LaSalle – Louisiana

• In 2023, Drax’s total annual economic impact (direct, indirect, and induced) of ongoing operations for the LaSalle plant was estimated to be: 
  • $197.4 million in the parish, contributing $69.4 million to parish GDP. 
  • $5.6 million in tax revenue per year for the state and local governments. 

Permit modifications are a standard business practice. Permits are often updated every five years, or as needed, based on new industry information or the installation of new equipment. This permit modification is part of the normal process as we update emission data and any new site information.

Drax is committed to ensuring the biomass we source delivers positive outcomes for the climate, for nature and for the communities in which we operate. We have robust sustainability standards in place to ensure our biomass meets the strict sustainability requirements of the UK, US and Canadian governments. 

Our biomass is made from sawmill residues, harvesting residues, and fiber which has little other use or market value. This includes low grade roundwood (i.e. pulpwood) that is not suitable for sawmilling or cannot access higher-value markets, including the by-products of thinning operations. Providing a use for these forestry residues supports healthy forest management, which helps reduce the risk of forest fires, pests and disease outbreaks, creates jobs in communities where there are few opportunities, and also delivers reliable renewable power.   

The forests that we source our biomass from are managed in accordance with best practices designed to support the health and growth of these forests over the long term and we have strict criteria in place to ensure our work does not negatively impact the growth of the forest, the amount of carbon being stored, biodiversity or the socioeconomic wellbeing of the communities that surround them.  

The results of an independent, third-party air toxics impact analysis support that there are no adverse effects to human health from the facility and determined that no modeled pollutant from the facility exceeded the acceptable ambient concentration.   

Drax utilizes additional technology to responsibly manage emissions at our wood pellet production facilities, and we continually monitor operations to ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements.  
 
Beyond that, Drax is constantly evaluating new ways to enhance our operations as technology and best industry practices evolve over time. This can be seen in our recent introduction of additional technology at our plants, and it is an ongoing process.  We continue to work with our regulatory agencies to ensure the continued safe and responsible operation of our facilities, for both our employees and the community. 

We store finished wood pellets in silos that are equipped with bin vent filters with a particulate matter collection efficiency of 99%. Any emissions from these areas are therefore minimal. 

We employ approximately 77 employees work at our LaSalle plant. 

Permits are often updated every five years, or as needed based on new industry information or the installation of new equipment. We will continue working with DEQ to provide the most accurate data possible for compliance purposes.  

We are waiting on LDEQ to approve the permit modifications. Once LDEQ receives and acknowledges our request, a 60-day public comment period begins. The exact start date of the public comment period is determined by LDEQ and posted to their website. 

Environmental stack testing is required at all facilities. The testing schedule is determined by the permit requirements and triggered anytime there is a potential change in operations.  

Since 2022 Drax has invested $140M on improving and enhancing our North American pellet plants and by the end of 2024, we plan on investing a further $40 million on additional improvements.  

We’ve partnered with our regulatory agencies to establish best environmental practices which include installing a regenerative catalytic oxidizer (RCO). This device further improved our already robust efforts to limit the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may be released.  

Our facilities employ multiple control technologies which reduce air emissions from operation and a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) reduces the VOC emissions from this process.   

In the initial days of the wood pellet industry in the US, when the permitting process was established, it was believed that VOCs (volatile organic compounds) were produced during the drying aspect of the process. Industry knowledge later identified that there were VOC’s emitting from additional aspects of the process that were not originally known when Drax had applied for permits. Once Drax was able to capture the difference, we self-reported to the state Department of Environmental Quality.   

The revisions of our air permit to address these additional emissions is ongoing and we are progressing through the regulatory process.  As part of this process, Drax is committed to regularly monitor emissions through a third-party, and report emissions data to our regulators.  

As part of our commitment to being a good neighbor in the communities where we operate, Drax combines active community engagement with corporate giving.  

Through open and constructive dialogue, we are committed to working with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure a better quality of life for our communities while also delivering energy security, providing jobs and skills, and playing a critical role in tackling climate change.   

To best serve our local communities we have two areas of focus: community engagement and outreach, and social investment through the Drax Foundation and our Community Fund.  

The Drax Community Fund was established to drive meaningful in change in our communities though grassroots funding for local non-profit organizations, community groups, and other local initiatives. 

Our Communities in Crisis Fund provides emergency aid in response to natural disasters, conflict, and other humanitarian crises.