Hearing is Thursday at RCHS on Wolverine emission request

by Richard Lamb, Advance Editor

A public hearing is set for tonight (Thursday) at Rogers City High School on the Wolverine Clean Energy Venture (WCEV) to hear comments on Wolverine?s plans to use a smaller unit to measure emissions from the power plant. THE CURRENT standard is using the measurement of PM10, or 10 microns. Wolverine proposes to use a smaller measuring unit that is four times smaller than that required by law, 2.5 microns. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new rules to use the PM2.5 measurement as part of the Clean Air Act, but the PM2.5 standard is not required?yet.

?The pressure to comply with PM2.5 standards is motivated by Wolverine?s own pressure to ensure that the WCEV project meets and exceeds current and future environmental standards,? said Wolverine?s Ken Bradstreet, director of government affairs and communication.

Regulations are likely on the way to use the PM2.5 measurement, as further explained by Melissa Byrnes, an environmental engineer in the permit section of the MDEQ. ?Eventually, Wolverine would be required to meet the PM2.5 regulations; however, they have voluntarily decided to demonstrate that they can meet these additional regulations ahead of time,? Byrnes said. Wolverine and the DEQ agree that says this ?amendment? to the air quality permit, one of the major keys to the entire power plant project, will not cause any delay in the deliberations now underway in Lansing and DEQ.

?We don’t feel that it will stall any decision that will be made on the draft air permit,? Byrnes said. ?We are hopeful that a decision will be made by the end of the year, though there is nothing definite.? TONIGHT?S PUBLIC hearing, required under the Clean Air Act, begins at 7 p.m. in the RCHS gymnasium. Prior to the hearing, an informational session will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. in the gymnasium where MDEQ staff will be available to answer questions.

The sole purpose of the hearing will be to take formal testimony on the record pertaining only to emission limits proposed for PM2.5 and the Air Quality Analysis for PM2.5. During testimony, questions will not be answered; however, staff will be available to answer questions outside the hearing room. WOLVERINE?S ACTIVITY in securing permits had action on several fronts. Last week, and again last night (September 16) the county board of commissioners discussed Wolverine?s landfill for the proposed plant.

A meeting of the whole, including the entire five-member county board, heard comments during a two-and-one-half hour meeting last week. Wolverine is seeking the board to approve an ?application for a determination of consistency with the Presque Isle Solid Waste Plan,? the next step in getting approval to construct a type-three landfill. If that approval is gained, Wolverine will apply to the DEQ for a permit to construct the landfill nearly one mile east of the proposed power plant. Chairman Carl Altman assigned the matter to the public health safety committee. They met (after press time) Wednesday with the goal of making a recommendation to the full board.

Wolverine had to satisfy the county that it is in compliance with a 13-point list of requirements in the county?s solid waste plan, most of which are not in dispute. ?The county?s role in this process is to determine if this application fits the county?s solid waste plan. We believe that it does and I think we have demonstrated that,? Bradstreet said.

OPPONENTS OF the plant raised objections saying they were concerned with possible air and water pollution from the landfill. Several asked questions of the board and voiced their opinions on the project while Altman tried to keep board focused on the point-by-point discussion in the lengthy meeting.

?We are looking at a great health risk and we don?t have enough information,? Rogers

City resident Jean Veselenak told the board near the end of the meeting. Her comments prompted another member of the audience, Milt Very of Rogers City, to interject a point of order to the chairman. ?What this meeting should be only about is the items you have up there (referring to the 13-point chart behind Altman). These other ancillary discussions are important but they should be addressed to the proper venue and that is the DEQ,? Very said. ?I think we realize what our role is, here, sir. But just to accommodate people and listen to the public, I think we have done a fair job of that tonight,? Altman said.

IN ANOTHER permit matter, Wolverine?s request to expand the harbor in the Port of Calcite to accommodate two additional 1,000-foot freighters is before the DEQ. Wolverine is hopeful of securing that permit approved by the end of the year.