Dear Rachel Carson Council North Carolina Members, North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) is considering a permit request from the Domtar Plymouth pulp mill (Martin County) that could allow increased processing of logs, and thus more toxic air emissions, without any physical upgrades to control pollution. We urgently need to raise our voices, but our window is closing: the public comment period ends November 25. If granted, this permit would allow the Dotmar Plymouth mill (sometimes called “the stink plant”) to emit more volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Studies show that pulp and paper mills are among the top industrial sources of hydrogen sulfide nationwide, and that their overall pollution is vastly under-reported. This is not just an environmental issue: it’s an environmental justice one. According to NCDEQ’s own Community Mapping System, census tracts around Plymouth rank high in environmental vulnerability. Domtar’s operations wouldn’t just burden nearby communities with higher risks of respiratory disease, heart conditions, and cancer; they also endanger the Roanoke River, which the company was forced to clean up in a costly 2011 settlement. We must speak up now. Use our sample template below—or write your own—and upload it using the linked form. Comments can also be emailed to daq.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov with “Domtar.25A” in the subject line, or by voicemail at 919-707-8728. Thank you for taking action for clean air, public health, and environmental justice.  Sincerely,
The Rachel Carson Council Team
www.rachelcarsoncouncil.org
Subject: Oppose Domtar Plymouth Paper Mill Permit To: North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Re: Domtar Plymouth Mill Permit Modification Request Dear NCDEQ officials, I am writing to oppose Domtar Paper Co.’s Title V permit modification request to double its log processing at its Plymouth mill without corresponding pollution controls or “physical modifications.” The Domtar facility has a long history of air quality violations and odor complaints, and it continues to emit hazardous air pollutants that can aggravate respiratory illness, heart disease, and cancer risks. Studies show that pulp and paper mills are among the top industrial sources of hydrogen sulfide nationwide, and that their overall pollution is vastly under-reported. Given Domtar’s historical pollution of the Roanoke River, I am deeply concerned about this permit request This region already faces cumulative pollution burdens from industrial facilities and biomass operations. Increasing emissions from Domtar would further degrade air quality for nearby residents, raising clear environmental justice concerns under NCDEQ’s own EJ screening policies. I urge NCDEQ to: - Deny this permit modification
- Require comprehensive air monitoring for VOCs, sulfur compounds, and particulate matter around Plymouth and the Roanoke River basin, with concurrent attention on Roanoke River’s water and soil health.
- Reexamine the economic costs, benefits, motivations for this proposed green log throughput increase (2.2 million tons), given “no physical modification” nor pulp production increase stipulations. Examine the significant acreage of forest habitats that would be exploited as a result.
- Extend this comment period as residents have been given little to no time to properly respond, and ensure that public hearing opportunities for affected residents are granted and widely publicized.
The people of eastern North Carolina deserve protection from preventable pollution, not a covert log throughput/VOC increase under the vague reassurances of “complying with good operation and maintenance practices” per BACT. Thank you for considering this comment. Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Town, NC]
[Optional: Affiliation, if student, faith group, etc.] | 
