Industrial wood pellet facilities are also called biomass plants. This industry uses trees from clearcut Southern forests to make wood pellets. They ship the pellets overseas. The pellets are then burned as fuel in coal-fired power plants. This is happening across Europe and Asia. Enviva is North Carolina’s wood pellet producer. They have four NC facilities, all in Tier 1 counties. Enviva went bankrupt in 2024, but they’re still polluting North Carolina communities.
For years, community members have documented the dust, noise, and health impacts of living near wood pellet plants. Now the data backs them up.
We must demand dust control plans at wood pellet facilities. We must give families back their health, wages, and quality of life.
Enviva filed for bankruptcy in 2024. Meanwhile, NC taxpayers are footing the bill.
Opposing biomass expansion isn’t only about stopping pollution. It’s also about investing in a stronger economy for NC families.
The biomass industry clearcuts the very forests that clean our air and shield us from storms. These forests also protect us from flooding and drought.
Protecting our forests is the most cost-effective way to fight climate change.
The question is not whether biomass is failing North Carolina. The data proves it is. The question is: Will we choose to build something better?
Impacted Communities Against Wood Pellets (ICAWP) is a coalition of neighbors, parents, and young people. Members are from the NC counties most impacted by wood pellet production. ICAWP and Dogwood Alliance work together. We fight for forest protection and environmental justice in NC. We:
We strengthen local economies by spreading the truth about the cost of biomass. We protect public health by supporting pollution control at wood pellet facilities. We safeguard our climate by keeping our forests standing. Forests absorb carbon, filter water, and shield us from natural disasters.
Together, we’re building a healthier future for NC families.
In 2011, Enviva opened its first wood pellet production facility in Ahoskie, NC. From 2011-2019, Enviva built and expanded four wood pellet facilities in NC. North Carolina became the largest producer of wood pellets in the nation.
North Carolinians mobilized to oppose the expanding industry. In 2019, Enviva underwent production expansions at three of their NC facilities. This was at the Northampton, Sampson, and Richmond County facilities.
Each facility had a public hearing. The hearings were about the expanded production and new air pollution controls. There was major organizing with big turnouts at the public hearings. But the Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) granted Enviva the expansion permits.
In 2020, Active Energy Renewable Power planned to build a facility in Lumberton, NC. The local community organized with other impacted communities. They created the Impacted Communities Against Wood Pellets coalition. The ICAWP was victorious in stopping the AERP facility.
ICAWP continues to work toward policies and regulations. Ones that protect people and forests. The coalition is building legislative allies. It’s pushing for stronger pollution controls. Coalition leaders are nurturing the next generation to carry on this important work.
The biomass industry took taxpayer money, cut down our forests, and made our families sick. And they still went bankrupt. Now North Carolina has a choice:
We can keep supporting a failing industry. An industry that takes our resources and leaves us with the costs. Or we can invest in a future where:
We know which North Carolina our communities deserve. Will you help us build it?
Join the movement to protect North Carolina forests and communities. Sign up for the Dogwood Alliance email list. We’ll share updates with you and opportunities to take action. Let’s build a healthier future for NC families.
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