By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
In an announcement made via email by West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Air Quality Division Title V & NSR Permitting Environmental Resources Associate Stephanie Mink, the Air Quality Permit for the Fundamental Data Ridgeline Power Plant Project has been approved.
“After consideration of all comments received, both written and orally at the public meetings held on June 30, 2025 and July 17, 2025, the DAQ has made a final determination that the available information continues to indicate that Fundamental Data LLC’s proposed facility, in accordance with the plans and specifications filed in Permit Application R13-3713 (and any revisions thereto), as enforced under Permit Number R13-3713, will meet all applicable state and federal air quality rules and regulations. Therefore, on August 15, 2025, the DAQ, pursuant to Subsection 5.7 of 45CSR13, issued Permit Number R13-3713 to Fundamental Data LLC for the construction and operation of a turbine power facility proposed to be located near Thomas, Tucker County, WV.,” the statement reads.
Attached to the email statement was a copy of the Final Determination on the project, the Response to Public Comment and a copy of the Final Construction Permit issued.
The Construction Permit outlines the conditions, requirements and responsibilities associated with the project. It does not outline the building schematics or plans. The Permit does, however provide information on inspections, limitations and standards, monitoring requirements, testing requirements, record keeping requirements and reporting requirements. The document also provides emissions standards, operating parameters and operation and maintenance requirements of equipment.
The Final Determination outlines a Background of Information of the project which essentially is a section of the history of the project and public review periods. Within the section, the document explains that it was determined that the public comment period would not be extended.
“There was no evidence to support the contention the public has not been aware of the permitting action, has not had sufficient time to provide comments on the proposed facility, has not had time to provide comments on the DAQ documents provided at the beginning of the formal public comment period or did not have a reasonable amount of time to provide comments on the basis of the information provided at the public meeting,” the document reads.
A Summary of Comments Received was also included in the document. In total. The DAQ received 1,605 written comments and 18 oral comments at the July 17th public meeting. While most comments were against the facility, the document did state that a few comments for the project focused on the economical impact the project would have on the community.
“After conducting a thorough review of the comments, it was determined that no information was presented that showed the draft permit (or permitting process) was inconsistent with a reasonable reading of the intent of (code),” the document reads.
There were however changes made to the Draft Permit that were outlined in a separate section. Some changes were the result of comments received by the public, the document states. The changes include the addition of hourly formaldehyde limits to the maximum hourly emission tables when combusting natural gas and/or diesel, the addition of formaldehyde emission limits to the maximum annual emission limit table, the addition of language that the optimal injection rate of aqueous ammonia into each SCR is conducted for each fuel, the revision of permit condition that the aggregate fuel consumption (natural gas/diesel) must be monitored hourly instead of daily, addition of language to monitor ammonia injection rate established in permit condition, addition of a permit condition to monitor the gross energy output of each combustion turbine on a continuous basis, revision to permit condition to recognize that Method 320 – Vapor Phase Organic and Inorganic Emissions by Extractive FTIR can also be utilized as a performative test method for CO emissions, addition of a permit condition to require record keeping of the optimal ammonia injection rate to each SCR when combusting either fuel and addition of a permit condition to require record keeping of the gross energy output for each combustion turbine on a continuous basis.
The document also declares that due to community concerns over formaldehyde emissions, Fundamental Data will be required to conduct an initial performance test to ensure compliance with the hourly formaldehyde value when combusting natural gas.
The 140 page Response to Public Comments goes into deeper depth in answering and addressing the comments and concerns raised in both the statements made during the public meeting, but more importantly, during the open comment period. The document addresses such subjects as pollutants, HB2014, regulations and testing in detail, as well as addresses the community’s concerns to public health, well being and the DAQ’s role in determination. Most of the document is dedicated to Q and A of submitted comments from community members. There is also contained a listing of all those who submitted comments, as well as those who attended the public meeting.
