MEADVILLE, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued an air-quality permit for a $350 million tires-to-energy plant planned in northwestern Pennsylvania.
Monday's permit was the final regulatory approval needed for Crawford Renewable Energy to begin building the plant about 10 miles south of Meadville at the Keystone Regional Industrial Park in Greenwood Township.
The plant had previously received approvals for its wastewater disposal, tire processing and storage, erosion and wetlands encroachment.
Plant officials plan to burn about 900 tons of chopped up waste tires each day to produce enough electricity to power about 75,000 homes.
Project manager Greg Rubino says 350 temporary construction jobs will be created and the plant will employ about 60 people full-time.
Local environmental activists are vowing to fight the plant, but say they can't say how just yet.