Joint Statement from Greater Greener Gloster and Dogwood Alliance.

MDEQ lets Drax off the hook for harmful pollution. They fail to protect local people and the environment.

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) reached a recent settlement agreement with Drax Biomass. Greater Greener Gloster and Dogwood Alliance condemn this settlement. Drax has released harmful chemicals, like methanol, into the air at its plant in Gloster, MS. They broke pollution laws. Drax also failed to follow testing rules. The deal includes a $150,000 fine paid to MDEQ. It also includes $75,000 in funding for a small project to reduce dust. This is nowhere near enough. It does not fix the damage Drax has caused to the environment and local families.

Dr. Krystal Martin is a Gloster resident. She’s also the Executive Director of Greater Greener Gloster. She said,

“I’m disappointed in MDEQ. This fine does not justify the harm caused to our lives and property, nor does it support the mission of safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of all Mississippians. This penalty should have been stiffer than the previous one because Drax is a known polluter with a history of violations in Gloster. This is an insult to the many residents who suffer daily from respiratory illnesses.”

Drax has a long history of violating their permits and polluting communities.

In 2021, MDEQ fined Drax $2.5 million for years of pollution. These fines are a drop in the bucket compared to the $2 million per day the UK government gives Drax in subsidies.

This is a slap on the wrist. Paying a fine and putting up a dust screen doesn’t solve the real problem. This pollution can cause dangerous health problems like cancer. People living near the plant need real protection.

Drax must be fully responsible for the harm it’s causing.

We’re calling for stronger action. Southern forests and the people who depend on them need real solutions. Not empty promises. Biomass energy is not a climate solution. Protecting our forests is.

Drax Amite converts trees into wood pellets. Drax ships them to the United Kingdom. The UK then burns the wood pellets for electricity. Governments subsidize the wood pellets, too. They do this because of a mistaken notion that they’re carbon neutral and good for the climate. This settlement shows that Drax is a bad actor. They not only harm forests, but also communities.

For further information, please reach out to:

Dr. Krystal Martin, Greater Greener Gloster – 256.665.5046
Scot Quaranda, Dogwood Alliance – 828-251-2525 x18