Winter weather photos
SI cover features area model
Council votes no on KI tax
Ohio EPA: It's OK to start building $340M coke plant
Thursday, January 22, 2009
MIDDLETOWN — SunCoke Energy has the go-ahead to start construction on its $340 million coke oven facility in Middletown.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency informed SunCoke on Tuesday, Jan. 20, that the U.S. EPA had issued a memo stating it has no additional comments regarding the permit, said Ohio EPA spokeswoman Heather Lauer.
The Ohio EPA's permit decision, specifically its application of air emission credits associated with the closing of an AK Steel Corp. sinter plant in June 2003, has been under review by the federal agency since the permit was issued Nov. 25.
Until a decision was made, the Ohio EPA advised that SunCoke postpone construction, Lauer said.
Tenn.-based SunCoke signed an agreement in March 2008 with AK Steel to build a facility along Yankee Road that will use a cleaner, more efficient heat recovery method to produce coke. AK has agreed to purchase all of the coke and electricity the plant produces for at least 20 years, said spokesman Alan McCoy.
SunCoke officials were not available for comment Wednesday.
The company has said it would take 12 to 18 months to build the facility. At this point, only minor site preparation work has been completed. AK Steel also has said it will run out of coke by this December if the plant isn't built.
"(The U.S. EPA decision) is certainly very good news albeit we would have liked to hear that months ago," McCoy said. "We are anxiously awaiting the start of construction."
Although there are three appeals pending on the permit through the Environmental Review Appeals Commission, no stay has been filed or issued to halt construction, said Linda Adams, office assistant for ERAC.
Chris Walker, an attorney hired by Monroe, said the city will file a Clean Air Act Citizen Suit if SunCoke begins construction on the site located near its border.
Comments
By Doug
March 23, 2009 1:18 PM | Link to this
You will loose 225 jobs it only takes 75 to run the new plant. You do not need go to New Miami stay within the fence where there is already a coke plant. They are not keeping to the clean air act of 2003, our local EPA changed the number so Sun Coke coud meet them.
By Mike
January 22, 2009 7:27 PM | Link to this
Wish we had something more than busboy jobs in New JErsey. COnsider yourself lucky that someone is investing industrially in your community. All our politicians can think of is more retail, casinos and financial sector jobs - now you know why our unemployment rate is 7.2 and there’s no hope - only moving out of here and apply at AK - or down in Louisiana where Nucor might build a new integrated plant - with blast furnaces like you have in Middletown. Where do I apply for the coke jobs?
By Hornet....
January 22, 2009 7:27 PM | Link to this
I heard that some at AK expect Snook to end up actually working at SunCoke…..said that it would not surprise them one bit and they expect a couple other big names from Monroe to follow in his footsteps…wonder who they were referring to?
By RB
January 22, 2009 6:50 PM | Link to this
Build it next to the White House….that’s where everything else that stinks is located!
By walter pluckard
January 22, 2009 1:48 PM | Link to this
Snook earned a living off AK Steel, employed at the coke plant, working as a chemical engineer. Never heard him complain while he was working there. Now, he wants to hault the construction of a state-of-the art facility. Go figure
By IHate AK
January 22, 2009 1:48 PM | Link to this
Do you really think that AK cares about you, look what they did to their employees, and after they came back AK treat all of them like crap.
By miss
January 22, 2009 1:26 PM | Link to this
Great news for the city of Middletown! More jobs! Maybe we won’t be considered a “dying city” by this time next year!
By Charles
January 22, 2009 1:04 PM | Link to this
Build the plant in New Miami where there was one before.