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Proposed Power Plant In Jessup Draws Divided Opinions

JESSUP — A community is finding itself divided over a proposed power plant fueled by natural gas. Residents both for and against building the plant in Jes...

JESSUP -- A community is finding itself divided over a proposed power plant fueled by natural gas.

Residents both for and against building the plant in Jessup packed a borough council meeting Monday night.

“Right now Jessup has an opportunity. It has land that`s zoned for it. It has an ability for a tax base in the future,” said Mike Guida of Jessup.

“I think we need to really consider, are we going to be that group again here that says, 'Yeah, take advantage of us. We`ll go that way,'” said Bonnie Urzen of Jessup.

It was a room divided at the Jessup council meeting, a room so packed many had to stand in the hallway.

Folks came to voice their feelings on a proposed power plant that would be built on 80 acres of old coal mining land near the industrial park in the borough.

“My question is: what kind of power does council actually have to stop something if it passes all of the state`s regulations?” asked Curt Camoni of Jessup.

A Chicago-based energy company wants to build the plant that would use natural gas from the Marcellus Shale to create electricity.

The company, Invenergy, says the construction of the plant alone would create tax revenue and hundreds of jobs.

“That`s a huge benefit to all the tradespeople, men and woman who work in the trades, a lot of which have been unemployed or underemployed these last few years,” said Chuck Coccodrilli of Jefferson Township.

The proposal is still in the early phase with plans still being reviewed by the state Department of Environmental Protection for air quality approval.

DEP says plans for this power plant would make it the largest one in the state.

“What we`re concerned about mostly is the public health impacts, it would be one of the largest in the state, the emissions on our health and also on Moosic Mountain,” said Kaylie Cornell of Archbald.

Borough officials say the proposal hasn`t reached council yet, the project is still being reviewed by both the county and borough`s planning commissions.

“So that`s where we`re at in the planning process,” said borough solicitor Richard Fanucci. “Ultimately the planning commission of Jessup will make a recommendation. Those recommendations will be to borough council. Borough council will have the final say.”

Jessup council voted to send a letter to DEP, asking DEP to hold a public hearing on the company's air quality permit request.

 

 

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