Pennsylvania DEP Issues Permits for Construction of New Natural Gas, Water Lines

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced it has awarded to Birdsboro Power LLC, DTE Midstream Appalachia, LLC, and the Reading Area Water Authority the permits necessary for the construction of a 450 mega-watt natural gas fired Birdsboro Power electrical generation facility, on the site of the former Birdsboro Army Tank Foundry/Armorcast facility.

The permits cover the construction of the main power generation facility, an electric transmission line to convey generated power, a pipeline to supply the facility with water, and a pipeline to convey natural gas to the facility, which will also be regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

“The permit applications for a project of this magnitude require the DEP staff and the Berks County Conservation District to dedicate a great amount of time and effort to the review process,” said Joe Adams, DEP South-central Regional Director. “After a thorough and rigorous technical review, it has been determined that the applications meet the stringent regulatory requirements necessary to enable this project to move forward.”

The permits and modification awarded include:
•    Chapter 105 – Water Obstruction and Encroachment Permits: Required for proposed activities located in, along, across or projecting into a watercourse, floodway or body of water, including wetlands.  For this project, the majority of the proposed activities are associated with crossings of wetlands, streams and floodways.
•    Chapter 102 – Erosion & Sediment Control General Permit (ESCGP-2): Required for earth disturbances associated with oil and gas exploration, production, processing or treatment operations or transmission facilities when earth disturbance is five acres or greater.
•    Chapter 102 – Modification to a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction General Permit (PAG-02): Required for construction-related earth disturbances of one acre or more.
•    Safe Drinking Water Permits – Required for the upgrades to the existing Reading Area Water Authority booster pumping station and construction of the transmission main to extend service to the facility.

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