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 and April 7.

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.