Author: Bruce Ferguson
Last saved by: Ivelina Pilgrim
Company: DEQ

Public Notice
Mississippi Environmental Quality Permit Board
P. O. Box 2261 | Jackson, MS 39225
515 East Amite St. | Jackson, MS 39201
Telephone No. (601) 961-5171

Public Notice Start Date: September 23, 2026	MDEQ Contact: Ivelina Pilgrim

Shuqualak Lumber Company Inc, Planer Mill Division (“Shuqualak Lumber”), located at 402 Oak Street, in Shuqualak, MS, (662) 425-3496, has applied to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) for the following permitting action: Issuance of a Permit to Construct Air Emissions Equipment (Air Ref. No. 2000-00013). The applicant's operations fall within SIC Code 2421 (Sawmills and Planing Mills, General).  Shuqualak Lumber operates an existing Planer Mill which manufactures dimensional lumber from southern yellow pine that is produced by Shuqualak Lumber’s sister sawmill. The proposed permit is for the construction of one (1) continuous steam-heated lumber drying kiln in place of two (2) steam-heated batch lumber kilns which burned down. The facility will limit the total dried lumber throughput from all lumber drying kilns to no more than 171.6 million board feet per year in order to maintain volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions below the significant emission rate threshold and avoid being subject to a Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) review.  
A Permit Review Summary has been prepared that contains a discussion of the decision-making that went into the development of the permit and provides the permitting authority, the public, and other government bodies a record of the technical issues surrounding issuance of the permit. The Permit Review Summary also addresses any changes to emissions resulting from any modification of the facility.  
The staff of the Permit Board has developed this draft permit based on information submitted to the Permit Board by the applicant, appropriate State and Federal agencies and other interested parties. The staff of the Permit Board is soliciting all relative information pertaining to the proposed activity, including public comment, to ensure the draft permit complies with all State and Federal regulations. Public review and comment on the draft permit and supporting documentation is an important element in the staff evaluation and its consideration of key aspects of the permit action. The draft permit conditions have been developed to ensure compliance with all State and Federal regulations but are subject to change based on information received as a result of public participation.
Persons wishing to comment upon or object to the proposed determinations are invited to submit comments in writing to Ivelina Pilgrim at https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/pilgrim-ivelina/ or to the Permit Board address shown above, no later than October 23, 2026. All comments received by this date will be considered in the formulation of final determinations regarding the application.  A public hearing will be held if the Permit Board finds a significant degree of public interest in the proposed permit. Persons wishing to request a public hearing may do so by submitting that request in writing to Ivelina Pilgrim at https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/pilgrim-ivelina/ or to the Permit Board address shown above.  The Permit Board is limited in the scope of its analysis to environmental impact.  Any comments relative to zoning or economic and social impacts are within the jurisdiction of local zoning and planning authorities and should be addressed to them.
Additional details about the application, including a copy of the draft permit, are available by writing or calling the Public Records Request Officer at the above Permit Board address and telephone number or by completing the form at the following website:  https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/about-mdeq/public-records-request/public-records-request-form/.  Additionally, a copy of the draft permit and permit review summary may be found on the MDEQ’s website at: https://opc.deq.state.ms.us/publicnotice.aspx This information is also available for review at the office of the MDEQ at the Permit Board address shown above during normal business hours. Please bring the foregoing to the attention of persons whom you know will be interested.

2011 PER20240001