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: November 10, 2023	MDEQ Contact: Megan Rupp

Hardy Technologies LLC (“Hardy”), located at 115 Old Highway 11 in Lumberton, MS, (208) 255-3252, has applied to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) for the following permitting action: modification of a PSD Permit to Construct Air Emissions Equipment (Air Ref. No. 1440-00046). The applicant's operations fall within SIC Code 2421: Sawmills and Planing Mills, General. A Preliminary Determination 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 Preliminary Determination also addresses any changes to emissions resulting from any modification of the facility.  
The proposed modification includes the addition of a second saw line; the addition of a new continuous direct-fired drying kiln equipped with a 45 MMBTU/hr dual wood waste and natural gas-fired burner; conversion to a dual wood waste and natural gas-fired burner for continuous direct-fired kiln no. 3 (Emission Point AA-203; CDK No. 3); removal of the planer dry chipper (Emission Point AA-205); and an increase in the facility’s maximum dried lumber throughput to 400 million board feet per year (MMBF/yr).
Hardy is considered a new major stationary source for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ozone.  Hardy completed a Best Achievable Control Technology (BACT) Analysis and a Source Impact Analysis for the following regulated NSR pollutants that the facility has the potential to emit in significant amounts as a result of this project: VOCs, particulate matter (PM), particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10), particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5), and greenhouse gases (GHGs).
This project is subject to the PSD regulations, which set certain requirements on the permissible incremental impact on air quality and the degree of control of air contaminants, and has been reviewed for compliance with those regulations.  The project will be located in a PSD Class II area and the following consumption of air quality increments is predicted to occur:
 Particulate Matter Less than 10 microns
	Annual	3.45 micrograms per cubic meter or 
		20.3% of the 17 micrograms per cubic meter increment.
	24-Hour	15.09 micrograms per cubic meter or
		50.3% of the 30 micrograms per cubic meter increment.
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 Megan Rupp at https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/rupp-megan/ or to the Permit Board address shown above, no later than the end of December 11, 2023. 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 Megan Rupp at https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/rupp-megan/ 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 Preliminary Determination may be found on the MDEQ’s website at: https://opcgis.deq.state.ms.us/ensearchonline/epd-permits-at-public-notice.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.