Community supports ethane cracker project at public hearing
Trending
SHADYSIDE -- The planned PTT Global Chemical ethane cracker could discharge wastewater associated with polyethylene production into the Ohio River, but numerous political, labor and community leaders support the project they believe will bring thousands of jobs to the Upper Ohio Valley.
During a Thursday Ohio Environmental Protection Agency public hearing at Shadyside High School on the proposed multi-billion-dollar petrochemical plant, agency officials explained the permitting process for the massive project, which would be built on the site of the former R.E. Burger plant and additional riverfront acreage to the south and west.
"We are passionate about the river," Powhatan Point resident Pattie Meyer told agency officials. "We are trusting you to keep it safe."
Information the agency provided Thursday shows Thailand-based PTT would discharge industrial process water, cooling water, sanitary wastewater and stormwater connected to industrial activity into the river. Eric Nygaard, an official with the agency's Division of Surface Water, said some of this water could contain "trace amounts" of polyethylene and ethylene associated with the chemical production process.
"The biology of the Ohio River should not see any effect at all from this discharge," Nygaard said.
While answering an audience question about potential problems associated with discharges from other chemical plants in Ohio, Nygaard said, "I can't think of anything truly horrible that's happened at one of these plants."
Last year, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and PTT officials met at the Statehouse in Columbus to confirm plans to spend at least $100 million for engineering and design plans for the plant, which some estimate would cost about $5.7 billion to complete. In July, FirstEnergy Corp. officials blew up the 854-foot-tall smoke stack at the former R.E. Burger plant to make room for the giant plant.
Sometime in the first half of 2017, PTT officials plan to make a final decision on whether they will actually build the plant. Numerous elected officials and labor leaders hope the project will give the Upper Ohio Valley a considerable economic boost.
Kyle Brown, president of the Upper Ohio Valley Building and Construction Trades Council, said his labor union has been in contact with PTT officials regarding the need for 7,000 construction workers.
"This project has been described as an anchor project," he said. "This is the project we need to revitalize Belmont County -- to revitalize the Ohio Valley."
Belmont County Commissioner Matt Coffland called the cracker "a great opportunity."
"This is not only great for Belmont County -- this is great for the whole region," he said.
"If PTT makes the decision to go forward with this project, it will create a sea of change for this community," retired Shadyside Local School District Superintendent Jerry Narcisi added.
Marshall County Commissioner Bob Miller crossed the Ohio River to express his support for the project.
"I heartily endorse this on behalf of the Marshall County Commission," he said.
Dilles Bottom property owner Dwayne Pielech said he supports the ethane cracker, even though it likely means he and others will have to sell their land to PTT.
The Ohio EPA will accept comments both orally and in writing at the hearing through Sept. 22. Written comments may be emailed to: epa.dswcomments@epa.ohio.gov. They can also be sent via postal mail to: Ohio EPA-DSW Permits Processing, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049.
After the meeting, EPA spokeswoman Heidi Greismer said if the agency approves this PTT application, officials would issue a draft permit, which would result in another public hearing.
Although certain forms of air pollution can be generated by such an enormous petrochemical complex -- including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, ammonia, xylene and benzene -- air emissions were not in the scope of this hearing.