DEQ Issues First-Time Title V Air Permit to Edwards Wood Products’ Laurinburg Sawmill

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has approved a Title V air quality permit for Edwards Wood Products, Inc. – Laurinburg Saw Mill #2 in Scotland County.

The sawmill previously held a synthetic minor air quality permit that limited emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to less than 100 tons per year. The facility applied to modify its permit to remove this cap, reclassifying it as a major source that requires a Title V air quality permit. Major sources are subject to more stringent regulations and more frequent inspections.

The mill will remain a minor source for hazardous air pollution. The modification keeps in place an operational limit designed to limit Edwards Wood Products’ emissions of toxic air pollution. Air dispersion modeling reviewed by DAQ demonstrated that the facility’s operations with this limit in place are not 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 comply with emission standards, including applicable health-based standards, beyond the facility’s fence line. The facility is 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.