regulatory requirement and compiled a county-wide emissions report for a more comprehensive picture of air quality in the area. The final permit also was revised to include additional testing requirements.
Department staff thoroughly reviewed the comments received on the draft permit during the public hearing and comment period. As a result, the final permit includes requirements for expanded initial, periodic and annual testing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM, PM10 and PM2.5) and specific hazardous air pollutants.
The permit adds additional testing requirements as production increases. Periodic testing will be required when the facility increases monthly production or softwood percentage by more than 10% over the initial (or most recent) performance test, with production not to exceed 625,011 oven-dried tons per year or 85% softwood. The additional testing will be used to establish emissions factors in this developing industry and further inform future permitting actions. (Fact Sheet)
In response to community concerns, DAQ staff closely analyzed estimated emissions of the Enviva facility along with other emissions sources in nearby communities, including Dobbins Heights and Hamlet. Analysis of the expanded area shows that the operation of the Enviva facility, within the limits of the final permit, would comply with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
The final permit, final permit review, hearing officer’s report, air quality report and environmental justice impact statement are available on the department’s webpage at deq.nc.gov/EnvivaHamlet
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