DEP Invites Comments On Renewal Of Title V Air Quality Permit For Keystone Coal-Fired Power Plant In Armstrong County

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the July 4 PA Bulletin inviting comments on the renewal of the Title V Air Quality Permit for the 1,700 MW Keystone Coal-Fired Power Plant owned by the Keystone-Conemaugh Project LLC in Plumcreek Township, Armstrong County.  (PA Bulletin, page 3887) 

The Keystone Power Plant and the related Conemaugh Coal-fired Power Plant were scheduled to shut down in December 2028 because they were uneconomical to operate in competition with natural gas power plants.

The energy demands of A.I. data centers, however, provided new markets to sell the electricity generated by these plants.

In April, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection announced they were seeking final approval from the Indiana County Court of Common Pleas of a consent decree with Keystone-Conemaugh Projects, LLC (Key-Con), operator of the Keystone and Conemaugh Generating Stations in Indiana and Armstrong Counties, to allow continued operation of both power plants with required upgrades to meet federal wastewater discharge standards.  Read more here.

DEP is accepting comments on the Title V Air Quality Permit renewal until August 3-- 30 days from this notice.

No public hearing has been scheduled on this application, but one may be requested.

Comments and requests for a hearing should be sent to Lori McNabb, Regional Air Quality Program Manager, DEP Northwest Regional Office, 230 Chestnut St., Meadville, PA 16335.  Her email is: lmcnabb@pa.gov. 

The application and other documents used in the evaluation of the application are available for public review at the DEP Northwest Regional Office, 230 Chestnut St., Meadville, PA.  Call 814-332-6945 to make an appointment to review the application file.

For additional information concerning the permit or the issuance procedure, contact Matthew Williams, Facilities Permitting Chief, Air Quality Program, at the Meadville Office address, call (814) 332-6940 or send email to: matwilliam@pa.gov. 

Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more information.  (PA Bulletin, page 3887) 

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.

Resource Link:

-- DEP Files Final Consent Decree Stipulating Changes At The Keystone And Conemaugh Coal-Fired Power Plants To Resolve Wastewater Violations And Allow For Continued Operation  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Senate Committee Moves Bills Authorizing Individual Municipalities To Enact Moratoriums On Consideration Of A.I. Data Center Proposals-- After Voting Down A Statewide 3-Year Moratorium  [PaEN]  

-- House Committee Amends Senate-Passed Tax Code Bill On Data Centers, Then Adjourned To Sept. 28  [PaEN]  

-- The Center Square: House Passes [3rd] Bill Putting Conditions On Qualifying For State Sales Tax Exemption For Data Centers, Including A Ban On Nondisclosure Agreements

-- PennLive: With A.I. Data Centers In Mind, PA House Votes 193-9 To Close Sunshine Act Public Meeting Notice Loophole After PA Supreme Court Ruling  [House Bill 2146] [Senate Passed Senate Bill 1150 In June] 

-- PA House Republicans Unveil Energy Package To Eliminate Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards; Take Away Citizen Appeal Rights; Eliminate Right Of Citizens To Petition For Rule Changes; Limit Environmental Standards To Federal Standards  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Extends Maximum Generation And Load Management Alerts To July 2; Forecast Power Peak On July 2 Still Above All Time Record  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Interconnection Issues Maximum Generation, Load Management, Low Voltage Alerts For July 1; Received Emergency Order To Put Data Centers On Backup Generators; Forecasts Peak Power Above 2006 Record For July 2  [PaEN]

-- NRDC: PJM Membership Votes On Recommendations To Help Prevent A.I. Data Centers From Overloading The Electric Grid; PJM Board Will Have Final Say  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Invites Comments On Renewal Of Title V Air Quality Permit For Keystone Coal-Fired Power Plant In Armstrong County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues 2 Chapter 105 Permits For Project Hazelnut A.I. Data Centers Offsite Utilities In West Hazleton Borough, Luzerne County  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Spotlight PA: State Lawmakers Want To Lower Electric Bills By Cutting Gross Receipts Tax, But The Budget Impact Might Be Too Big To Swallow

-- PA Capital-Star: Garrity And Shapiro Have Accused Each Other Of Flip-Flopping On A.I. Data Centers - Are They Both Right?

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Instead Of Diving Headfirst - PA Lawmakers Must Pass A Full Moratorium On Considering Hyperscale A.I. Data Center Proposals - By Ginny Marcille-Kerrslake, Food and Water Watch In West Whiteland Twp. 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Natural Gas Powers The Region, So Why Are Pennsylvanians Paying More? - By Sen. Kim Ward [Reality - Data Center Demand Spikes, 60% Of Electric Comes From Natural Gas And Its Price Spikes] 

[Posted: July 3, 2026]  PA Environment Digest