DEQ holding public hearing in Richmond County for air quality permit applications from Amazon, Duke

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Air Quality has scheduled a public hearing on July 30 in Rockingham, Richmond County, to address air quality permit applications from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Duke Energy Progress. The hearing will take place at the old Richmond County courthouse.

Amazon's draft permit application details plans for a data center campus featuring 21 buildings, which will not emit regulated air pollutants during normal operation. However, to ensure continuous operation, the complex will install 588 diesel/renewable diesel-fired emergency generators, 28 per building, on the 700-acre site south of Hamlet on Airport Road. Additionally, Amazon plans four ancillary generators and associated fuel tanks.

Duke Energy's application, initially submitted in March, proposed 54 temporary non-emergency engines and six fuel oil storage tanks within the Amazon footprint, known as a Bridge Power Asset. Subsequent amendments in May included three 300-kilowatt generators and three more fuel tanks, with a request to limit the Bridge Power Project's duration to 364 days. Duke stated the project's goal is to provide interim power for AWS's initial commissioning while a transmission line is constructed.

DEQ-DAQ's review led to a preliminary determination that the applications could be approved if certain permit conditions are met, as air dispersion modeling indicated emissions are not expected to violate health-based air quality standards. Public comments are accepted via email or voicemail until July 31, 2026, for the permits identified as "Amazon.25A and DukeRichmond.26C."