The Department of Environmental Protection announced Tuesday it will host a public hearing on an application by Northampton Generating, Inc. located in Northampton Borough, Northampton County to revise its existing permit limit for lead emissions from its circulating fluidized bed boiler.

The hearing will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 30 at the Northampton Memorial Community Center, at 1601 Laubach Ave. in Northampton.

The company has requested an increase in its lead emission limit from .0027 pounds per hour to .0588 pounds per hour and 0.258 tons per year. Northampton Generating burns tire-derived fuel, propane, anthracite culm, high carbon ash, coal, residual paper products, virgin wood, and petroleum coke to generate electricity to sell back to the grid.

“The department continues to see an interest from the public on this application and this is an opportunity to hear from them,” said Mike Bedrin, Director of DEP’s Northeast Regional Office in Wilkes-Barre.

The department received Northampton Generating’s permit application on October 16, 2014. A notice of receipt of the permit application was published in the PA Bulletin on December 20, 2014. That notice also informed the public of a 30-day public comment period that began on December 20, 2014, and the opportunity to request a public hearing.

Based on comments received and the level of public interest in the application, the Department has decided to hold a public hearing.

The public hearing was advertised in the Morning Call newspaper on May 26, May 27, and May 28, 2015. In addition to the hearing, the Department will continue to accept written comments on Northampton Generating’s permit application until 4 pm on Wednesday July 15, 2015.

Those who cannot attend the public hearing are encouraged to participate in the public comment process by sending in their remarks to Mark Wejkszner, Air Quality Program Manager, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701. Comments can also be sent by email to: mwejkszner@pa.gov.

A copy of the permit application can be viewed at the Department’s Northeast Regional Office, at 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 by calling 570-826-2511, or at the Department’s Bethlehem District Office, at 4530 Bath Pike, Bethlehem, PA 18017 by calling 610-861-2070.

Individuals in need of an accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 should contact Colleen Connolly or make accommodations through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at 800-654-5984 (TDD).

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