RIEGELWOOD, NC (From news reports) -- The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has issued a modified air quality permit to International Paper - Riegelwood Mill in Columbus County.

International Paper operates a pulp and paper mill at the Riegelwood site that holds a major-source Title V air quality permit subject to the Prevention of Significant Deterioration permitting program. The modification of its Title V permit allows for a reconfiguration at the mill that will significantly reduce emissions of air pollution, particularly volatile organic compounds and sulfur dioxide.

In 2023, International Paper reduced production at the site and shut down one of its two pulp dryers and associated equipment. The reconfiguration allows the remaining pulp dryer to accommodate 1,400 tons of finished pulp a day.

Additionally, International Paper will reduce the amount of fossil fuels burned in its boiler, using additional biomass as a fuel in its place. While this would increase emissions of carbon monoxide from this unit, the project is expected to reduce facility-wide emissions of most pollutants, including carbon monoxide.

DAQ reviewed an analysis of the facility's carbon monoxide emissions that demonstrated the revisions are not expected to cause an exceedance of federal air quality standards. DAQ also reviewed air toxics dispersion modeling which demonstrated that no toxic air pollutant from the mill is expected to cause an exceedance of health-based limits.

The final permit includes conditions that ensure ambient levels of all pollutants emitted by the facility beyond the facility's fence line comply with emission standards, including applicable health-based standards. The facility will also be subject to recordkeeping and reporting requirements and regular inspections.

Copies of the final permit, final permit review, permit application, final environmental justice report, and a one-page project fact sheet are available online.