This guest essay first appeared in Lancaster Farming on June 24, 2026. It is reprinted here with the author's permission.
Lancaster Farming wrote: A $2 billion fertilizer production facility in central Pennsylvania is expected to bring supply chain stability and lower costs for farmers.
KeyState Energy is planning to build a natural gas synthesis plant that will produce hydrogen to be turned into ammonia for fertilizer.
The plant, which could be operational in five years, will be located in Karthaus Township, Clearfield County. The natural gas will come from a drilling operation several miles away in neighboring Clinton County.
The text of the guest essay follows--
I am writing in regards to the proposed ammonia/fertilizer plant in Karthaus Township, Pennsylvania.
The cost of fertilizer remains a significant challenge for many farmers, and economic development is important for rural communities like ours.
As discussions continue regarding the proposed KeyState ammonia plant near Karthaus, however, it is important that residents, regulators and company officials carefully consider both the potential benefits and the potential risks before moving forward.
Karthaus is more than just a location on a map. Our community serves as a gateway to the Pennsylvania Wilds, a region known for its forests, rivers, wildlife, outdoor recreation, and growing tourism economy.
Visitors come here to fish, hunt, hike, paddle, camp and experience the natural beauty that makes this area unique. These opportunities support local businesses and contribute to the long-term vitality of our region.
Any major industrial development should be evaluated in light of its potential impact on these important community assets.
Residents also understand the lasting effects of environmental damage. The Karthaus area has lived through generations of resource extraction, from widespread timber harvesting in the 19th century to decades of coal mining.
While those industries contributed to the region’s economy, they also left behind environmental scars that took many years to address.
Today, our forests are recovering, waterways have improved, and wildlife habitats are returning. After generations of effort, the landscape is finally beginning to heal. That progress should not be taken for granted.
The proposed ammonia plant raises legitimate questions that deserve careful review. Ammonia is a hazardous chemical that can affect human health if released into the environment.
Air emissions, wastewater management, and accident prevention plans should be thoroughly examined to ensure that nearby residents, farms and natural resources are adequately protected.
Particular attention should be given to vulnerable populations, including children, older adults and those with respiratory conditions.
The facility’s potential environmental impacts also warrant close scrutiny.
Air emissions can contribute to the formation of fine particulate matter, which has been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular health concerns.
Nitrogen compounds released into the environment can affect soil health, waterways and aquatic ecosystems if not properly controlled.
Residents deserve a clear understanding of how these risks would be managed and what monitoring and enforcement measures would be in place to protect public health and the environment.
The community should also consider how the facility could affect the region’s reputation as a destination for outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism.
Even if environmental standards are met, industrial development on this scale could alter the character of an area that many residents and visitors value for its rural setting and natural beauty.
Recent incidents involving ammonia facilities and transportation accidents elsewhere in the country remind us that safety planning must be taken seriously.
Residents deserve clear information about emergency response capabilities, transportation risks, and the safeguards that would be in place to prevent and respond to accidents.
Economic growth and environmental stewardship do not have to be opposing goals.
If development is to occur, it should proceed only after careful analysis, transparent public engagement, and a thorough demonstration that the project will protect public health, preserve our natural resources, and safeguard the long-term future of the Karthaus community.
Support for this project should be contingent upon all significant environmental, public health, safety and community concerns being fully addressed.
Residents deserve clear evidence that effective safeguards are in place, that environmental impacts will be minimized, and that strong protections will be enforced throughout the life of the facility.
Until those standards are met and demonstrated through a transparent review process, caution is both reasonable and necessary.
Our community has worked hard to recover from the environmental impacts of the past, and we should be thoughtful and deliberate about any project that could shape our future for generations to come.
As a gateway to the Pennsylvania Wilds, Karthaus has an opportunity to build upon its natural assets and growing outdoor recreation economy.
Any development should strengthen-- not jeopardize-- the environmental recovery and quality of life that residents have worked so hard to achieve.
Ben Hoffman is a farmer in Karthaus Township, Clearfield County.
[Note: The KeyState Natural Gas Synthesis Project may qualify for the state Local Resource Manufacturing Tax Credit that could award up to $56.6 million annually to companies that utilize natural gas in manufacturing. Changes to tax credit programs are currently being debated in the General Assembly. Read more here.]
[Posted: July 8, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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