DEP faces concerns about air pollution from proposed Homer City power plant

State environmental regulators were peppered with questions from Indiana-area residents Wednesday concerned about the air pollution that will be emitted from a proposed 4.5-gigawatt, natural gas-fired power plant outside Homer City and the potential for impacting their health.

“We don’t feel they took any shortcuts on evaluating the (air pollution) controls,” said David Balog, permit chief for the Department of Environmental Protection’s Meadville office, on the air quality plan that plant owner Homer City Reevelopment LLC submitted. The hearing Wednesday evening at Indiana University of Pennsylvania attracted about 200 people.

The DEP has given its preliminary approval for the air quality plan submitted to the regulators for the plant. It’s to be located on the site of the former coal-fired Homer City power plant that was considered one the state’s largest air polluters.

DEP officials acknowledged that there would be particulate emitted into the air, and that there would be short-term and long-term risks.

“Both the short-term and long-term risk were below the risk levels that we are concerned about,” said Justin Haley, permit reviewer for DEP’s Meadville office.

Carolyn Tirmarchi of Indiana questioned what chemicals will be emitted into Indiana County’s air and in what amounts.

The risk levels are very low, with the combined cancer risk from breathing those emissions are 5 in 10 million, if exposed 24 hours a day for 70 years, Haley said.

The DEP will have a third party monitor and test the pollution that will be emitted from the smokestacks at the plant, although the state is required to be on the site only once every two years.

But Jocelyn Plowcha of Homer City repeatedly questioned DEP on what particulates that the state will be checking for when testing the smokestack emissions.

“What particulates are you looking for?” Plowcha asked, after not getting a specific response from the DEP representatives.

“If you don’t know what you are looking for, how can you test it?” Plowcha said.

Choloe Drew of Homer City voiced her concerns about the pollution in her town and its impact on their health. She questioned whether Homer City Redevelopment officials would want it near their home.

Corey Hessen, CEO of Homer City Redevelopment LLC, the plant owner, said he would not mind if the plant was near his home.

“Put it there, instead,” Drew said to a smattering of applause.

Hessen later said he lives in Indiana.

The audience contained a contingent of about 40 people wearing T-shirts identifying themselves as boilermakers, sheet metal workers and laborers. Building the massive power plant is expected to create 10,000 construction-related jobs.

State Sen. Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, told the officials from DEP and Homer City Redevelopment that the vast majority of his constituents are in favor of the proposed natural gas power plant.

Pittman, Senate majority leader whose district covers part of Westmoreland County, said this power plant will produce much fewer emissions than the former coal-fired power plant that closed in 2003. It slso will help to satisfy the demand for more electricity, Pittman said.

“We’re bringing (power) supply to the market that is needed. It sounds like a win-win,” Pittman said.

If DEP approves the air quality plan, the company will be permitted to begin construction and operate for a temporary period. Homer City Redevelopment has said it wants to have the plant online in 2027.