Waynesboro Vice Mayor Lorie Jean Akanbi sent us a statement last night to tell us that she wants to see “independent emissions monitoring at the Northrop Grumman facility in Waynesboro,” echoing the push on that point from a number of locals who have made a similar request of the Virginia DEQ, which is in charge of reviewing a request from Northrop Grumman to allow the military-industrial manufacturer to dump tons of pollutants into the local atmosphere.
Akanbi represents Ward A on Waynesboro City Council; the Northrop Grumman facility is located inside Ward A.
“I also live in the community,” said Akanbi, who was elected to City Council in 2024.
From the archives
- Coverage of the Northrop Grumman permit issue: click here.
The DEQ, last week, released a summary of public comments and responses from the first of two public hearings on the Northrop Grumman permit request and a written public comment period, in which the agency noted the volume of requests from locals to have the state require “independent testing and monitoring (fenceline plus strategically nearby), with real-time publicly available emissions data and an alert system,” that “DEQ conduct air dispersion modeling,” and that the permit holds Northrop Grumman to “mandatory installation and operation of pollution control equipment.”
The response from DEQ to those requests: no go.
Each month, the facility must calculate emissions for the most recent 12‐month period and maintain records demonstrating that the rolling total remains below the applicable permit limits. These records are enforceable and must be made available to DEQ during inspections or upon request.
DEQ understands that some commenters view self‐reported data as insufficient. The monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements included in the draft permit meet the regulatory standards necessary to ensure compliance and provide DEQ with the information needed to evaluate the facility’s performance.
We want DEQ to require independent testing; DEQ wants to allow Northrop Grumman to monitor themselves.
“Independent monitoring provides another level of verification and transparency and gives our community greater confidence in the information we receive about emissions and potential environmental impacts,” Akanbi said, in her statement on the matter.
“I support additional monitoring because I believe it is a reasonable safeguard for our community given the documented environmental histories of both Waynesboro and Northrop Grumman. I also recognize that DEQ is responsible for determining the requirements of this permit.
“I am a strong supporter of economic development and a strong business community. I want Northrop Grumman and its advanced manufacturing operations here in Waynesboro to be successful. At the same time, I also believe environmental stewardship belongs alongside both,” Akanbi said.
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Chris Graham
