UPDATED: RI DEM Issues Key Permit for Proposed Controversial Burrillville Gas Powered Energy Plant

UPDATED: RI DEM Issues Key Permit for Proposed Controversial Burrillville Gas Powered Energy Plant

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced Thursday morning that it has found that the proposed Burrillville Gas Power Plant — Clear River Energy Center — will comply with applicable state and federal air pollution control rules and regulations and that DEM has prepared a draft permit for public review and comment.

The proposed power plants owners celebrated the announcement. "Receiving this draft project permit is another major milestone for the Clear River Energy Center, and confirms that the plant will meet acceptable state and federal standards and rules.

“It is also validation of our ability to build and operate this critical new energy source for Rhode Island in an environmentally responsible way. We look forward to the Energy Facility Siting Board's decision on the project in the coming months."

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The power plant has been strongly opposed by the Town of Burrillville and many environmental organizations around the state.

Conservation Law Foundation's Senior Attorney Jerry Elmer said in a statement to GoLocal, "CLF will challenge Invenergy’s application for a permit under the Clean Air Act. However, the real action, in this case, continues to be at the Energy Facility Siting Board. We’re confident that the EFSB will not grant Invenergy a permit to build their plant. It is not needed and would cause unacceptable environmental harm."

DEM was explicit to say that this decision runs on a parallel track as the final decision to site the plant.

According to DEM, although the overall decision on siting and building the facility, proposed by Invenergy Thermal Development LLC in Burrillville, rests with the Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB), the decision on the air permit stays with DEM per state law and is not connected to or sequenced with the EFSB.

"Today, DEM released a draft air pollution control permit for the Clear River Energy Center power plant proposed by Invenergy in the Town of Burrillville. This is separate from and independent of the ongoing hearing being held by the Energy Facility Siting Board on the siting of the proposed facility. That EFSB decision will ultimately determine whether the facility is built," said DEM Deputy Director for Environmental Protection Terrence D. Gray. "Evaluating the air quality impacts from the proposed power plant has been a critically important and complex process for DEM. We have determined, based on our expert review of the application, that the facility will comply with federal and state air quality standards. We encourage others to carefully review the application and the draft permit and provide us with feedback. We have set up a website with information on the application and the permit, are providing for an extended public comment period, and will be scheduling a public hearing to give members of the public ample opportunity to weigh in on this proposal."

Issued by DEM's Office of Air Resources, the draft permit, preliminary determination, a factsheet, and notice of public comment are available at www.dem.ri.gov/invenergy. The public comment period for this draft permit will be open until Monday, July 15, 2019 at 4 PM.

DEM STATES: Rhode Islanders who would like to submit questions or formal comments on the proposed permit may email [email protected] so they can be added into the draft permit's administrative record. Comments must be received before the public comment period closes to be considered. A public hearing for interested persons to appear and submit written or oral comments on the draft permit will be held before the end of the public comment period. DEM will announce the date, time, and location of the hearing when the details are finalized.

UPDATED 5/9/2019 at 10:15 PM.