Press Releases

RELEASE: Public Hearing on Draft Permit for International Tie to be held March 1

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) will host an online public meeting on Monday, February 22, to answer community questions about a draft permit for a wood and railroad tie pyrolysis facility for International Tie, LLC – Project Tie, located in Hamlet (Richmond County). A public hearing will follow on Monday, March 1, to receive comments on the draft permit.

DEQ Issues Notice of Violation to Chemours

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is taking enforcement actions against Chemours for failing to meet conditions of the Consent Order and the NPDES wastewater discharge permit related to the treatment system installed at Old Outfall 002 in September 2020.

N.C. Oil and Gas Commission to meet February 9

The North Carolina Oil and Gas Commission will meet virtually on Tuesday, February 9. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. The public may join the meeting by computer or phone.

REMINDER: North Carolina Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board to Meet February 1

The state Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board will meet on Monday, February 1, via WebEx, to continue discussion on hexavalent chromium.

DEQ reviewing Colonial Pipeline’s New Estimated Release Volume and Comprehensive Site Assessment

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has received the required Comprehensive Site Assessment (CSA), submitted by Colonial Pipeline on Jan. 20, which provides an estimated volume of 1.2 million gallons of gasoline released from the August 14, 2020, spill in Mecklenburg County’s Oehler Nature Preserve near Huntersville’s town limits. Both the CSA and estimated volume released are under review by DEQ’s technical staff.

New Date Announced for Blue Ridge Paper Products’ Proposed Wastewater Permit Renewal and Variance Removal Public Hearings

The Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Division of Water Resources (DWR) will conduct online public hearings Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 6:00 PM, to review proposed amendments to the Blue Ridge Paper Products, LLC’s (d/b/a Evergreen Packaging) effluent discharge permit and color variance removal.

DEQ to hold Public Hearing on Proposed Changes to State’s Groundwater Quality Standards

The Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Division of Water Resources will conduct an online public hearing February 2, 2021 on proposed revisions to the N.C. Groundwater Quality Standards.

Online public information meeting to be held January 27 about expanded asbestos sampling in Davidson

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Waste Management, along with the Environmental Protection Agency and Town of Davidson, will co-host an online public information meeting on January 27 to discuss asbestos-contaminated soil removal activities following recent expanded soil sampling for asbestos within one-quarter mile of the former Carolina Asbestos Corporation site in Davidson.

Division of Water Resources Issues Notice of Violation to DC Mills Farms, Inc.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources (DWR) issued a Notice of Violation and Intent to Enforce to DC Mills Farms, Inc. related to a December 21 animal waste lagoon failure. Due to the lagoon failure, DC Mills Farm released an estimated one million gallons of untreated animal waste in Jones County.

REMINDER: N.C. Environmental Management Commission to Meet January 13-14

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) will meet remotely Wednesday and Thursday January 13-14, 2021 by teleconference. The public is invited to attend the meetings online or by phone.