A community-led survey coordinated by the Southern Environmental Law Center across parts of the southern United States has documented concerns about pollution linked to wood pellet manufacturing facilities. The survey focused on areas where residents live near large biomass plants, including a facility in Northampton County, North Carolina. Wood pellet plants process pellets that are exported overseas…where they are burned to generate electricity. While often described as a renewable energy source, the manufacturing process produces dust and emissions that residents say affect air quality and daily life. …[Survey] participants visited households near pellet plants to gather information about health concerns, environmental conditions and quality-of-life impacts associated with nearby industrial activity. According to the survey findings, residents reported respiratory problems, persistent dust, noise and increased industrial traffic. These concerns were most frequently recorded in rural communities and in areas with lower-than-average household incomes.