Source: NCDEQ, 5/24/22
The
N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has
issued an air quality permit for the North Carolina Renewable Power facility in
Lumberton, Robeson County. The air permit is a major modification to the previous Title V
permit that allows the facility to burn wood and poultry litter in two boilers
to generate steam that is used to generate electricity. Under the previous
operating permit, the facility was classified as a minor source based on
accepted, enforceable limits of 250 tons per year for multiple pollutants
regulated under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program. In
2017, the facility and DAQ entered a Special Order by Consent to
address noncompliance issues under that permit, including the exceedance of
allowed emissions. The new permit reclassifies the facility as a PSD major source to
reflect the current emissions, operating scenarios and additional boiler
modifications and requires the facility to implement Best Available Control Technology
on its boilers and other emission sources. A public hearing was held on a draft of the air permit on Feb. 21,
2022. Division staff thoroughly reviewed the comments received on the draft
permit during the public hearing and comment period. In response to
community concerns, the new permit includes additional requirements for testing
hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions. DAQ also added operational
restrictions into the permit, prohibiting operation of a fourth belt dryer
until the facility demonstrates compliance with the HAP avoidance limit through
this testing. The permit contains conditions that provide DAQ the compliance and
enforcement tools necessary to ensure the facility is operating as represented
in its permit application while complying with state and federal air quality
regulations. The facility will be subject to unannounced compliance
inspections. Required stack testing for particulate matter will also be
required and made publicly available. The final permit, the final permit review, the hearing officer’s report and the environmental justice report are
available online.
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