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SunCoke gets final permit, can start construction

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland touts project as a "major job creation investment."

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer Updated 10:31 PM Tuesday, February 9, 2010

MIDDLETOWN — SunCoke Energy now has its air permit to build a $360 million coke oven facility in Middletown, and can begin construction immediately, according to state officials.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency issued the permit Tuesday, Feb. 9. Director Chris Korleski said the permit’s issuance will allow SunCoke to begin construction as neither his office nor the U.S. EPA has any objection to its emissions plans.

Carol Sloan, spokeswoman for SunCoke, said this was the final step for the Middletown plant and construction is targeted to begin in 60 to 90 days. She was not sure how weather conditions might affect that time line, but said it will take 15 to 18 months to complete.

Gov. Ted Strickland, in a phone interview with the Journal, said the plant is a “major job creation investment” with its estimated 500 temporary construction and 75 permanent jobs that will provide needed economic stimulus to southwest Ohio. Strickland said it also will ensure continued steelmaking in Middletown. AK Steel Corp., a partner in the project, has agreed to purchase all of the coke and energy produced by the facility for its local operations at Middletown Works.

The SunCoke plant, set to be built on a 157-acre plot off Yankee Road in Middletown, was plagued with myriad issues since it was first announced two years ago. The air permit is its second after the first was the subject of several appeals and a lawsuit.

Lisa Frye, president of opposition group SunCoke Watch Inc., said they are still reviewing the permit and discussing legal moves. However, she called SunCoke’s pursuit of a more stringent NSR permit “a victory for our group.,” she said.

While it would not halt construction, the permit can be appealed to the state’s Environmental Review Appeals Commission within the next 30 days.

New plant will be cleanest such facility in the nation, state says

After two years of permitting and legal battles, SunCoke Energy has obtained an air permit to construct a new $360 million coke oven plant in Middletown, one which state officials say will be the cleanest such facility in the country.

This is the second air permit SunCoke has received for the plant, which will provide coke — a vital steelmaking raw material — and energy to AK Steel’s Middletown Works mill. The first permit SunCoke received is no longer considered valid for use, said Heather Lauer, spokeswoman for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Facility concerns

The newly issued New Source Review permit requires more stringent pollution controls, Lowest Achievable Emission Rates and use of the best available technology to control emissions. While some opponents have argued that the new SunCoke plant’s technology was inferior to that planned for an FDS coke plant to be built in Toledo, Mike Hopkins, vice president of permitting at the Ohio EPA, said he believed this facility to be “better” due to more stringent requirements in the NSR permit.

Gov. Ted Strickland, whose office has openly supported the project, said he has been “in frequent contact” with SunCoke and AK Steel, a partner in the project.

“Just let me emphasize if I can, this facility will be the cleanest coke plant in America. It is using the most advance technology available. It will be constructed with all of those concerns in mind and so that the environment will be protected and it will be a major boost I hope for the Middletown community,” Strickland said in a phone interview Tuesday, Feb. 9.

While Strickland said he was aware of the objections posed by the city of Monroe and several residents there regarding the potential health hazards, he said he believes the Middletown plant will be state-of-the-art and pose no threat to human health.

However, the plant will employ similar technology as SunCoke’s Haverhill Coke Company facility in Scioto County, which has received several Notices of Violation from the Ohio EPA for excess emissions. That is still on ongoing concern for Lisa Frye, a Monroe resident and president of SunCoke Watch Inc., a community group that opposes the plant.

But both the governor and Chris Korleski, director of the Ohio EPA, said they believe monitoring at the local facility will protect against similar issues and the state will enforce compliance requirements.

“Any permit that I put my name on isn’t going to get my name on it until I am assured by my staff that it poses all the applicable requirements, and that the permit is protective of public health,” Korleski said. “Once we achieve that requirement, then I am duty-bound to issue it.”

Chris Walker, an attorney representing Monroe in its legal battle against the SunCoke plant, said he is still reviewing the new permit.

““Until I see the permit and have a chance to talk to Monroe, I really can’t comment on it. We’ll take a look at the permit,” Walker said.

Supporting Ohio’s steel industry

The fact that AK Steel has signed a 20-year contract with SunCoke to purchase all of the coke and energy generated by the new facility for its Middletown Works plant bodes well for the future of manufacturing in Ohio, Strickland said.

“Ohio has been and must remain a manufacturing state. In order to be a state that produces steel we need facilities like this facility. It is an essential part of what I believe is a part of our economy that is vital,” he said “This is just one more essential component that Ohio will have as we continue the fight to produce steel and make sure Ohio is a state where we make things and manufacture product.”

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I highly doubt the SunCoke Middletown Plant will perform differently than Haverhill, which has several NOV's, deviations and malfunctions, or Granite City, which had 60 deviations during its first month of operation. I can't wait to read all of the lies and propaganda from scum bag individuals like Michael Thompson, Michael White and Delauna Pack. These three morons should be behind bars, but instead they're making lots of money covering up the dirty truth of SunCoke.

Spastic Cow
7:53 PM, 2/20/2010

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CMSQUARE:Please show us one "Black" house anywhere in Middletown that was caused by coal dust. As to who has the most at stake I doubt if it is you. Those with a stake in this fight are mostly those whom owe a living to the steel mill. You really do not want to try and claim your standard of living is better than mine, your pretentious HOA is nothing, I have 2 of them, and just a painn in the rear. How many hundreds of thousands live south of AK? And no health lawsuits? Gee wonder why!

David815
11:32 AM, 2/11/2010

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Hornet, we actually don't care what you think. CMSquare has stated our opposition to the coke plant and I stand behind him. Monroe does not need this pollution blowing our way. I have spent too much for my college education (although I did receive some $$$ in scholarships)to just let my city become a dump. I envision high rise office buildings with non-union college educated people staffing them. Monore will continue it's rise from farmland to high tech locale!

ADH
11:25 PM, 2/10/2010

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Bottom line is Walker and associates are the winners. The people of Monroe got very little that they could not have gotten for free. AK would probably have built one of the biggest buffers using trees from Bern's. Now they get nothing! CMSQUARE is still spouting his wisdom and the construction will start in a few months. Big Bob is still looking for a bigger future in Congress? or Governship? Let us know Bob so we can drum you up some support so that we could help you leave council..ASAP!

Hornet07
9:22 PM, 2/10/2010

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you people seeting there worried about pollution what about ak its been there for years you choose to still live there there is now coal dust going to attack your house or your family as hard as it is to get income these days u people still fight it off GROW UP. this will provide good income to several people and probially to the ones complaining about it will be fist to apply.

jonsey32
7:51 PM, 2/10/2010

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