EPA to Hold Public Hearing on Asheboro Wastewater Permit Amid Ongoing Dioxane Fight

ASHEBORO, N.C.(ACME NEWS) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public hearing next month on its objection to a proposed wastewater permit for Asheboro’s treatment plant.

The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, October 22, 2025, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the JB and Claire Davis Corporate Training Center at Randolph Community College (413 Industrial Park Avenue in Asheboro). Doors will open at 5 p.m. The session will begin with short presentations by EPA and a neutral facilitator, followed by oral comments from the public. Each speaker will be limited to three minutes, and while EPA will try to accommodate all requests, it cannot guarantee everyone a slot.

EPA encourages attendees to pre-register at least 72 hours before the hearing through its Region 4 event website. Pre-registration helps EPA plan the session and secure speaking slots. Those unable to attend in person may register to participate virtually, where they will be able to submit written comments but not oral remarks. Written comments will also be accepted by mail or email through October 31, 2025.

EPA scheduled the hearing after objecting to a North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality permit for Asheboro’s wastewater plant that omitted limits on the toxic chemical 1,4-dioxane. The agency says those limits are required to protect downstream drinking water.

The meeting comes as the City of Asheboro is also fighting a federal lawsuit filed by Cape Fear River Watch and Haw River Assembly, who allege the city and plastics maker StarPet Inc. discharged 1,4-dioxane into Haskett Creek for more than a decade. The groups argue the releases threaten nearly 900,000 downstream residents who rely on the Cape Fear River for drinking water. Asheboro has asked a federal judge to dismiss or delay the case, saying the issue is already tied up in state court battles over its wastewater permit. The City of Asheboro is also challenging the carcinogen classification of 1,4-dioxane citing a challenge by a Dow Chemical subsidiary with the EPA. 
EPA says it will consider all oral and written comments before deciding whether to reaffirm, modify, or withdraw its objection. If EPA upholds its position and the state does not revise the permit, authority to issue it could shift from NC DEQ to the federal agency.