Posted on September 11, 2024
KINGSPORT — Domtar presented an update on odor mitigation to the Kingsport Economic Development Board at Tuesday’s meeting.
Troy Wilson, Kingsport mill manager, spoke on the continuous feedback from the community — especially over the past couple weeks.
“I do understand that the odor seems to have gotten worse here the last couple, two or three weeks,” Wilson said. “I’m getting a lot of feedback. I’m getting feedback from a lot of people on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week.”
Wilson said the project is on track with the projected timeline, with permits being drafted and wastewater being reduced at the treatment plant.
He said recent efforts to reduce or mitigate odor have not been very successful, following the recent implementation of a local clarifier. Odor will continue to be a problem throughout the estimated year or longer process.
“We still have another summer to go through, still have another off season to go through,” Wilson said. “We still have a lot of activities within the town to go through, and I realize that, I understand sensitivity around every single one of them.”
Dredging
Wilson hopes dredging the lagoon will make a difference in the odor intensity. He said Domtar has narrowed down the dredging project clients to one company out of the previous eight being considered. Specifics are being finalized for the project as it moves forward.
Wilson said 4,000 tons of waste would be removed from the lagoon throughout the dredging process, and it would be no small task — or smell. He said that’s why Domtar will work closely with the city as Domtar considers when to complete the dredging with minimal disturbance to citizens.
It would take 30 to 45 days of work around the clock to complete the dredging project, Wilson said. He said Domtar would work with the selected company to reduce that time frame, with whatever amount of staff it takes.
Wilson said the mill is looking at starting dredging the lagoon in November, but it is also evaluating if waiting until then is the best option.
“This time of year, people like to open their windows,” Wilson said. “They like the cool air coming in. I do too, I like all that too, but it makes it hard for that. So I understand the sensitivities around that.”
Charlie Floyd, vice president of strategic capital projects for Domtar, said much of the preliminary work for the anaerobic digester portion of the project is in progress. He said soil testing, ground penetrating radar and topography work are all part of the process leading up to the design work before the equipment can be placed.
Floyd said much of that work kicked off on Sept. 6, and Domtar is making “good progress” in that area.
The largest area of concern is delivery times, with some quotes estimating an equipment delivery date of over a year.
“Medium and high voltage, and low voltage switchgear, 70 plus weeks, delivered,” Floyd said. “70 plus weeks — that’s a year and three months before you can get it from the day you sign the purchase order.”
He said Domtar is working with their preferred supplier to reduce that turnaround time, otherwise it could push the completion date in the first quarter of 2026.
Next steps
Floyd said Domtar is looking to “pull the trigger” on the project within the next month or two, but external factors could speed up or delay the project.
Chris McCartt, city manager of Kingsport, asked about Domtar leadership’s commitment to spend the projected $40 to $50 million expenditure on Project Bandit, as the odor mitigation effort has been coined.
Wilson said leadership from the Kingsport Mill will present the case to the CEO on Thursday for further evaluation. Floyd said Domtar’s proposal is to purchase the equipment as quickly as they can, but they have to be transparent about how much it will cost.
