Senator Joe Pittman last week urged the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce to get involved in encouraging people to offer their support for the Keystone Generating Station in Shelocta and the Conemaugh Generating Station in West Wheatfield Township as those two power plants go through the regulatory process that will enable them to remain in operation beyond their previously-scheduled retirement dates in 2028.
A proposed consent decree was announced last month between the Department of Environmental Protection and Keystone-Conemaugh Projects, LLC, the parent company of the two plants, known as “KeyCon”. The decree establishes a schedule for the two coal-fired plants to install and begin operating bottom ash system upgrades to meet EPA requirements for wastewater discharges.
Public comments are due by February 9th, thirty days after the publication of the decree. After the public comment period, DEP will evaluate and file responses to the comments, then petition the Indiana County Court of Common Pleas to rule on the decree. Pittman told the Chamber of Commerce board, “We need to be vocal and engaged to show just how important these plants are to our community and our region.”
Comments should be sent to DEP’s Northwest Regional Office Clean Water Program at 230 Chestnut Street in Meadville, PA 16335 or by email to: RA-EPNPDES_NWRO@pa.gov.
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