The Air Pollution Control Board on Monday night approved a plant-wide 20% increase in NOx emissions for the Chattanooga Volkswagen plant.
Bob Colby, Air Pollution Control Bureau executive director, said it turned out that the plant's nitrogen oxide emissions were 20 percent higher than projected "due to an incorrect factoring of the thermal oxidizers in the paint lot."
He said if VW had initially requested the 20 percent higher number it would have been approved "based on meeting the best availabile technology."
Mr. Colby said in other categories of pollutants, Chattanooga Volkswagen was coming in far below what had been projected.
He told the board, "This is the only LEED Certified automotive plant in the world."
No one at a public hearing had any comments on the request.
Board members approved the request without discussion.