Enviva Appreciates VADEQ’s Commitment to Community Engagement and Looks Forward to Public Hearing in September

Enviva Partners, LP, the world’s largest producer of industrial wood pellets, which provide low-carbon, renewable power, tonight issued a statement of appreciation to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for hosting a community meeting, in advance of the public hearing in September, to share information with local residents about Enviva’s request to voluntarily increase air quality controls at its Southampton facility in Franklin, VA.

Speaking about the meeting earlier this evening, Chairman & CEO John Keppler said, “Being a good neighbor means a lot of different things to our company. It means having an open dialogue with residents in and around our facilities, and we appreciate the Virginia DEQ taking the extra step to host tonight’s informational session in advance of the public hearing in September. It also means having a positive impact on our environment, both in communities where we operate and in the global fight against climate change. As global demand for solutions to lower carbon emissions and increase the use of renewable energy is growing, we are working hard to meet the need. And, it means providing economic benefits and career opportunities to those in Franklin and other areas where we operate. We’re grateful to the people of Franklin and the Virginia DEQ for participating in tonight’s meeting. We look forward to September’s public hearing, and, most importantly, to continuing to have a positive impact in the Franklin community.”

About the Southampton permit:

In consultation with the Virginia DEQ, Enviva requested modifications to the air permit for our Southampton facility that will allow us to:

• Install additional air emission controls equipment to further minimize air emissions;
• Increase the permitted production volume; and
• Increase the permitted percentage of softwood (pine).

Additional background information on the permits and Enviva operations:

• We have made a commitment to voluntarily install additional air emissions control equipment.
• The new air quality control measures will ensure the company meets or exceeds all regulations while improving production and efficiency of the facility. The permit includes stringent testing, recordkeeping and reporting requirements to ensure continued compliance with the Clean Air Act.
• Enviva conducted due diligence to confirm that the plant’s sourcing area has commercially available low-value wood that meets its strict sustainability requirements in sufficient qualities to supply the plant at the proposed increased production level.
• Enviva’s Responsible Sourcing Policy dictates that the company will only source low value fiber from tracts that will be replanted or regenerate as forest.
• The request to increase the percentage of pine will provide greater flexibility in our sourcing while allowing us to meet customer demands for wood pellets with higher energy value.

Background on Enviva and Renewable Wood Energy: