The Department of Environmental Quality has scheduled a public hearing Thursday to discuss the renewal of a Title V air permit for Roseburg Forest Product's Coquille Lumber plant.

The facility, located at Cedar Point Road near Coquille, converts logs to green veneer, which is dried and manufactured into plywood. As a result of these procedures, particle matter, volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants are emitted. The combustion of hog fuel and woodwaste to create steam involved in the conversion procedures also produces carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide.

The new permit would allow for double the amount of carbon monoxide and volatile organic compound emissions, while sulfur dioxide emissions would increase eight-fold, from five tons per year up to 39. Nitrogen oxides would rise by three tons of emission per year, going from 71 to 74. Particulate matter emissions would be required to decrease from 236 tons per year to 108 tons per year, and fine particulate matter from 166 to 92.

Despite the changes, DEQ has determined the air emissions from the Coquille facility will not result in a violation of established air quality standards.

In the past, DEQ has inspected the facility on a regular basis and found it to be generally in compliance with existing permit conditions. Three notices of noncompliance were issued between 1996 and 2005, and one civil penalty was issued. There are no air quality complaints or current enforcement actions underway.

If renewed, the permit would be in effect for five years.

The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 12, at the Coos County Annex Building, 290 N. Central Blvd., in Coquille. An informational session will start at 600 p.m., which will be followed by the formal hearing at 7 p.m.

Permitting documents are available for public inspection at the Coquille Public Library, 105 N. Birch St.

For more information or questions about the permit process, those interested can contact Patty Hamman at (503) 378-5305 or via e-mail at hamman.patricia@deq.state.or.us.