DEP Announces Public Meeting to Accept Comments on Plan Approval for Shell’s Ethane Cracker in Beaver County

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) published notice of its intent to issue a Plan Approval to Shell Chemical Appalachia LLC for modifications to the company’s ethane cracker in Monaca, Beaver County - with plans for a public hearing March 19.

Specifically, the Plan Approval would:

• authorize Shell to modify flares that it uses to control air pollution at the Facility, as required by new federal regulations;

• authorize Shell to install new equipment in the Facility’s Waste Water Treatment Plant (this equipment will reduce the Facility’s water pollution but will increase its air pollution); and

• modify other Plan Approvals that DEP has already issued for the Facility.

DEP has made the Plan Approval and materials related to it available to the public on its website (click the link for Proposed Plan Approval PA-04-00740D on this webpage).

DEP will hold a public meetings about the Plan Approval from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 19 and April 7, at Penn State Beaver Auditorium, 100 University Drive, Monaca. Members of the public will have an opportunity to ask representatives of DEP questions regarding the Plan Approval at the March 19 meeting.

DEP’s notice states:

Anyone wishing to present testimony should contact Emily Green, Southwest Environmental Justice Coordinator, emgreen@pa.gov or 412-442-4042, no less than 24 hours in advance of the public hearing to reserve a time to present testimony. Individuals who do not register may also present testimony on the day of the hearing. Oral testimony will be limited to a maximum of three (3) minutes per individual, and two (2) written copies of the oral testimony are requested.

Further, DEP will accept written comments on the Plan Approval through April 17. You may submit written comments about the Plan Approval:

via e-mail to asandy@pa.gov or in writing to Department of Environmental Protection, Attn: Alexander Sandy, Air Quality Engineering Specialist, Air Quality Program, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. 

Each written comment must contain the name, address and telephone number of the person submitting the comments, identification of the proposed Air Quality Plan Approval (PA-04-00740D) and a concise statement regarding the relevancy of the information or objections to issuance of the plan approval.

Editor’s Note: GASP is reviewing the Plan Approval and will update this blog with anything notable that we find. Stay tuned!