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Company offers info on planned energy center |
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Monday, 21 July 2008 |
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By Emily Hone AMERICAN FALLS — Southeast Idaho Energy is conducting another round of open houses this week to provide information to the public on the Power County Advanced Energy Center it plans to build southwest of American Falls.
The informational open house for the Blackfoot area will be held at the Blackfoot City Hall on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Other open houses will be at the Aberdeen City Hall and the Rockland City Hall from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., respectively, on Wednesday; the Jasper Room of the Pocatello Holiday Inn from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, and the American Falls Public Library from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
SIE plans to build the $2 billion energy center on more than 450 acres zoned for heavy industry six miles southwest of American Falls.
It will use advanced clean-coal gasification technology to produce fertilizers.
SIE community relations representative Kim Clinger said in a news release announcing the open houses, in Phase 1 of the two-phase project, SIE plans to invest $1 billion, and the center will produce up to 3,900 tons per day of nitrogen-based fertilizers.
SIE has submitted an application for an air permit to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. Based on detailed computer modeling completed for the application, Clinger said, the Center will operate well below the federal and state government limits established to protect human health and the environment.
Emissions will be a maximum of 3.2 percent of what is allowed under National Ambient Air Quality Standard.
According to Clinger, DEQ is expected to issue a proposed air permit for public comment in August.
However, according to information from DEQ, because of the high level of public interest and the complexity of the SIE project, the agency is making materials submitted for the permit to construct application available in advance of the required public comment period, although comments are not being accepted at this time.
SIE plans to begin construction in the second quarter of 2009, Clinger said, and will require 550 to 1,350 workers. Startup of Phase 1 is planned for 2012, and the center is expected to create 140 operations jobs that pay well, he said.
Clinger said the company is committed to hiring locally and will work with Idaho State University and other local institutions to create a training program for the operations positions.
Clinger said the format of the informational open houses is informal.
He said they are part of a continuing effort to provide information about the energy center to area residents, hear their comments and concerns, and answer questions.
He said key technical staff will be there to listen to comments and provide information. Anyone interested in the project is welcome to drop in and talk, Clinger said, whether they want to discuss a single topic, or spend an hour or so talking about the project in detail.
DEQ said SIE submitted an application for a permit to construct in July of 207, withdrew that application in April 2008, and submitted a revised application.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 22 July 2008 )
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