DEP has determined the application meets applicable Air Quality requirements and intends to issue the permit, as is the normal process, and published notice of that determination for public comment.
DEP has proposed to include 53 conditions on the Plan Approval to “ensure compliance with all applicable air quality regulatory requirements.” The conditions start on page 5904 of the PA Bulletin notice.
DEP will accept public comments on the application at a public hearing and during a comment period that ends September 29.
The public meeting and hearing will be held at the IUP Kovalchick Convention and Athletics Center, 664 Pratt Dr, Indiana, PA 15701.
The meeting will be held starting at 6:00 p.m. and provides the public to ask DEP staff questions about the proposal.
The hearing will be held starting at 7:30 p.m. or when the public meeting is completed for the purpose of accepting comments on the proposals.
Anyone wishing to present testimony at the hearing should contact Elspeth Koehle, DEP Environmental Justice Coordinator, 814-332-6101 or ekoehle@pa.gov, no less than 24 hours in advance of the public hearing
Any person(s) wishing to provide the DEP with additional information, which they believe should be considered prior to the issuance of this plan approval, may submit the information via e-mail to lmcnabb@pa.gov or in writing to Department of Environmental Protection, Attn: Lori L. McNabb, Environmental Program Manager, Air Quality Program, 230 Chestnut Street, Meadville, PA 16335.
The DEP must receive comments no later than September 29, 2025.
Homer City proposes to construct seven (7) identical General Electric Model 7HA.02 Combined-Cycle Combustion Turbines, each consisting of 1 x 1 powerblocks.
Each powerblock consists of a combustion turbine and steam turbine with a natural gas-fired duct burner and a heat recovery steam generator.
Additional details on the equipment to be installed and many other details are available in the 10-page PA Bulletin notice. (PA Bulletin, pages 5903 - 5913)
DEP’s Northwest Regional Office Air Quality Program staff is managing the review of the Homer City application. Questions should be directed to David G. Balog, P.E. NSR Section Chief, 814-332-6328.
Copies of the application, DEP’s analysis, all pertinent documents used in the evaluation of the application and subsequently prepared proposed plan approvals/operating permits are available for public review during normal business hours at the appropriate DEP Northwest Regional Office.
Appointments for scheduling a review must be made by calling the DEP Northwest Regional Office at 814-332-6945.
Visit DEP’s Homer City Generation Site Redevelopment webpage for copies of the application and related documents and other background information.
For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website. Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.
(Photo: 3,200 acre Homer City A.I. Data Campus overview; 4.6 gigawatt power plant site.)
[Note: This post will be updated as more information becomes available.]
Resource Links:
-- DEP Received Air Quality Permit For 4.6 Gigawatt Homer City Generation Natural Gas Power Plant For Data Center In Indiana County [PaEN]-- Rise Of The Machines: Senate, House Members Express Concern That Demand For Power To Run Computers Is Impacting The Price And Availability Of Electricity For ‘Ordinary People’ [PaEN] [Homer City Proposal Discussed]
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 9 to 15 - Illegal Disposal Of 66,780 Gallons Of Conventional Wastewater; 4 Impoundments Not Restored; 3 Conventional Wells Mined Through [PaEN]
-- DEP Issued Violations To Iron Cumberland, LLC For Illegally Disposing Of 66,780 Gallons Of Conventional Well Plugging Wastes At Coal Refuse Disposal Area In Greene County [PaEN]
-- DEP: Conventional Well Plugging Operation Contaminates Spring In Allegheny County [PaEN]
-- The Derrick: PUC Judge Suspends Rhodes Estate Water Companies Litigation Schedule On Future Ownership [Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County] [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - August 16 [PaEN]
-- DEP Sets Sept. 17 Public Meeting/Hearing On Air Quality Permit For The Proposed 4.5 Gigawatt Natural Gas Power Plant At The Homer City A.I. Data Center Complex In Indiana County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Permit For 204 Aboveground Storage Tanks Totaling 1.3 Million Gallons At Proposed Amazon A.I. Data Center In Salem Twp., Luzerne County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 84 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 16 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- In Case You Missed It -- A.I./Data Center Articles & NewClips From Last Week [PaEN]
-- Senate Hearing: To Communities Facing Rapid A.I. Data Center Development: Review Your Zoning Ordinance NOW, Before It's Too Late To Have Meaningful Siting, Mitigation Conversations [PaEN]
-- Senate Hearing: DEP Primer: Recurring Challenges Of A.I. Data Centers: Frequent Site Plan Changes, Inconsistent Zoning, Outdated Sewage Facilities, Limited Community Outreach [PaEN]
-- Senate Hearing: Susquehanna River Basin Commission - A.I. Data Centers Have A Dramatic Demand For Water, And The Potential To Be Among The Largest Water Consumers In The Basin [PaEN]
-- PJM Announces Fast-Track Stakeholder Process To Seek Solutions For Connecting Large-Load A.I. Data Centers To The Electric Grid; Aug. 18 Workshop [PaEN]
-- PJM Interconnection Issues Hot Weather Alert For Aug. 17 In Entire Service Area; 22 Hot Weather Alert Days So Far This Summer [PaEN]
-- Green Building Alliance To Provide Green Professional Operations & Maintenance Training To Pre-K To 12 School Facility Teams [PaEN]
-- Green Building Innovation Expo Set for Sept. 2 In Pittsburgh; Free Exhibit Hall [PaEN]
-- Explosion At US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Kills 2, 10 Injured; Search For Answers Beings At 109-Year-Old Plant With A History Of Fatal Fires, Air Pollution Violations [PaEN] [Compilation Of Articles]
-- Rep. Vitali: PA House Environmental Committee Examines Costs And Environmental Impacts Of Burning Waste Coal In PA
NewsClips:
-- Courier Times: Energy Transfer/Sunoco Making More Pipeline Repairs In Upper Makefield Twp. Where A Previous Leak Contaminated Water Wells; Township Says It Didn’t Know [PDF of Article]
-- Pipeline Safety Trust: Federal Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Quietly Weakens Safety Rules
-- Environmental Health Project Blog: The Health And Safety Risks Of Natural Gas, Natural Gas Liquids Pipelines
-- ABC27: Project To Upgrade Several Natural Gas Pipelines Underway
-- PUC Highlights National 8-1-1 Day To Promote Safe Excavation, Worker Safety
-- Observer-Reporter Guest Essay: PA Has A Chance To Reduce Pollution, Save Lives By Reducing Oil & Gas Facility Air Pollution - By Talor Musil, Environmental Health Project [PDF of Article]
-- Spotlight PA: More PA Government Agencies Turning To A.I. - Critics Say That’s Risky [Possible DEP Pilot For Permit Reviews]
-- WHYY: Electricity Bills Are Going Up In The Philly Region; Who’s In Charge Of The Grid, Anyway?
-- York Dispatch: Sen. Keefer (R) Wants Data Center Applicants To Show Their Energy, Water Needs: ‘Electric Bills Will Go Up Due To Supply. Why Would We Subsidize That To Lure Them In?’ [PDF of Article]
-- Scranton Times - Chris Kelly Opinion: The Pros And Con Artists Of A.I. Data Centers; 3-Hour Senate Hearing Like A 'Sales Seminar For Oceanfront Condos In Oklahoma' [PDF of Article]
-- Republican Herald - Chris Kelly: If Ya Can’t Buy ‘Em, Threaten ‘Em [A.I. Data Centers] [PDF of Article]
-- Kleinman Center For Energy Policy Blog: Americans Just Got Scammed On Their Electricity Bills; President Promised To Cut Electricity Prices By Half Within 12 Months On Campaign Trail - By Elea Castiglione, Research Assistant
-- NYT: Big Tech’s A.I. Data Centers Are Driving Up Electricity Bills For Everyone
-- Post-Gazette/WPost: Electricity Prices Are Surging, Opening Up New Line Of Attacks Against Republicans
-- PUC Hearings On Proposed Rate Increase For Wellsboro Electric (22%), Valley Energy Gas (19%), Citizen Electric (11%)
-- TribLive Letter: PJM Electricity Capacity Auction Proves Markets Work - By Glen Thomas, Fmr Chair, PUC
-- US EIA: Natural Gas Prices To Increase 34% From $3.20 to $4.30 Next Year Due To Increase In LNG Gas Exports
-- Bloomberg: BKV Corp. CEO: Increase In LNG Gas Exports Will Drive Natural Gas Prices Up
-- Utility Dive - Commentary: Why Utilities Must Rethink Natural Gas Procurement For A High-Demand Future
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