NCDEQ’s Division of Air Quality requires additional monitoring, testing in final air quality permits for Amazon data center and Duke Energy projects
RALEIGH – The NC Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has issued two air quality permits in Richmond County to Amazon Data Services and Duke Energy Progress that cap emissions and include conditions to ensure that all federal air quality standards will be met. The permits also require the use of control technologies to minimize emissions and, in response to public feedback, include additional emissions testing and monitoring requirements.
Amazon’s air quality permit allows for the operation of 588 emergency backup engines at its Energy Way Tech Campus data center on Airport Road in Hamlet. These engines will operate during power outages in addition to limited periods of maintenance, testing and activation.
Duke Energy’s air quality permit allows for the operation of 57 temporary non-emergency “bridge power” engines that will provide energy to Amazon’s facility until the data center is connected to the power grid. Duke Energy is required to retire the engines within a year of starting operations.
“The Department recognizes there is significant public concern about these projects,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “While the Division of Air Quality’s statutory authority is limited in the review of these projects, protecting air quality remains paramount for this Department. We appreciate the community’s input and will ensure both Amazon and Duke Energy comply with all of the requirements in these permits.”
DAQ held a joint public hearing and 30-day comment period to receive comments on draft permits for Amazon and Duke Energy. DAQ also shared project information with local churches, libraries, local governments, schools, community organizations and the Lumbee Tribe to ensure the community was informed of the comment period.
After reviewing all public comments, the Division developed the final permits with additional requirements. Specifically:
- Amazon’s final permit clarifies fuel usage monitoring requirements.
- Duke Energy’s final permit requires more initial testing of generators and requires that the bridge power from its engines exclusively be used to power Amazon’s facility.
- Both final permits include additional recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
Public comments raised concerns about issuing two separate permits for these activities. While both air quality permits relate to Amazon’s data center, the two permitted activities are not under the control of the same company and the two permits serve different purposes on different time horizons. (Amazon controls the emergency backup engines and Duke Energy controls the temporary bridge power engines before Amazon’s connection to the grid.) Furthermore, issuing a combined permit could result in the release of higher overall emissions. Under normal operation, Duke Energy’s bridge power and Amazon’s backup engines will not operate concurrently.
DAQ analyzed both projects using worst-case operational scenarios and found that compliance with applicable standards can be achieved. Actual emissions of Amazon’s backup generators are expected to be far below these worst-case levels.
Air dispersion modeling reviewed by DAQ determined that the emissions of toxic air pollutants from each facility are not expected to violate health-based air quality levels. In response to public comments, DAQ evaluated potential uncontrolled acrolein emissions (a toxic air pollutant) from Amazon’s engines and found they are also expected to comply with health-based levels.
DAQ’s issuance of these permits follows Richmond County’s approval of a county incentive package to Amazon for building the data center near Hamlet. DAQ does not have authority to regulate siting, land use or electricity supply through the air quality permitting process.
North Carolina has maintained compliance with all federal air quality standards for more than 11 consecutive years. DAQ expects these standards to continue to be met with the issuance of these permits.
Copies of the final permits, final permit reviews, hearing officer’s reports, final community profiles, permit applications and one-page project fact sheets are available online for Amazon and Duke Energy.
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