The fate of the biomethane plant in Center Township may be in doubt after a court ruling in Ohio and a report that Air Liquide may sell its biomethane assets.
Last week, a judge in the US District Court in Ohio dismissed claims by Ohio Valley Concrete and has named developer Gruppo EF Technologies as the main plaintiff in legal proceedings connected with the project. Gruppo has overseen development of the project.
Plans for the plant at the Route 119 Business Park in Center Township were approved in 2023, but it has come to a halt due to cost overruns, including how much concrete was needed at the site. Byron Stauffer with the County Office of Planning and Development said that more concrete was needed to fill mining voids found in a geological survey of the site. There were also some cost overruns and supply chain issues in getting the equipment to Indiana County.
Gruppo’s Chief Executive Luca Sirago said the legal action was necessary to protect the 18 farms contracted to supply the manure that would be used to create the biomethane. He added the project could still proceed with new investment, despite the escalating costs.
Reuters has also reported that Air Liquide is working with advisors from JP Morgan on a potential sale of the biomethane assets, including the Center Township site.
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