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: August 16, 2022	MDEQ Contact: Clinton Gentry

Amick Farms LLC, located at Number 2, 631 Hawks Road, in Laurel, MS, (601) 399-7000, has applied to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) for the following permitting action(s): Synthetic Minor Operating Permit Reissuance with Modifications, Air  Ref. No. 1360-00027. The applicant's operations fall within SIC Code 2048.  A Statement of Basis 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 Statement of Basis also addresses any changes to emissions and/or discharges resulting from any modification of the facility.  
Amick Farms LLC (Formerly Wayne Farms LLC) has applied for a reissuance of their Synthetic Minor Operating Permit (SMOP) previously issued May 10, 2017 and set to expire on April 30, 2022. Amick Farms is a poultry feed mill and hatchery. The facility’s primary function is the production of poultry feed from the following raw materials: whole grain, milled grain, distillers dried grain, meals, minerals, and other minor ingredients. After receiving these materials, the facility mills and mixes them before producing a pelletized feeding mix. The mix is them prepared and shipped for distribution. 
The facility has requested that the following modifications be made to their operating permit upon reissuance: [1] The existing cyclone system for the pellet cooler (existing emission point AA-013) be replaced with upgraded units that will increase the capacity of the pellet cooler to 80 tons per hour (up from 75 tons per hour). [2] A new corn receiving pit (proposed emission point AA-017), elevator, and storage silo be constructed. This receiving system will be provided with a baghouse for emissions control. [3] The addition of a diesel fired emergency generator (proposed emission point AA-018) for their hatchery that was existing on site but was previously unpermitted.
Amick Farms has the potential to exceed the Title V threshold of 100 tpy for PM10. In order to qualify as a Synthetic Minor Source, the facility will take a limitation on their annual production rate. This limitation will be 700,800 tpy of feed produced (roughly 1,920 tons per day) and compliance with this limitation will be demonstrated via monthly and rolling, 12-month production records. This limit, along with the control devices in place at the facility will ensure that the facility is both a Synthetic Minor Source as well as a PSD avoidance site. This limit is established as the facility’s operational maximum calculates to 68.37 tpy of PM, 34.44 tpy of PM10 and 17.35 tpy of PM2.5. 

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 that the final staff recommendation on 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 resulting recommendation to the Permit Board. 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 Clinton Gentry at https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/Gentry-Clinton/ or to the Permit Board address shown above, no later than the end of the thirty (30) day public notice. All comments received by this date will be considered in the formulation of final determinations regarding the application(s).  A public hearing will be held if the Permit Board finds a significant degree of public interest in the proposed permit(s). Persons wishing to request a public hearing may do so by submitting that request in writing to Clinton Gentry at https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/Gentry-Clinton/ 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 statement of basis 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.