PERMIT REVIEW SUMMARY

Company Name:	Weyerhaeuser Company, Columbus Pulp and Paper Complex

Facility Location:	4335 Carson Road
Columbus, MS  39703

Source Number:	1680-00044

County: 		Lowndes

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Weyerhaeuser Company has submitted an application to modify PSD Permit 1680-00044 issued September 10, 1996, and modified May 9, 2012, to remove the emission limits established in the original permit in 1996. In the 1996 permit Weyerhaeuser underwent a significant expansion that was PSD and required a BACT analysis for the gas fired boiler which was to increase operating hours from 876 to 8760 hours per year. Using the top down approach for each of the criteria pollutants, the burning of natural gas was considered the Best Available Control Technology (BACT) for PM, PM10, and SO2. For VOCs, BACT was determined to be the efficient operation of the boiler. Based upon the permit application in 1996, it appeared limits were established for PM, PM10, SO2, and VOCS based upon emission factors for each of these pollutants at their potential to emit. Weyerhaeuser is requesting these limits be removed from the construction permit and the Title V Permit.          

REGULATORY APPLICABILITY

For SO2, PM, PM10, and VOCs, there are no Federal standards for a boiler when burning natural gas 100% of the time. There are applicable State standards for SO2, (4.8 lbs SO2  per MMBTU/hr) and PM (E= 0.8808 x I (-0.1167)) which are significantly higher than the limits Weyerhaeuser imposed in 1996. It also appears these limits were not established to circumvent any regulation, but were established based upon emission factors in 1996. These limits will be removed based upon the following: (1) Weyerhaeuser is following the BACT standards for SO2, PM, PM10 and VOCs by burning natural gas and operating the boiler as efficiently as possible as required by the boiler MACT and (2) there is a large margin of compliance for SO2 and PM with the state standards.  Limits for CO and NOX will remain as is, and the limit for SO2 will remain when diverting HVLC NCGs to the boiler.      

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The 30-day public notice period began on August 2, 2016 with the publication of a notice in the Commercial Dispatch and ends September 2, 2016.

RECOMMENDATION

The staff has preliminarily decided to recommend issuance of the permit to the Mississippi Environmental Quality Permit Board as shown in the draft permit.  However, the staff recommendation to the Board will be made only after a thorough consideration of all public comments.