Project XL Weyerhaeuser Flint River Operatons, 1997 Environmental Conference Proceedings

Weyerhaeuser’s Flint River Operations in Oglethorpe, GA is the first forest products facility accepted into the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Project XL Program. EPA created Project XL (eXellence and Leadership) in 1995 as part of EPA’s initiative to obtain environmental performance that is superior to what would be achieved through compliance with existing and reasonably anticipated future regulations. The Final Project Agreement (FPA) is the document that memorializes the parties’ intentions concerning Project XL for Flint River Operations. As part of the XL Program, Weyerhaeuser invited the local community to participate in the FPA development. Weyerhaeuser has worked with EPA (Region IV), Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), Georgia Pollution Prevention Assistance Division, Lake Blackshear Watershed Association, local community leaders and other interested stakeholders. All have participated in creating the FPA between Weyerhaeuser, the State of Georgia, and EPA. EPA worked directly with Weyerhaeuser and, in addition, participated as a guarantor of the stakeholder process.