Residents report smoke, dust and health concerns from industrial operations in Northampton County

Several Northampton County residents urged the Board of Commissioners to act after describing ongoing smoke from site clearing at a solar company and chronic dust and chemical exposure linked to a wood pallet facility.

Sylvia Vincent told commissioners the company she named Sun Energy has been removing forest and burning large piles of debris and stumps near her community, producing heavy smoke that she said at times forced residents indoors. “We do not want to develop respiratory conditions,” Vincent said, and she asked the county to require alternate methods for debris removal, such as chipping or hauling to landfills.

Richie Harding and other community members described surveys and anecdotal health complaints they attributed to dust and to chemicals including formaldehyde at a nearby pallet facility. Harding said some residents have frequent coughing, sinus infections and eye irritation; he also said a national law firm had reached out and that attorneys were coordinating a multi-state investigation into health impacts.

Harding said the community had met with officials from the state Division of Air Quality but that residents did not feel their complaints had been adequately addressed. He announced a community forum in Gaston next Tuesday at 6 p.m. to collect further testimony and coordinate next steps.

Commissioners did not take immediate regulatory action during the meeting. County staff did not offer a response or a timeline for follow-up in the record.

Speakers asked the commissioners to consider ordinance changes or permitting conditions that would reduce open burning and require other disposal methods for clearing debris associated with solar development.