Sunday, September 26, 2010

PUBLIC COMMENT HEARING ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO POWER PLANT

      At 7pm on Tuesday, September 28, 2010, at West Middle School, 271 West Street. The Department of Public UltilitiesEnergy Facilities Siting Board will hold a public comment hearing pertaining to the proposed changes for the  petition for approval by Brockton Power Company to construct and operate a 350 megawatt dual-fueled, combined-cycle electric generating facility located within Oak Hill Way Industrial Park.
     On July 12, 2007 the Brockton Power Company filed with the Energy Facilities Sitting Board a petition to construct the power plant. The Company also petitioned the DPU seeking a comprehensive zoning exemption from the Brockton Zoning Ordinance and also a petition to construct a transmission line.
     The three petitions were consolidated (click for final decision docket) and on August 7, 2009, the Siting Board granted the request for the construction of the power plant and the transmission line but denied the request for the zoning exemption. On April 9, 2010, the Company filed for a project change and proposed to use municipal water instead of treated wastewater from the AWRF (Advanced Wastewater recycling Facility) for cooling water makeup. The second proposed change is to operate the facility using natural gas only to eliminate the "potential" use of ultra-low sulfur distillate as an alternative fuel and the third change is to modify the reduce height of the main power plant building, accessory building and the heat recovery steam generator sound walls.
     The Company believes that the proposed changes will comply with the local zoning code in Brockton. The Company is also claiming that the changes will reduce air quality impacts, visual impacts and improve sound levels. The Siting Boards review will be limited to an evaluation of the proposed changes in order to determine if the changed project will still meet the criteria of contributing to a reliable energy supply consistent with the minimization of environmental impacts and costs. Copies of the Project filings are available for public inspection at:
45 School Street, Clerks Office
304 Main Street, Brockton Public Library
     In addition, the Project change filing is available on line at Energy and Environmental Affairs. Type docket number efsb07-7A/07-58/59. That will bring up the electronic docket for the proceeding. On page 3 of 3 there are links to the text of the Project Change filing denominated as "Part 1-4 through "Part 4 of 4". The hearing will be accepting public comments on the proposed changes and any person interested in submitting a written comment must file before 5 p.m.on Tuesday, September 28, 2010, to the Presiding Officer:
Robert J. Shea
Energy Facilities Siting Board
One South Station
Boston, Ma 02110
617-305-3500
robert.j.shea@state.ma.us
     A copy of any written comments must also be sent to the Company's counsel, David S. Rosenzweig, Esq., Keegan Werlin LLP, 265 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110.