Virginia Paper Mill Accused of Underreporting Emissions, Raising Local Health Concerns
Residents of Covington, Virginia, are experiencing significant environmental and health issues attributed to the Smurfit WestRock paper mill. Amanda Dean, who lives two miles from the mill, reports strong odors and ash covering her car, and has been hospitalized multiple times for asthma since moving to the area. The Environmental Integrity Project, a national watchdog group, identified the mill as one of the worst polluters in the country last year. The group claims the mill significantly underreports its true climate footprint, largely due to a federal loophole that exempts greenhouse gases from burning wood. While the company reported 970,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2023, the Environmental Integrity Project estimates the real total, including wood-burning emissions, was closer to 2.5 million metric tons. Additionally, the mill reportedly pumped out over 2,000 tons of nitrogen oxide, more than 200,000 metric tons of methane, and approximately 1... 
