Old North News

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) has withdrawn its application to modify its Title V air quality permit, leading the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) to cease processing the request. UNC notified DAQ of the withdrawal on March 10.

Previously, UNC sought permission to modify its air quality permit to allow for the use of engineered pellets in place of coal and natural gas in the boilers at its cogeneration facility on Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill. The facility is currently classified as a major source and operates under a Title V air quality permit issued in 2024.

As part of the review process for UNC's application, DAQ conducted a public hearing on January 16 to gather feedback on the draft permit. This public input prompted DAQ to request further information from UNC regarding emission estimates. However, at the time of withdrawal, DAQ had not received complete responses from UNC, leaving the application pending.

Documents related to this process, including the permit application and related correspondence, are available online for public access.

For those needing this information in Spanish or another language, contact can be made via phone at 919-707-8446 or email Shawn.Taylor@deq.nc.gov.