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NILES — The date and time has been set for a virtual informational meeting and public hearing on Indeck Energy Service’s request to amend its air emissions permit for the company’s natural gas plant on Progressive Drive in the Niles Industrial Park. 

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy representatives reported this week that a member of the public had requested a public hearing by the Tuesday deadline. The proposed permit change has been open for comment since July 27. 

The Sept. 6 virtual informational session and public hearing will be virtually at 6 p.m. that day. People can pre-register for the meeting or simply join at the start of the meeting. The link is https://bit.ly/3Pi6Ws3. Those without internet access can join by phone at (213) 787-0529 and use the conference code 881478. 

The agenda for the meeting will be welcome and short presentation on EGLE’s Air Quality Division and air permitting process, information about the proposed permit and application review, inspections and compliance, question and answer and a public hearing to take comments on the record. 

People do not have to attend the Sept. 6 meeting to provide comments. Comments may be submitted via email, US Post, or voicemail at any time during the comment period, which ends on September 11, 2023. Go to Michigan.gov/EGLEAirPublicNotice, choose “Applications open for comment” for more information. 

Indeck has submitted an air quality permit application for proposed changes that reflect the equipment actually installed. The changes proposed would actually lower the current permitted emissions limits. 

A project summary provided by EGLE indicated that the facility will be capable of operating under the new emission limits based on the lower actual heat input capacities of one auxiliary boiler, two dew point heaters and one diesel-fired emergency engine. 

The summary reported that Indeck has been considered a major source of emissions in the Niles area and must meet the standards for specific air pollutants set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Pollutants monitored by the EPA include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter.  

The plant currently meets the standards set by the government and an EGLE analysis has concluded that the permit changes requested by Indeck will produce emissions that are below the national standards for pollutants. 

EGLE officials noted that they can consider such things as technical mistakes made in the review, grammar and spelling mistakes and other rules that should be considered in making their decision. They cannot consider air, land or water issues not part of the project, traffic, noise and lights, zoning issues, indoor air pollution and other unrelated issues.