Marion Energy Partners LLC; Science Facility (“data center”) ~ Permit No. R13-3533
Land is available for lease in the Morgantown Industrial Park
From the Division of Air Quality, WV Department of Environmental Protection, March 7, 2022
Pursuant to 45 CSR §13-8.8, the Division of Air Quality presents the FINAL DETERMINATION for the Construction Permit for Marion Energy Partners LLC —Science Facility, located near Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia ~ Permit Application Number: R13-3533, Facility Identification Number 061-00262, Date: March 7, 2022. {‘Promoting a healthy environment.’}
Marion Energy Partners, the same individuals at the same locations as Northeast Natural Energy, has proposed to construct a frack gas fired facility to generate electricity, with some unrevealed purpose that would use the power to run a Science Facility as a “data center” operating 24 x 365. Four G3520H Caterpillar engines rated at 3457 horsepower each would have individual stacks 20 feet tall, not very high in the valley. The frack gas, similar to natural gas, would contain numerous contaminants in low concentrations.
Consideration of Dehydration Unit ~ The DAQ agrees with the commenters that the dehydration unit at the MIP Measurement & Recording (M&R) station adjacent to the Science Facility should be included in the air pollution analysis because of plant functionality (e.g., engines need the field gas dehydrated) and is owned and operated by Northeast Natural Energy. The combined emissions, of Marion Energy Partners and the MIP M&R station would still be classified as a non-major facility under the major source construction (PSD) and operating permit (Title V) programs and as an area source of hazardous air pollutants.
Combined emissions of the two sites in tons per year are as follows: Particulate Matter (PM) 3.89, Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) 67.4, Carbon Monoxide (CO) 34.22, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) 40.34, Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) 14.41, and Formaldehyde (HCHO) 6.68. [Some 55,000 tons per year of Carbon Dioxide will also be emitted.]
Oxidation Catalyst Monitoring ~ “The permittee shall monitor the temperature at the inlet of the catalyst in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications; a high temperature alarm shall shut off the engine before thermal deactivation of the catalyst occurs. If the engine shuts off due to high temperature alarm, the permittee shall follow the maintenance plan and the engine and oxidation catalyst manufacturer’s operating and maintenance procedures to determine the cause of the alarm and corrective action. If thermal deactivation of the oxidation catalyst is suspected, then the permittee shall also check for thermal deactivation of the oxidation catalyst in accordance with the oxidation catalyst manufacture’s written procedures and corrective action to restore catalyst performance (if necessary) before normal operations are resumed.”
Final Determination ~ “After consideration of all comments received, all available information indicates Marion Energy Partners LLC’s proposed construction of the Science Facility near Morgantown, Monongalia County, WV, should meet all applicable requirements of State Rules and Federal Regulations and permit R13-3533 should be issued, subject to applicable state and federal air quality management rules and standards.”
>>> The Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition and others have raised a number of issues and maintain that the Morgantown Industrial Park is not an appropriate location for this pollution. Other industrial facilities are quite close; and numerous schools, residential areas, churches, and critical health care facilities are in this same Monongahela River valley.
>>> It has been recommended that the City of Morgantown appeal this Permit to the WV Air Quality Board.
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