Oct 25 2004
St. Lawrence Cement has been engaged for the past several years in the process of obtaining the necessary permits for a replacement cement plant in Greenport, New York. The proposed Greenport plant would replace St. Lawrence’s existing plant in Catskill, NY, dramatically improving air quality in the region. Today, the company announced that it will seek revised air permits that drastically reduce the maximum limits on air emissions of annual gross tons of primary components of concern (PM, NOx and SO2). The drastic reduction in permitted limits is in conjunction with the company’s new design for its replacement plant project in Greenport, which was unveiled last August.
The company’s plan will result in substantial reductions (28% overall) in the permitted annual limits of these critical components compared to the original design. Compared to actual annual air emissions from the existing Catskill plant, the reduced permitted limits of new design also deliver reductions in critical compounds for acid rain causing sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx).
The last few years of experience from the company, from the cement industry and from key suppliers have led to new developments allowing these reductions: 1) improvement in cement milling technology, 2) increased efficiency of the air pollution control devices, 3) changes in the cement product specifications and 4) lowering of the enforceable maximum level of annual air emissions (more information can be found on the attached fact sheet).
“By voluntarily proposing a lower annual air emissions cap, along with additional technological improvements, we will be seeking a revised permit with a dramatic reduction in critical emissions”, said David Loomes, General Director of the Greenport Replacement Plant. “We are determined to build a world-class cement plant and to move this permitting process forward. A plant with the emissions cap we propose and a new design that significantly reduces its visibility is a plan we believe we can all agree on.”
As a result of these technological and operational improvements, St. Lawrence Cement will work with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the Environmental Protection Agency to voluntarily lower its permitted annual air emission levels.
"With these new improvements in air quality, we are making it clear that we will fully live up to New York’s strict emission standards.” said David Loomes.Recently, St. Lawrence Cement unveiled a new design for the Greenport replacement plant that reduces the height of the plant by 115 feet, so now over 90% of the surrounding area won’t be able to see the plant at all.
The replacement plant will also have a major positive economic impact for the region by retaining vital cement jobs for decades to come, creating over 1,500 construction jobs and generating at least $800,000 in local annual tax revenue once operational.
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