No accord reached in environmentalists’ challenge to Renovo Energy Center project

HARRISBURG, PA – The two sides in an environmental groups’ challenge to the Renovo Energy Center project have informed the state Environmental Hearing Board that they have been unable to resolve their differences after conferring several times. As a result, an August hearing date remains on the docket for Clean Air Council, Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future and Center for Biological Diversity in their challenge to Renovo Energy Center and its billion-dollar natural gas-to-electricity facility proposed for Renovo’s north side.

The hearing is between the several environmental groups opposed to the project and the state Department of Environmental Protection and the project permittee, Renovo Energy Center, LLC. The state agency to hear the dispute on Tuesday issued a status report that noted “Counsel (for the two sides) have conferred several times, but have been unable to reach an agreement regarding settlement.”

The status report noted, “Without foreclosing the possibility of future settlement, the parties are prepared to proceed to hearing in this matter on the dates ordered by the Board.” Those dates, as announced recently, are Aug. 23-25 and Sept. 13-15 and Sept. 18-22 “until completed” for the hearing. It will be held in the hearing board offices on Market St. in Harrisburg. A by-phone pre-hearing conference is scheduled for Aug. 17.

Plans for the billion-dollar energy plant were first disclosed in 2014.