Renovo Energy project gets DEP plan approval
WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The Williamsport office of the Department of Environmental Protection on Thursday gave its approval to the final plans for the proposed Renovo Energy Center project.
The DEP ok is seen as a significant step forward for the natural gas-to-electricity power plant first proposed in 2014. DEP’s north-central office had been reviewing more than 50 public comments relative to a revised permit request from REC. The state agency’s “final determination” includes a 48 page document which contains DEP responses to questions raised by the public up to a Dec. 7, 2020 comment deadline.
As stated in the DEP approval: It is the Department’s determination that, after consideration of all comments received and revisions to the proposed Plan Approval, the available information indicates Renovo Energy Center’s proposed construction of a natural gas-fired electric generation plant and associated control devices…will meet the emission limitations and the conditions set forth in the Plan Approval and will comply with all applicable State and Federal air quality regulatory requirements.”
Project backers are hoping that the DEP go-ahead will allow construction to begin sometime later this year as the old railroad shop grounds on the north side of Renovo.
The DEP approval documents were signed by Muhammad Q. Zaman, Environmental Program Manager, Air Quality Program at the agency’s Williamsport office. Approval notification was forwarded to the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Philadelphia office and REC offices in Reston, VA.
Megan Lehman, Environmental Community Relations Specialist at DEP’s Williamsport office told therecord-online the formal approval and related information were to be posted on Friday on DEP’s website under “What’s New” at https://www.dep.pa.gov/About/Regional/North-central-Regional-Office/Community-Information/Pages/default.aspx,
Once construction begins, developers have said, as many as 700 workers could be involved in that process expected to take an estimated 32 months to complete. Ultimately some 25 to 30 permanent jobs are to result. When the estimated $800 million project is completed, the power generated there will flow to the PJM grid.
