The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced it has issued a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit to Lackawanna Energy Center, LLC of Chicago to discharge treated wastewater from a proposed 1500-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant to be constructed on Industrial Drive in Jessup, Lackawanna County.

The permit authorizes the company to discharge into nearby Grassy Island Creek.

“The department thoroughly reviewed Lackawanna Energy’s application and found that it met the criteria for discharge regulations,” said Mike Bedrin, Director of DEP’s Northeast Regional Office in Wilkes-Barre.

The NPDES Permit allows for a new discharge of air-cooled cooling tower blowdown, low volume industrial wastewater, chiller effluent and storm-water into Grassy Island, which is a designated cold water fishery.

The Department published notice of the draft permit in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on November 7, 2015 and solicited written comment. A public hearing was also held in January of 2016 to solicit public comment at Valley View High School in Archbald.

A total of thirty-seven (37) comments were received by the department and a subsequent comment/response document was also prepared.

A copy of the NPDES permit and comment/response document can be viewed at DEP’s Northeast Regional Office in Wilkes-Barre.

Those wishing to make an appointment to view the documents can do so between the hours of 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. by calling 570-826-2511.

The public can also view the comments on the DEP Northeast Regional Office Community Information webpage.

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3/21/2016