Proposed DOJ settlement targets Arkansas paper mill pollution

The Justice Department, EPA and Arkansas environmental officials are asking a federal court to approve a proposed settlement requiring Domtar A.W. LLC to pay a $1.5 million civil penalty and spend at least $2.6 million on pollution-control and monitoring work at its kraft pulp and paper mill in Ashdown, Arkansas.

The complaint and proposed consent decree were filed July 24, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. The Justice Department is acting for the Environmental Protection Agency with the Arkansas Department of Energy & Environment’s Division of Environmental Quality.

The settlement is proposed, not a final court judgment. The DOJ’s consent-decree record lists a public-comment period from July 30 through Sept. 1, 2026. After that process, the court would have to approve and enter the decree before its obligations become effective.

What the government alleges

The complaint alleges violations of the federal Clean Air Act and the Arkansas Water and Air Pollution Control Act. Government filings describe alleged problems involving air-emission controls, leak detection, inspections and boiler testing at the Ashdown mill.

Among the allegations, the mill lacked required pollution controls for a brown stock washer system. The complaint also alleges that Domtar failed to meet inspection and leak-monitoring requirements, including a 53-day gap between inspections. The government says the mill failed to detect a leaking valve that emitted uncontrolled pollutants.

The government also alleges that performance testing for two boilers was inadequate. Because of monitoring and testing deficiencies, the Justice Department said the full extent of any excess hazardous-air-pollutant emissions is unknown.

The pollutants identified in government materials include hydrogen sulfide, volatile organic compounds, methanol, carbon monoxide, chlorine dioxide and hydrochloric acid. Hydrogen sulfide is associated with a rotten-egg odor and can harm human health at sufficient concentrations, but the filings do not establish a documented community injury from the alleged violations.

What the proposed decree would require

Separate from the civil penalty, the proposed decree would require at least $2.6 million in compliance and emissions-reduction work. The measures include installing proper pollution controls on the brown stock washer, capping valves, improving the biological wastewater-treatment system and expanding monitoring.

Domtar would also have to revise its leak-detection and repair procedures, obtain a third-party review of those procedures, complete required boiler testing and submit compliance reports. The practical focus is not only a financial penalty but also equipment and monitoring changes intended to detect and reduce emissions.

The $1.5 million penalty and the minimum $2.6 million in required work are separate obligations. The penalty would be paid to the United States and Arkansas under the proposed agreement, while the additional spending would fund injunctive-relief and mitigation measures at the facility.

What happens next

People who want to comment on the proposed decree must submit comments to the Justice Department by Sept. 1, 2026, according to the official case record and Federal Register notice.

The government may then ask the court to enter the decree after considering the public-comment process. The agreement would become effective only if the court approves it. The proposed terms also include a two-year compliance condition tied to possible termination of the decree.

For people who live near the Ashdown mill, the immediate practical issue is the comment period. The broader accountability question is whether the court approves a settlement that combines a monetary penalty with equipment, testing and monitoring changes intended to prevent future emissions problems.

Sources

• Justice Department settlement announcement
• Arkansas Advocate reporting