Air permit approved by WVDEP met strict state and federal standards that are protective of human health and the environment
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Sept. 18, 2018) – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) issued the following statement regarding the Rockwool facility being constructed in Jefferson County.
“The legislation that created WVDEP states our mission clearly,”
said WVDEP Cabinet Secretary Austin Caperton. “It is to effectively carry out the state’s environmental laws and regulations that are designed to provide and maintain a healthful environment consistent with the economic benefits derived from strong agricultural, manufacturing, tourism, and energy producing industries. This project clearly meets that standard.”
“Based on all available information that we have gathered and that we have reviewed, we see no threat to the health of our citizens and no threat to our environment,”
Secretary Caperton added. “Our scientists and engineers with the WVDEP have reviewed all available data and have assured me there is virtually no other state in America that would have denied this permit.”
After becoming aware of Rockwool’s intent to construct the facility, WVDEP Division of Air Quality permit engineers personally traveled to Byhalia, Mississippi to review operations of a Rockwool facility to understand the manufacturing process to be used at the Jefferson County site.
WVDEP then carefully reviewed the Rockwool air quality permit application for their Jefferson County facility. That review determined the air quality permit application met all regulatory requirements. The WVDEP issued the air quality permit in accordance with all state and federal Air Quality Standards, which are inherently protective of human health.
There is no scientific evidence to suggest that the proposed facility will adversely affect human health or the environment. In addition to its plant in Mississippi, Rockwool has operated a similar facility in Canada for approximately 30 years. Based on the performance of the operations in Canada and Mississippi, and the WVDEP’s stringent air quality permit application review process, there is no reason to suspect that the facility in Jefferson County poses a threat to people living nearby or to the environment.
The WVDEP will continue to inspect the facility and enforce the terms of both the air quality permit and the construction stormwater permit.
Documentation for the Rockwool facility be found here on the WVDEP website:
https://dev-deptwo.wv.gov/news/Pages/RockwoolInformation.aspx.