The Tennessee Air Pollution Control Board (“Board”) issued a Technical Secretary’s Order and Assessment of Civil Penalty (“Order”) to MRE Jasper, LLC (“MRE”) for alleged violations of certain Tennessee air regulations. See Case No. APC19-0012 .

MRE is stated to have received a construction permit for a pellet mill operation on April 13, 2015, from the Board .

Condition 15 of the permit is referenced as stating in part:

This permit shall serve as a temporary operating permit from the date of issuance to the receipt of a standard operating permit, provided that the conditions of this permit and any applicable emission standard are met.

A new construction permit application was provided by the Director of the Air Pollution Control Division (“Division”) to MRE for a Wet Milling and Drying Line on December 13, 2018. It is stated to have indicated that the pellet mill operation was currently in operation.

MRE is stated to have submitted an operating permit application on December 26, 2018. This application is stated to have indicated that the pellet mill operation was started up on September 24, 2018.

The Order provides that:

By failing to submit the certification of start-up as required by Condition 15, Respondent has been operated without a permit since September 24, 2018.

The Order proposes to assess a civil penalty of $1,500. Further, MRE is required to adhere to all conditions stipulated in the expired permit except certain referenced conditions.

MRE has certain appeal rights pursuant to the Tennessee Code.

A copy of the Order can be downloaded here.