The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) issued a Title V air quality permit to Anson Gas Producers, LLC for a landfill-gas-to-natural-gas facility in Polkton.
Anson Gas Producers plans to accept landfill gas from the Anson County Waste Management Facility. Currently, the landfill burns off its landfill gas using a flare, producing emissions of carbon monoxide and other pollutants. Anson Gas Producers proposes to capture this gas and process it into natural gas for use offsite.
This process will reduce overall emissions from the landfill. Based on information from the applicant, the facility is expected to reduce the following pollutants annually:
- 7.53 tons of nitrogen oxide
- 1.33 tons of sulfur dioxide
- 41.59 tons of carbon monoxide
- 1.86 tons of particulate matter
- 3.1 tons of volatile organic compounds
- 5.93 tons of hazardous air pollutants
Emissions from Anson Gas Producers will be controlled by a hydrogen sulfide treatment system and a candlestick flare.
Air dispersion modeling reviewed by DAQ demonstrated that the facility’s emissions of toxic air pollutants are expected to comply with applicable standards and will not cause an exceedance of any acceptable ambient level. DAQ also conducted dispersion modeling to review the combined emissions of Anson Gas Producers and the Anson County Waste Management Facility landfill. These combined emissions are also expected to comply with state requirements.
Due to concerns regarding the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the Anson County Waste Management Facility’s landfill, the air quality permit for Anson Gas Producers requires the company to conduct initial sampling of the inlet landfill gas for the presence of PFAS and disclose information related to PFAS concentrations.
The final permit includes conditions that ensure ambient levels of all pollutants beyond the facility’s fence line comply with emission standards, including applicable health-based standards. The facility would also be subject to recordkeeping requirements and regular inspections.
DAQ held a public hearing and a public comment period to solicit feedback on a draft of the air permit. The Division shared project information with local governments, places of worship, schools and community organizations. Division staff thoroughly reviewed the comments received and addressed all comments in the final permit review. In response to comments from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Division made minor adjustments to the draft permit for clarity.
Copies of the final permit, final permit review, hearing officer’s report, final environmental justice report, permit application and application addendums, and a one-page project fact sheet are available online.
Anson Gas Producers and the Anson County Waste Management Facility have different ownerships and are considered separate Title V facilities. The Anson Gas Producers air permit is a separate permitting action from the draft landfill expansion permit for the Anson Landfill, which is being managed by the Division of Waste Management.
If you need this information in Spanish or another language, please call 919-707-8446 or send an email to Shawn.Taylor@deq.nc.gov.