WNCRAQA opens public comment period on draft Title V Air Quality Permit for Duke Energy Progress, Inc. – Asheville Steam Plant

Press release from Western North Carolina Regional Air Quality Agency:

The Western North Carolina Regional Air Quality Agency (WNCRAQA) announces its intent to issue a Title V Permit with a PSD modification to Duke Energy Progress, Inc.- Asheville Steam Electric Plant located at 200 CP&L Drive in Arden, North Carolina. Duke Energy Progress, Inc. (DEP) operates two coal-fired boilers and two natural gas / No. 2 fuel oil-fired, simple-cycle combustion turbines at the Asheville Steam Electric Plant. Two natural gas / No. 2 fuel oil-fired simple/combined-cycle combustion turbines were permitted in 2017 as part of the Western Carolinas Modernization Project. DEP has applied for a Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) air permit to establish Plant Wide Applicability Limits (PALs) for emissions of particulate matter. The primary purpose of the Title V permit is to consolidate and identify existing local and federal air quality requirements applicable to Asheville Steam Electric Plant, and to provide practical methods for determining compliance with these requirements. The permit has been prepared in accordance with WNCRAQA Air Quality Code, Chapter 4, Section .0530 – “Prevention of Significant Deterioration,” Chapter 17, Section .0500 – “Title V Procedures” and Title V of the Federal Clean Air Act. This permit is enforceable by WNCRAQA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and citizens as defined under the Federal Clean Air Act.

The draft permit, permit application, and all other materials available to the WNCRAQA that are relevant to the permit decision are available for public review at the following address: Western North Carolina Regional Air Quality Agency, 52 Coxe Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801. Materials are available for review during the hours of 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Persons wishing to comment on the draft permit are required to submit their comments in writing to the WNCRAQA. Comments must be received by the WNCRAQA no later than December 31, 2019. All comments received on or prior to that date will be considered by the WNCRAQA in making its final decision to issue the Title V permit. Where there is significant public interest in a proposed permit, the WNCRAQA may hold a public hearing to receive oral or written comments on the proposed permit approval. In the event a public hearing is scheduled, notice will be provided thirty (30) days in advance in the same manner of publication.

EPA has agreed to treat this draft Title V permit as a proposed Title V permit and to perform its 45-day review provided by the law and regulations concurrently with the public notice period. Although EPA’s 45-day review period will be performed concurrently with the public comment period, the deadline for submitting a citizen petition to object to the EPA Administrator will be determined as if EPA’s 45-day review period is performed after the public comment period has ended (i.e., sequentially). The status regarding EPA’s 45-day review of this project and the deadline for submitting a citizen petition can be found at the following website address:

https://www.epa.gov/caa-permitting/north-carolina-proposed-title-v-permits.

After the public comment period and EPA review period have expired, copies of the final Title V permit, as well as public and EPA comments received and any other relevant information, will then be public record available for review during normal business hours at the above address.

For additional information, please contact Ashley Featherstone, Interim Director, at (828) 250-6777 or ashley.featherstone@buncombecounty.org.