Air Quality Board Releases Packet Including RTX and Biltmore Reviews

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Board published the agenda and meeting packet for its Jan. 8, 2026 meeting, which was scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at the Buncombe County Permit Office, 30 Valley Street. The packet assembled standard materials such as minutes from prior meetings and an annual data comparison, alongside a proposed revision to Chapter 17.0200 of local air-quality rules, an update on the county’s “Reduce to Rebuild” initiative, and permit-review documents for local facilities including RTX Corporation and the Biltmore Company. The organizer planned to live-broadcast the session.

Proposed rule changes like the Chapter 17.0200 revision have the potential to reshape how the county issues and enforces air-emissions permits, affecting both regulatory oversight and operational requirements for businesses. Permit reviews for large local employers draw particular attention because they can signal forthcoming operational changes, new or modified emissions allowances, or compliance concerns that carry direct public-health implications for nearby neighborhoods.

The packet’s permit-review forms for RTX Corporation and the Biltmore Company were listed as discrete agenda items. Items of this type typically prompt engagement from residents, community groups, and environmental stakeholders because of the potential for altered emissions profiles and for the board to set conditions that affect monitoring, mitigation, or enforcement. The annual data comparison included in the packet offers context for evaluating whether air-quality trends are improving or worsening under current policies.

Residents who want to examine the materials can view the agenda, the full meeting packet PDF, and individual attachments such as the Chapter 17.0200 document and the RTX and Biltmore permit review forms on the board’s PublicInput/Engage Buncombe page at engage.buncombecounty.org/U58604. The event page explains how to watch the broadcast and lists future meeting dates for 2026, allowing community members to follow decisions as they unfold and to participate in public comment opportunities.

As the board considers rule changes and facility permits, those decisions will affect permitting timelines, business compliance costs, and local air-quality protections. Close review of posted materials and active participation in hearings remain the most direct means for Buncombe County residents to hold regulators and industry accountable for air-quality outcomes.