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Residents urge commissioners to oppose Enviva expansion, request support for NCDEQ hearing
Summary
A resident urged Northampton County commissioners to support opposition to an Enviva wood-pellet plant expansion, asking commissioners to sign a letter and attend a forthcoming NCDEQ public hearing over air-quality and noise concerns.
During public comment, a resident urged the Board of Commissioners to oppose an expansion request by Enviva’s Northampton facility and asked commissioners to sign a letter of support and join residents at a North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) public hearing. The speaker said the pending permit update would allow increased emissions and raise legal limits for hazardous air pollutants, including carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and fine particulate matter.
The commenter said the Northampton plant is sited less than a mile from homes, churches and businesses and described a history of alleged violations at Enviva sites. The speaker asked the board to join residents in requesting NCDEQ require Enviva to install dust controls, reduce nighttime operations and address noise so neighboring residents can sleep. The speaker also asked commissioners to sign a letter of support to present to state lawmakers during a planned legislative day in Raleigh.
No formal board action was taken on the request during the meeting. The speaker said the date of the NCDEQ hearing will be scheduled soon and that the group planned a visit to Raleigh to raise lawmaker awareness of formaldehyde and other emissions concerns.
Ending: The board did not vote on the request during this meeting; residents said they will notify the county when the NCDEQ hearing date is set.
