Impact study holds road extension in limbo at EverGreene
WAYNESBURG – A 1,500-foot road extension that will be part of the EverGreene Technology Park remains in limbo while federal highway officials continue to review an environmental impact study, a development official said Tuesday. Don Chappel, executive director of the Greene County Industrial Development Authority, told authority board members at their monthly meeting the Federal Highway Administration has to approve the study before giving the state Department of Transportation approval to allow the extension to be built.
“The road is still laid out where we want it to be. We got verbal approvals last month, but until we get the environmental piece back, we’re still in a holding position,” Chappel said.
He said he met recently with PennDOT District 12 engineer Michael Dufalla and state Secretary of Transportation Allen Biehler, both of whom told Chappel they were aware of the authority’s road plans and would work to see that the approval process moves as quickly as possible.
Chappel said he attended a recent meeting with Gov. Ed Rendell and other state officials in Fayette County concerning a capital budget request of $2.5 million for technology infrastructure and a building at EverGreene. He said the governor responded favorably when discussing the request and said Rendell was familiar with what the GCIDA is planning at EverGreene.
Chappel said the governor is hopeful that the EverGreene request and other capital requests can be approved and allocated soon after the state House of Representatives returns to session Sept. 9.
A total of $1.2 million has already been allocated from other sources for site preparation and utility work for the park, he said.
In another matter, Chappel told the board about a zoning hearing held last week for the proposed $800 million power plant in Cumberland Township. The members of the zoning hearing board asked officials with Wellington Development a number of questions, but held off on making a decision about granting the developer two special exceptions until two questions could be fully answered and scheduled another hearing on the matter for Aug. 25 at 7 p.m.
“Everything is moving along real well, and there was no opposition the night of the hearing,” he said. “I think it’s a nice project and we will be working with them on their financing situation.”
Chappel said the developers will apply for their final permit in October and the state Department of Environmental Protection will take between six and eight months to review the application before deciding whether to grant the permit.
Company officials, at the hearing last week, said an average of 900 employees will be needed during the three years of construction at the plant, with a peak employment of 2,000 people.
The plant will burn material from coal waste piles throughout the region to fuel the power plant, which officials claim will be the cleanest in the nation when it begins operation.