Assessing Fine Particulate Matter Emissions and the Impact of Its Regulatory Revisions on the Forest Industries of Alabama

Abstract

Alabama has 23 million acres of timberland and leading forest industries that significantly contribute to the United States (U.S.) economy and employment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) tightened the annual primary particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) emissions standard from 12.0 µg/m³ to 9.0 µg/m³ to improve overall air quality and protect public health. The new PM2.5 emission standard is debated to cause a significant negative impact on the forest industry mills, potentially increasing operational costs, creating regulatory hurdles, requiring technology upgrades, reducing economic growth and financial risk for manufacturers, while environmental and health groups view these regulatory revisions as a beneficial policy for air quality and public health. Therefore, in this thesis, a literature review was conducted to report PM2.5 sources, health effects, and measurement methods, and PM2.5 emissions from forest industries which are presented in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 provided the reported overall PM2.5 emissions status in the U.S., the southeast, and from Alabama’s forest industries using secondary data sources and insights from key informant interviews regarding PM2.5 regulatory revisions. Chapter 3 conducted a questionnaire survey with forest industries of Alabama to understand the potential impacts of the new PM2.5 standard. Chapter 4 provided an overall conclusion and recommendation for the research. Literature (n=63) showed that PM2.5 -related studies are dominant in the U.S. and China, estimated mostly from wildfire and using filter-based estimation methods. PM2.5 health-related studies were highly focused on respiratory, cardiovascular, and associated mortality. PM2.5 emissions from forest industries are generated through combustion, wood product manufacturing, drying, panel pressing, and pulp and paper mills. The obtained PM2.5 emissions data analysis found that there were improvements in air quality with a 27% and 28% decrease in total PM2.5 concentrations in the U.S. and the Southeast between 2010 and 2024. Alabama was ranked 11th in producing the highest PM2.5 emissions in the U.S. In Alabama, Jefferson County produced the highest PM2.5 emissions and stationary sources among source categories. Pulp and paper mills produced the highest PM2.5 emissions among the forest industry mills in Alabama. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s (ADEM) state PM2.5 monitor network 2024, named Phenix City-South Girard School, located in Phenix City, Alabama, violated the 9 µg/m³ limit, indicating challenges for industry operations and new project expansions in those areas. Key informant interviews (n=3) with forest entities found that forest industry mills have limited awareness and understanding, and varied perceptions of the new PM2.5 standard. The new PM2.5 standard was perceived to create a negative impact on the economy, employment, habitat management, and might create regulatory and technical issues for industry. However, the key informant from the environmental entity viewed the tight PM2.5 standard as a beneficial policy for long-term environmental, health, and economic outcomes. A 26.02% response rate was obtained for mail-based questionnaire surveys (n=73 total) sent to sawmills (n=59), pulp and paper mills (n=8), OSB (Oriented Strand Board) mills (n=3), and pellet mills (n=3) of Alabama. The survey responses from forest industry mills have higher awareness and understanding of PM2.5 revisions and are actively involved in estimating facility-level PM2.5 emissions. They are strongly concerned about the negative impacts of the new PM2.5 standard than the environmental benefits. Among those negative impacts, financial and economic impacts were ranked higher, followed by operational impacts, equipment and infrastructure needs, regulatory burdens, workforce and capacity reductions. Higher permit and emission control technology costs in the forest industry mills are expected to reduce project feasibility and capital investment and increase economic uncertainty in the future. However, the production capacity, operational methods, and efficiency are not currently impacted but are anticipated to change in the long term. Forest industry mills are responding to those impacts with adaptation and cost management strategies and further seeking technical support. The thesis results provide baseline information to support informed PM2.5 standard policymaking, aiding healthier communities, environmental quality, and rural economic growth in Alabama.