Public invited to comment on draft air quality permit modification for Columbia Plywood Corp.
RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is accepting public comment on a draft air quality permit modification for Columbia Plywood Corporation - Columbia Carolina Division, a plywood manufacturing facility in McDowell County.
The modification would allow Columbia Plywood to install an air curtain incinerator (ACI) unit at the facility to burn its wood waste for disposal. This unit will increase the facility’s potential emissions of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide above major-source thresholds, requiring a Title V air quality permit from the state.
Air dispersion modeling reviewed by DAQ demonstrated that the facility’s emissions of toxic air pollutants and the ACI’s emissions of particulate matter are not expected to cause an exceedance of health-based limits. The facility’s throughput and hours of operation will also be restricted to limit emissions of hazardous air pollution.
The draft permit includes conditions that ensure ambient levels of all pollutants emitted by the facility comply with emission standards, including applicable health-based standards, beyond the facility’s fence line. The facility would also be subject to recordkeeping and reporting requirements and regular inspections.
The Division will consider all public comments before making a final decision on the proposed permit. Comments or requests for a public hearing will be accepted until Sept. 11, 2025. Comments can be emailed to daq.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov with “ColumbiaPlywood.24B” in the subject line, or left via voicemail by calling 919-707-8728. Comments can also be mailed to:
NCDEQ Division of Air Quality
1641 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1641
Copies of the public notice, draft permit, draft permit review, permit application, and a one-page project fact sheet are available online.
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