Schuylkill Ethanol Plant Facing Citizens’ Challenge

By Nardone, Ralph

A battle is brewing over a potential ethanol plant located in Schuylkill County. A group named the West Schuylkill Concerned Citizens for the Environment is appealing the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) permits for the start- up of ethanol storage facilities in Porter and Frailey Townships.

The facilities are run by Green Renewable Energy, Ethanol and Nutrition Holding Company.

In a DEP press release, Michael Bedrin, the company’s northeast regional director, indicated the permits were the initial steps to what could be one of the largest ethanol plants in the Northeast.

Bedrin says that DEP conducted public hearings to discuss the plans to locate four 500,000-gallon and two three-million gallon storage tanks before the permit was issued.

After the storage units are made operational, the company plans to apply for a manufacturing permit. The 50-acre plant will turn 40 million bushels of corn into 100 million gallons of ethanol each year,if approved, and will be steamed by the Westwood Energy waste- coal-fired cogeneration plant.

However, the plans are now on hold. William Cluck, attorney for the concerned citizens group says, “There are two appeals filed at this time. The first one challenges the DEP’s permit under the auspices of air quality law and theother on storage tank law”

If the case is not resolved through an administrative judge, a trial will be conducted sometime next year “The citizen’s group is primarily concerned about the risk of fire and explosion associated with ethanol storage,” Cluck says. “This seems to be the first large- scale storage and distribution facility in Pennsylvania and we do not believe the plans for emergency response or risk management are adequate.”

Cluck points out that ethanol storage creates greater risks than gasoline storage, yet the state has no standards for construction of these types of large tanks. “In the state’s rush to proclaim itself renewable-energy-friendly, they seem to have forgotten their primary mission is to protect public health, safety, and the environment,” he says.

“The issue centers around an understated risk for mine subsidence that could trigger some type of disaster,” Cluck says.

Green Renewable Energy would not comment about the status of the permit fight. However, company president Jeffrey Dershem told The Morning Call, a newspaper in Allentown, he isdelighted at the prospect of opening the new facility.

He added that the facility will have an automated fire suppression system. Frank Zukas, president of the

Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) said in a telephone interview that his organization supports the project.

“There was an adequate exchange between the government and the local citizenry,” Zukas said. “Approximately a year ago, a visit to a similar facility in Iowa was sponsored by Green Renewable Energy to show what type of operations will be brought into the area, he says.

Once up and running, the ethanol plant would employ approximately 60 highly skilled workers earning about $50,000 annually and add an measurable boost to the local economy, Zukas says. For example, 20 percent of the corn used at the facility will be grown in Pennsylvania. And the plant will utilize energy from waste coal, use mine pool water, and employ local rail services.

Andrea Sharretts from the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau told the Morning Call the project would be a boon to farmers in the state.

Mark Carmon, from DEP’s northeast regional office in Wilkes- Barre said in a telephone interview that the permit process for this new location has become very involved.

“The governor’s plans to make Pennsylvania a leader in alternative fuels is a very good thing on one hand, but puts the burden on DEP toregulate new technologies, which can be a challenge,” Carmon says. He is confident sound engineering on the part of Green Renewable Energy should be able to overcome the concerns expressed by the local citizens.

Gov. Rendell’s energy strategy sets a goal to replace one billion gallons of petroleum-based transportation fuel used in the state annually with clean burning renewable fuels. See below for legislative news on the strategy. Mr

Copyright Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal Jul 01, 2007

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