Oct. 31--PITTSBURGH -- The Department of Environmental Protection has approved EME Homer City Generation LP's environmental assessment, also called a harms/benefit analysis.

The analysis was prepared in conjunction with the company's application to expand a residual waste landfill at its Homer City Generating Station in Indiana County.

"Through this analysis, EME Homer City Generation has proven that the benefits of its proposed expansion clearly outweigh the known and potential harms that are associated with the project," said Ron Schwartz, acting director of the DEP's Southwest Regional Office.

The company wants to modify its solid waste management permit and increase the total permit area by about 76 acres because the site's 1.3 million cubic yards of disposal capacity may be consumed within two to three years.

The modification would bring the ash disposal site to 243.7 total acres. Under the facility's existing DEP permit, the ash disposal site occupies a 167-acre area.

An unlined 145-acre portion within that area, designated as stages one and two, is approved for waste disposal.

Developing the landfill will be completed in two phases, designated as stages three and four, each requiring the installation of a synthetic, double-liner system conforming to requirements for Class I residual waste.

The 39.3-acre stage 3 area will be completed in 2011 and the 28-acre stage 4 area will be completed in 2016. The project will increase the facility's disposal capacity by 5.5 million cubic yards and extend its operational life by 10 years to 2021.

"After the company described their mitigation efforts, the nature of the harms in relation to the proposal's significant positives assured us that this project would be a benefit," Schwartz said.

As part of the regulatory process, DEP held a local municipal involvement meeting in August 2007. No public comment was offered at the meeting or in writing.

For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us or call 442-4000.

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