[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 226 (Friday, November 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-29087]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 25, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
 

Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
and Public Hearings for the Proposed York County Energy Partners 
Cogeneration Project at North Codorus Township, PA

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(Draft Statement), Notice of Public Hearings on the Draft Statement, 
and Floodplains/Wetlands Notification.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (Department) announces the 
availability of the York County Energy Partners Cogeneration Project's 
Draft Statement (EIS-0221) prepared to assess the environmental and 
human health effects of the design, construction, and operation of a 
proposed 250 (gross) megawatt electric (MWe) atmospheric circulating 
fluidized bed cogeneration facility, to be located in North Codorus 
Township, York County, Pennsylvania. As one of the proposals selected 
under Round I of the Clean Coal Technology Program, the Cogeneration 
Project would demonstrate the applicability of atmospheric circulating 
fluidized bed combustion and cogeneration technology at a utility 
scale. This technology, when compared to conventional coal burning 
technologies, would result in a cost effective reduction in emissions 
of sulfur, oxides of nitrogen, and particles from a nominal 250-MWe 
(227 MWe net) coal-fired power plant. The proposed action is the cost-
shared Federal funding of the project by the Department of 
approximately $75 million (about 20 percent of the total cost of 
approximately $350 million). The industrial partner for this proposed 
project is York County Energy Partners, L.P., a project company of Air 
Products and Chemicals, Inc. The proposed project would be a 
cogeneration facility, supplying steam to be purchased by P.H. 
Glatfelter Company, and electricity that would be purchased by 
Metropolitan Edison Company. As a result of the purchase of steam, P.H. 
Glatfelter Company's No. 4 power boiler would be placed on hot-standby 
status and operated up to 720 hours per year in parallel with the 
proposed project. This would result in a net reduction in emissions of 
sulfur dioxide and particles within York County, Pennsylvania. In 
addition, emission reduction credits for oxides of nitrogen emissions 
would be transferred, in part, from the No. 4 power boiler to the 
proposed project in order to generate the 1.15 to 1 offsets required by 
law.
    The Draft Statement assesses the environmental impacts of the 
atmospheric circulating fluidized bed combustion and cogeneration 
technology at a large utility scale and setting. The technologies to be 
demonstrated include a Foster Wheeler 2,500 MMBtu/hr single-train 
atmospheric circulating fluidized bed boiler, incorporating selective 
non-catalytic reduction for reducing emissions of oxides of nitrogen, 
limestone injection for reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide, and fine 
particle filters for reducing particulate emissions.

DATES: The Department invites comments on the Draft Statement from all 
interested parties. Written comments or suggestions regarding the 
adequacy, accuracy, and completeness of the Draft Statement will be 
considered in preparing the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final 
Statement) and should be received by January 10, 1995. Written comments 
received after that date will be considered to the degree practicable.
    The Department will also hold public hearings on three consecutive 
dates at which agencies, organizations, and the general public are 
invited to present oral and/or written comments or suggestions on the 
Draft Statement. Locations, dates, and times for the public hearings 
are provided in the section of this notice entitled ``PUBLIC 
HEARINGS.'' Written and oral comments will be given equal weight and 
will be considered in preparing the Final Statement. Requests for 
copies of the Draft Statement and/or Final Statement or questions 
concerning the project should be sent to Dr. Suellen A. Van Ooteghem at 
the address noted below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Draft Statement should be received 
by January 10, 1995, for incorporation into the public hearing record. 
Oral and written comments will be accepted at the public hearings. 
Written comments, requests to speak at the hearings, or questions 
concerning the York County Energy Partners Cogeneration Project, should 
be directed to: Dr. Suellen A. Van Ooteghem, Environmental Project 
Manager, Morgantown Energy Technology Center, 3610 Collins Ferry Road, 
Morgantown, WV 26507-0880 Telephone: (304) 285-5443.
    If you request to speak, please indicate at which hearing(s). 
Envelopes should be labeled ``York County Energy Partners Draft EIS.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the 
Department's Environmental Impact Statement process and other matters 
related to the National Environmental Policy Act, please contact: Ms. 
Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Oversight (EH-25), U.S. 
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20585. Telephone: (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Need for the Proposed Action

    The Department proposes to provide cost-shared funding support for 
the design, construction, and operation of a 250-MWe (gross) coal-fired 
atmospheric circulating fluidized bed cogeneration power plant at North 
Codorus Township, Pennsylvania, to demonstrate the cost effective 
reduction in emissions of sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, and 
particulate matter. The proposed project was selected by the Department 
for negotiation of a Cooperative Agreement for Federal assistance under 
the Clean Coal Technology Program. Following a 24-month demonstration 
period anticipated to conclude in December, 1999, the facility would 
enter into commercial operation for a period of approximately 23 years. 
The proposed project would be located in North Codorus Township in York 
County, Pennsylvania, approximately 6 miles southwest of York, 
Pennsylvania. The proposed project would be built on property currently 
owned by P.H. Glatfelter Company, which would purchase approximately 
400,000 lbs/hr of steam for industrial use from the proposed 
cogeneration project.
    In December 1985, Congress allocated funds to the Department for 
conducting the first round of the cost-shared Clean Coal Technology 
Program. On February 17, 1986, the Department issued a Program 
Opportunity Notice soliciting proposals to conduct cost-shared projects 
to demonstrate innovative, energy efficient, economically competitive 
coal-based technologies that had potential for commercialization in the 
1990s. In response to the solicitation, 51 proposals were received. 
From these proposals, nine projects were selected by the Department in 
July of 1986 for negotiation, and a list of alternate candidates was 
established in the event that one or more of the initial nine projects 
did not proceed. In June of 1989, the Arvah B. Hopkins Circulating 
Fluidized Bed Repowering Project, proposed by the City of Tallahassee, 
Florida, was selected from the alternate list. As originally 
envisioned, this project would have repowered one of the City of 
Tallahassee's municipally-owned natural gas boilers with atmospheric 
circulating fluidized bed combustion technology.
    In early September 1991, the City of Tallahassee indicated that it 
no longer wished to proceed with the proposed project. The City 
indicated its willingness to cooperate with the effort to relocate the 
project, and other potential hosts for the project were then 
considered. Subsequently, the Department agreed to reassign the project 
to York County Energy Partners, a subsidiary of Air Products and 
Chemicals, Inc., of Allentown, Pennsylvania. The new sponsors proposed 
to relocate the project from Tallahassee, Florida, to an industrial 
site adjacent to the J.E. Baker Company quarry and brick manufacturing 
operations in West Manchester Township, York County, Pennsylvania, and 
to operate the project as a cogeneration facility. Steam produced by 
the project would have been purchased by the J.E. Baker Company and 
electricity would have been purchased by Metropolitan Edison Company. 
All other major aspects of the project would have remained essentially 
unchanged from the original project.
    During the summer of 1992, York County Energy Partners sought 
opportunities for air emissions reductions from existing companies in 
the vicinity of the proposed project as a means of acquiring air 
emissions offsets. Discussions with P.H. Glatfelter Company indicated 
that the desired level of air emissions reductions could be achieved by 
relocating the project to P.H. Glatfelter Company's paper mill facility 
in North Codorus Township, if the proposed York County Energy Partners 
project could provide sufficient steam to largely displace an existing  
P.H. Glatfelter Company coal-fired boiler. Additionally, it was 
determined that the co-location of the proposed cogeneration project 
with P.H. Glatfelter Company's paper mill facility would enable York 
County Energy Partners to treat and recycle wastewater from the mill 
for use as cooling water at the proposed cogeneration facility, thereby 
greatly reducing the amount of fresh water used. Accordingly, on 
February 1, 1993, York County Energy Partners and P.H. Glatfelter 
Company issued a joint statement that they were evaluating the 
feasibility of relocating the proposed York County Energy Partners 
project to the North Codorus Township site. The Department was 
requested to consider York County Energy Partners' proposed site 
change. The Department issued its approval of the proposed site change 
in a memorandum dated June 23, 1993.

Environmental Impact Statement Preparation

    The Draft Statement has been prepared in accordance with Section 
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act, as implemented in 
regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 
Parts 1500-1508) and by the Department's Implementing Procedures (10 
CFR Part 1021). In accordance with the National Environmental Policy 
Act, the Department determined that providing cost-shared funding for 
the York County Energy Partners Cogeneration Project constitutes a 
major Federal action that may significantly affect the quality of the 
human environment. Therefore, the Department has prepared a Draft 
Statement to assess the potential impacts of both the proposed action, 
and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action, on the human and 
natural environment.
    A Notice of Intent (Notice) to prepare an environmental impact 
statement and hold public scoping meetings was published in the Federal 
Register on July 29, 1993 (58 FR 40631). The Notice invited oral and 
written comments and suggestions on the proposed scope of the 
environmental impact statement, including environmental issues and 
alternatives, and invited public participation in the National 
Environmental Policy Act process. Scoping meetings were held on August 
19, 1993 and October 5, 1993 in North Codorus Township and York, 
Pennsylvania, respectively. Overall, the Department received 614 
comments. As a result of the scoping process, the Department developed 
an Environmental Impact Statement Implementation Plan to define the 
scope and to provide further guidance for preparing the environmental 
impact statement.
    The Draft Statement provides an analysis of information prepared to 
evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the proposed 
construction and operation of the York County Energy Partners Project 
at the proposed site. This Draft Statement also considers the proposed 
action, an alternate site, and the no-action alternative, which 
includes a scenario that reasonably could be expected to result as a 
consequence of the no-action alternative. Impacts to human health, 
atmospheric resources, surface water, groundwater, socioeconomic 
resources (including environmental justice), noise, and traffic from 
construction and operation of the proposed York County Energy Partners 
Cogeneration Project have been analyzed. Impacts to biological 
resources, biodiversity, floodplains, and wetlands are also considered.

Floodplains/Wetlands Notification

    Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management) and the 
Department's Procedures for Compliance with Floodplains/Wetlands 
Environmental Review Requirements (10 CFR 1022), notification is 
provided that portions of electric connections and pipeline corridors 
proposed as components of the York County Energy Partners Cogeneration 
Project would be constructed and operated in the 100-year floodplain 
(as depicted on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Flood 
Insurance Rate Map; Panel Number 422223 0005, 0010 and Panel Number 
422227 0005, 0010). In addition, portions of ladder tracks and a rail 
spur associated with the proposed project would also be located within 
the 100-year floodplain. A total of approximately 1.1 acres would be 
expected to be utilized for placement of these ancillary facilities 
within the 100-year floodplain.
    Small areas of the Codorus Creek's 100-year floodplain would be 
unavoidably impacted by development to connect the proposed project 
with utility (electric) substation facilities. Approximately 14 to 22 
power line utility poles (required to provide a connection between the 
York County Energy Partners Cogeneration Facility and Metropolitan-
Edison's existing Bair Substation) would be located within the 100-year 
floodplain of Codorus Creek. This electric interconnect would intersect 
the floodplain on property controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, and property owned by P.H. Glatfelter Company. It is 
estimated that 4-8 utility poles would be located on land belonging to 
P.H. Glatfelter Company, and 10-14 utility poles would be located on 
land controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers. Placement of these 
utility poles would impact approximately 0.013 acres of the 100-year 
floodplain. Construction and operation of these electrical connections 
(and their rights-of way) would be conducted in accord with relevant 
regulatory requirements and in consultation with appropriate regulatory 
agencies.
    Short segments of the proposed facility's steam supply pipeline to 
P.H. Glatfelter Company and condensate return pipeline would also be 
located within an identified 100-year floodplain, affecting 
approximately 0.3 acres. A small area (approximately 0.8 acres) of the 
Codorus Creek 100-year floodplain would be impacted by ladder tracks 
and rail spur that would require an expansion of the existing YorkRail 
right-of-way on P.H. Glatfelter Company property. The rail structures 
would be similar to, and closely parallel, the existing YorkRail Main 
line at the same elevation.
    Impacts during construction would include equipment and vehicle 
access, earth disturbance, sedimentation, erosion from exposed soils, 
damaged vegetation, and placement and compaction of fill to support new 
rail lines. In addition, the steam and condensate return pipelines to 
P.H. Glatfelter Company would require permanent pipe supports to be 
placed within the floodplain. During operation, there would be some 
periodic minor disturbance due to personnel and equipment entry for 
inspection and maintenance of the new ladder tracks, rail spur, and 
above-ground steam and condensate return pipelines to P.H. Glatfelter 
Company.
    The potential impacts and mitigation measures associated with the 
above proposed activities within identified floodplains are discussed 
in Section 4 of the Draft Statement and constitutes the floodplains 
assessment in accordance with 10 CFR Part 1022.
    Comments regarding the effects of the proposed action on 
floodplains may be submitted to the Department in accordance with the 
procedures described below.
    In accordance with Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands, 
and the Department's Procedures for Compliance with Floodplains/
Wetlands Environmental Review Requirements (10 CFR Part 1022), wetlands 
protection has also been considered in the Department's Draft 
Statement. Above- and below-ground pipeline connections between the 
proposed new facility and existing facilities would require 
construction affecting approximately 0.5 acres of wetlands. These 
wetlands would be temporarily disturbed as a result of construction and 
excavation activities associated with pipeline installation.
    Four identified wetlands, along with Codorus Creek, would be 
potentially affected by the proposed project and utility corridors. A 
fringe wetland bordering Mill Pond and Kessler Pond would be 
unavoidably affected by placement of permanent pipe support foundations 
for a pipe rack supporting the steam and condensate return pipelines to 
the P.H. Glatfelter Company facility. This wetland impact is 
unavoidable due to the proposed facility being sited on the opposite 
side of Codurus Creek from the P.H. Glatfelter Company facility. Three 
other wetlands would be traversed by supply and return pipelines for 
the proposed project cooling tower. A total of approximately 0.20 acre 
of these three wetlands would be impacted for excavation and 
underground placement of cooling tower supply and return pipelines from 
the proposed facility to P.H. Glatfelter Company facilities.
    During construction of the pipeline interconnect, vegetation would 
be selectively removed using manual labor whenever possible in order to 
minimize potential impacts associated with mechanical clearing 
techniques. York County Energy Partners would obtain regulatory 
approval prior to construction or disturbance of wetlands. Potential 
impacts during construction and operation, such as erosion and 
sedimentation, would be controlled with appropriate mitigation measures 
(such as silt fencing during construction).
    It should be noted, however, that construction of the proposed 
electrical interconnect corridor, the proposed rail spur, and ladder 
track associated with this proposed project would not result in 
incursion into wetland areas.
    Potential environmental impacts to wetlands are discussed more 
fully in Chapter 4 of the Draft Statement and constitutes the wetlands 
assessment in accordance with 10 CFR Part 1022. Comments regarding the 
effects of the proposed action on wetland areas may be submitted to the 
Department in accordance with the procedures described below.

Comment Procedures

Availability of Draft Statement

    Copies of the Draft Statement are being distributed to 
organizations, environmental groups, and individuals known to be 
interested in or affected by the proposed project. Additional copies of 
the document or appendices to the main document may be obtained by 
contacting the Department as provided in the section of this notice 
entitled ADDRESSES.
    Copies of the Draft Statement, including major documents referenced 
in the Draft Statement, are available for inspection at the locations 
identified below:
    (1) U.S. Department of Energy, Freedom of Information Reading Room, 
1E-190, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, 
DC 20585.
    (2) U.S. Department of Energy, Morgantown Energy Technology Center, 
3610 Collins Ferry Road, P.O. Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880.
    (3) Glatfelter Memorial Library, 101 Glenview Rd., Spring Grove, PA 
17362.
    (4) York County Library, 118 Pleasant Acres Rd., York, PA 17401.
    (5) York County Courthouse, 28 E. Market St., York, PA 17401.

Written Comments

    Interested parties are invited to provide comments on the content 
of the Draft Statement to the Department as indicated in the section of 
this notice entitled ADDRESSES. Envelopes should be labeled ``York 
County Energy Partners Draft EIS.'' Comments should be received no 
later than January 10, 1995, the close of the public comment period, to 
ensure consideration in preparing the Final Statement. Comments 
received after January 10, 1995 will be considered to the extent 
practicable.

Public Hearings

Procedures

    The public is invited to provide comments on the Draft Statement to 
the Department in person at the scheduled public hearings. Advance 
registration for presentation of oral comments at the hearings will be 
accepted up to one week prior to the hearing date by telephone or by 
mail at the office listed in the ADDRESSES section above. Envelopes 
should be labeled ``York County Energy Partners Draft EIS.'' Requests 
to speak at a specific time will be honored if possible. Registrants 
are allowed to register only themselves to speak and must confirm the 
time they are scheduled to speak at the registration desk the day of 
the hearing. Persons who have not registered in advance may register to 
speak when they arrive at the hearings to the extent that time is 
available. To ensure that as many persons as possible have the 
opportunity to present comments, 5 minutes will be allotted to each 
speaker. Persons presenting comments at the hearings are requested to 
provide the Department with written copies of their comments at the 
hearing, if possible.

Hearing Schedules and Locations

    Public hearings will be held at the following locations, times, and 
dates:

1. Date: December 14, 1994
    Time: 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm (Registration will commence at 6:00 pm)
    Place: York Fairgrounds, 334 Carlisle Avenue, York, PA 17404, (717) 
848-2596

2. Date: December 15, 1994
    Time: 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm (Registration will commence at 6:00 pm)
    Place: York Fairgrounds, 334 Carlisle Avenue, York, PA 17404, (717) 
848-2596

3. Date: December 16, 1994
    Time: 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm (Registration will commence at 6:00 pm)
    Place: York Fairgrounds, 334 Carlisle Avenue, York, PA 17404, (717) 
848-2596

Conduct of Hearings

    The Department's rules and procedures for the orderly conduct of 
hearings will be announced by the presiding officer at the start of the 
hearings. The hearings will not be of an adjudicatory or evidentiary 
nature. Speakers will not be cross-examined, although the presiding 
officer and the Department's members on the hearing panel may ask 
clarifying questions. In addition, the Department's representatives 
will be available to discuss the project in informal conversations. A 
transcript of the hearings will be prepared, and the entire record of 
each hearing, including the transcript, will be placed on file by the 
Department for inspection at the public locations given above in the 
COMMENT PROCEDURES section.

    Signed in Washington DC, this 18th day of November 1994, for the 
United States Department of Energy.
Peter N. Brush,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Environment, Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 94-29087 Filed 11-23-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P