The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing November 28 to receive testimony from citizens on the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. PA0027481, DEP proposes to issue to FirstEnergy Generation, LLC for discharges from the Bruce Mansfield Power Plant and associated Little Blue Run Impoundment in Beaver County.  (Oct. 27 PA Bulletin page 6927)

The hearing will start at 6:00 p.m. at South Side Area School District Middle/High School Auditorium located at 4949 PA State Route 151, Hookstown, PA 15050. Doors will open and onsite registration will begin at 5:30 PM.

The Bruce Mansfield Power Plant and Little Blue Run Impoundment are currently operating under an administratively extended NPDES permit that expired on November 30, 2011.

There are fourteen discharges from the Bruce Mansfield Power Plant to the Ohio River and Haden Run including cooling water, treated sewage, and stormwater.

There are an additional twenty-three discharges from the Little Blue Run Impoundment to Mill Creek and Little Blue Run stream including treated industrial wastewaters and spring/seep water from the impoundment.

In September, FirstEnergy announced plans to close the Bruce Mansfield Power Plant by June 1, 2021.

In April of 2014, DEP issued a permit requiring the closure of Little Blue Run Impoundment by December 2016.  Click Here for more.

Individuals will have the opportunity to present up to five minutes of oral testimony relevant to the NPDES application and draft NPDES permit. Those who wish to present testimony are asked to register in advance by contacting DEP’s Community Relations Coordinator Lauren Fraley by sending email to: lfraley@pa.gov or 412-442-4203.

Pre-registration will be taken through noon on November 27. Individuals will be called to testify in the order they registered. In order to accommodate the greatest number of residents interested in testifying, DEP requests that organizations designate one individual to speak on their behalf.

DEP will record testimony and receive written comments throughout the hearing. Testifiers should bring at least one copy of their testimony and exhibits for submission to DEP.

Persons unable to attend the hearing may submit three copies of a written statement and exhibits within 10 days thereafter to the Department of Environmental Protection, Clean Water program, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 or send by email to: RA-EPCW-SWRO@pa.gov. 

Written submittals must contain the following:

-- Name, address, and telephone number of the person submitting the comments.

-- Identification of the proposed draft NPDES Permit No. (PA0027481).

-- Concise statements regarding the relevancy of the information or objections to issuance of the NPDES Permit.

DEP received written comments on the draft permit during an extended 45-day comment period after the draft permit was published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on August 11, 2018. The draft permit and fact sheet are available for review on DEP’s Southwest Regional Office website.

Individuals in need of an accommodation in order to participate in the hearing, as provided for in the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, should contact the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at 1-800-654-5984 (TDD) to discuss how DEP may accommodate your needs.

(Photo: Bruce Mansfield; Little Blue Run Impoundment - Allegheny Front.)

Related Stories:

FirstEnergy To Close Its Last Coal-Fired Power Plant In Pennsylvania

Settlement With DEP On 10 Coal-Fired Power Plants Will Require Updating Of Water Quality Discharge Permits

DEP Issues Permit Requiring Closure Of FirstEnergy’s Little Blue Run Impoundment

[Posted: Oct. 25, 2018]

10/29/2018