SWEPCO hearing set for Tuesday

GENTRY - A public hearing was set by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality director at 6 p.m. on July 16 in the Gentry High School Auditorium to allow public participation in the determination of the terms and conditions of the final air permit applied for by SWEPCO’s Flint Creek Power Plant and tentatively approved by ADEQ.

ADEQ technical staff will be available to informally discuss the draft permit. In addition, a hearing officer will accept formal public comments at the hearing. Verbal comments will be accepted, but written comments are preferred in the interest of accuracy.

A public notice regarding the meeting published by ADEQ says SWECO’s Flint Creek Power Plant has submitted an application to renew the facility’s permit with the following changes: “add requirements of the existing emergency engines; permit the existing telescopic chute;

update emission rate limits and the insignifi cant activities list; and require additional compliance mechanisms. In addition, this permitting action is necessary to permit the installation and operation of new air pollution control equipment and associated material handling systems to comply with the requirements of the federal mercury and air toxics standards. After all control equipment is operational, the total annual permitted emission rate changes associated with this permitting action includes: decreases of 2,253.95 tons per year particulate matter; 2,290.52 TPY particulate matter less than 10 microns; 26,175 TPY sulfurdioxide; 0.01 TPY hydrogen chloride; 0.11 TPY mercury;

0.59 TPY phenol; and various hazardous air pollutants are decreasing by 0.86 TPY or less due to no longer being reportable; and increases of 0.7 TPY volatile organic compounds;

1.7 TPY carbon monoxide; 7.1 TPY nitrogen oxides; 0.01 TPY lead; and various HAPs are increasing by 0.06 TPY or less.” “Citizens wishing to examine the permit application and staff findings and recommendations may do so by contacting ADEQ Air Permits Branch.

Citizens desiring technical information concerning the application or permit should contact Ann Sudmeyer, Engineer. Both ADEQ Air Permits Branch and Ann Sudmeyer can be reached at the Department’s central office, 5301 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72118-5317, telephone: (501) 682-0730.”

News, Pages 3 on 07/10/2013