July 7 Hearing On Proposed Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant In Luzerne County

The Department of Environmental Protection will host a public hearing to take testimony from residents regarding an application filed by Moxie Freedom Energy, LLC of Virginia for an air quality plan approval to construct and operate a 1050-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant in Salem Township, Luzerne County.

The hearing will take place on July 7, from 6-9 p.m. at Berwick High School, 1100 Fowler Avenue, Berwick, PA, 18603.

“Natural gas-fired power plants are a relatively new concept in this part of the state, so it is important that residents be allowed to voice their opinions on the permitting process with projects like this one,” said Mike Bedrin, Director of DEP’s Northeast Regional Office in Wilkes-Barre.

Moxie Freedom submitted an air quality plan approval application to the department on October 6, 2014. The company plans to utilize a combustion gas turbine and a steam turbine to produce electricity.

Each combined turbine and a duct burner will exclusively fire pipeline-quality natural gas. The burners will be equipped with selective catalytic reduction to minimize nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and oxidation catalysts to minimize carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.

The project, known as the Electric Generation Plant, once fully operational, will have the capability to produce 1050 Mega Watts (MW) of electricity which will then be distributed to the power grid for use.

DEP published a notice of the application received in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on January 24, 2015 and asked for public comment. No public comments have been received.

DEP published a notice of the intent to issue a plan approval in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on May 30, 2015 asking for public comment on the project.

Public comments on the Plan Approval must be received by 4 p.m. on July 17, 2015 and can be mailed to Mark Wejkszner, Air Quality Program Manager, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 or send email to: mwejkszner@pa.gov.

A notice of the public hearing was advertised in the Press Enterprise newspaper on June 4, 5, and 6, 2015 and in the PA Bulletin on May 30, 2015.

Residents who are unable to attend the meeting are encouraged to participate in the department’s public comment process.

Public comments on the Plan Approval must be received by 4 PM on Friday July 17, 2015 and can be mailed to Mark Wejkszner, Air Quality Program Manager, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 or email to: mwejkszner@pa.gov.

A copy of the plan approval is available at the DEP Northeast Regional Office located at 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, 18701. People wishing to review the plan approval application can do so by calling 570-826-2511.

Individuals in need of an accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 should contact Colleen Connolly at 570-826-2035 or through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at 1-800-654-5984 (TDD).