May date possible for hearing on permit app

by Richard Lamb, Advance Editor

With the Wolverine Power Supply application for a permit to install still on the table, an extension of the time allotted for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to decide on the matter will likely be extended. According to Brad Wurfel, DEQ spokesman, the state and Wolverine have filed a joint motion with Missaukee County Circuit Court for an extension on the March 31 deadline given to decide on Wolverine?s permit application.

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THE DEQ spokesman said that without the provision of ?need? considered, the applicant would have met all state and federal requirements last year. Modifications in the permit have to be made because of new federal regulations enacted in 2010. With the amended timetable, a public hearing in Rogers City in May is likely, Wurfel said. Even if the state issues a permit to install, sought by Wolverine for so long, that is no guarantee the power plant would be built, Wurfel cautioned.

?From there, the applicant is in a much better position to offer perspective on what their construction plans and timeline look like. They have 18 months from the date of issuance to begin construction. I mention this because I get the sense that many in the region have varied expectations about what will or could happen, and how soon,? he said. More details in this week?s Advance.

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