North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Environmental Management Commission
Public Notice
Special Order by Consent for
Terra-Mulch Products, LLC
Conover, Catawba County
Terra-Mulch Products, LLC produces landscaping and agricultural products, such as mulch and fiber mats. The facility is located at 219 Simpson Street, in Conover, Catawba County, North Carolina. Permitted sources include a natural gas-fired wood fiber dryer and a fiber bagging operation.
The facility currently operates under Title V Air Quality Permit No. 04248T21, which was issued on November 9, 2025, and has an expiration date of July 31, 2029. Specific conditions 2.1 A.1.b and B.1.b of the permit requires the performance testing of the wood fiber dryer and the fiber bagging operation to demonstrate compliance with the 15A NCAC 02D .0515(a) emission limit for particulate matters. Due to the significant structural and safety concerns, the facility cannot conduct the required performance test to demonstrate compliance with the applicable emission limit for particulate matters.
Terra-Mulch Products, LLC has agreed to a Special Order by Consent (SOC) with the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) to resolve performance testing issues related to the facility’s particulate matters emission limitations.
Per the terms of the SOC, the company must redesign and replace existing cyclones and support structures to safely conduct the required performance test to demonstrate compliance with the applicable emission limit for particulate matters. The company must complete the work to redesign and replace the existing equipment and recommence operation to allow the required performance testing withing fifteen months of receiving a permit from DEQ's Division of Air Quality (DAQ) allowing for the construction and operation of the new equipment.
The SOC includes an upfront penalty and enforcement action pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 143-215.114A for failure to comply with any terms or conditions specified in Air Quality Permit No. 04248T21 or the SOC. The SOC will expire when the company submits a final compliance report and pays all stipulated penalties due, or on September 30, 2028, whichever comes first.
This proposed SOC may be viewed on the Division of Air Quality website.
A copy of the proposed SOC may also be viewed at the following locations and additional information concerning the proposed SOC may be obtained by contacting:
Melinda Wolanin, Regional Air Quality Supervisor
NC DEQ – Mooresville Regional Office
610 E. Center Avenue, Suite 301
Mooresville, North Carolina 28115
Phone 704-235-2230
OR
Samir Parekh, Stationary Source Compliance Branch Supervisor
NC DEQ-DAQ Raleigh Central Office
217 West Jones Street
1641 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1641
Phone 919-707-8409
Interested persons are invited to review the proposed SOC and to submit written comments by email to daq.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov with “Terra-Mulch Products, LLC SOC” in the subject line or by mail to one of the above addresses. Any person requesting a public hearing regarding the proposed SOC should submit a written request with a statement supporting the need for such a hearing. The request for hearing should be sent to the DAQ at one of the two above addresses or at the above email address.
All public comments and requests for hearing must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2026. The Director of the DAQ shall take final action on behalf of the EMC on Consent Orders within 60 days of the initial public notice.