Pioneer Valley Energy Center officials maintain that the proposed plant is no threat to human health or the environment.
Members of Westfield Concerned Citizens protest a proposed Pioneer Valley Energy Center power plant at a A public hearing earlier this year.WESTFIELD – The issuance earlier this month of a federal Environmental Protection Agency air quality permit for the proposed $400 million natural gas-fired electric generating plant has not deterred continued opposition by Westfield Concerned Citizens.
“Westfield Concerned Citizens along with residents from neighboring communities concerned about the environmental impact of the plant are not satisfied with this outcome,” said WCC founding member Mary Ann Babinski.
Babinski said WCC is “assessing future efforts” in opposition to the plant, adding” there is an appeal process to this permit award.”
“This is a very important issue to us and we are considering an appeal of the decision to award the permit,” Babinski said.
The final air quality permit needed for the project, originally proposed in late 2007, was received April 12 from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, project manager Matthew A. Palmer announced.
That completed the federal and state environmental permitting process allowing developers to focus their attention on finance and construction of the proposed 400 megawatt generating plant at its site off Ampad Way.
Palmer said this week the issuance of the EPA permit “confirms the findings of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection that this plant will not harm human health or the environment.” He said WCC has a right to appeal the latest permit as it had with previous permits.
Pioneer Valley Energy Center now hopes to break ground on construction by spring, 2013.
Babinski said “WCC members are even more determined to stop construction because the more we have learned about the issues surrounding this facility the more we recognize the facility’s harmful public health, safety and environment impacts. There is no need for the energy this plant will generate.
“We had petitioned the EPA for a health impact assessment but it determined that it was not necessary,” Babinski said adding WCC will continue to position that operations to generate electricity “will not be clean. Clean energy does not come from a smokestack.”
Babinski said the group will not sway from its concerns over air pollutants, the transporting and storing of heating oil and chemicals involving plant operations.
“The fact that PVEC received an air permit does not make this right. It is another example of citizens having to pay the price because laws, regulations and policies cannot protect us,” she said.
The state’s Department of Environmental Protection issued a similar permit last year and PVEC received a Natural Heritage permit, because of turtle habitat at the Ampad - Servistar Industrial Way site, on March 9.
Palmer has secured agreements with Holyoke’s Water Department for the purchase of an estimated two million gallons of water a day from that city’s Tighe-Carmody Reservoir located in Southampton.
Developers also have a property tax agreement with Westfield that will pay the city more than $40 million over the first 20 years of operation.
Electricity generated by the 400 megawatt plant will be sold to local communities, and PVEC will purchase natural gas needed to power the plant from Westfield’s Gas and Electric Department.