WOODS CROSS — The state Department of Environmental Quality is close to giving the nod to a petroleum coke plant just west of the Holly Oil Refinery, but environmental activists are alarmed.

They contend the plant will spew even more health-damaging chemicals into the already dirty South Davis air.

To inform area residents of the dangers, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment is sponsoring a public education session Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Woods Cross City Hall, 1555 S. 800 West.

Then, the Department of Environmental Quality will hold its public hearing on Jan. 13 at the department’s offices, 168 N. 1950 West, Salt Lake City at 6:30 p.m.

While environmentalists are sounding the warning bell, the state Division of Air Quality said the plant meets air quality standards, and that controls the company plans on putting in place are “state of the art.”

Petroleum or pet coke is a carbonaceous solid derived from oil refinery coker units or other cracking processes. Other coke has often been derived from coal.

According to an abstract filed by the state, the plant will have one large two-stroke engine operating on residual fuel oil, one boiler fired with petroleum coke and two natural-gas fired auxiliary boilers.

According to the state’s Intent to Approve document, the residual fuel oil will be provided by Holly Refinery, while the petroleum coke will be shipped from off-site. Residual steam will be sold back to Holly, although electricity produced will be returned to the general power grid.

At full capacity, the plant would generate enough electricity to power about 85,000 homes, based on U.S. Department of Energy statistics.

Consolidated Energy, the Salt Lake City firm proposing to build the plant, will limit the hours of operation to obtain plant approval.

Ty Howard, manager of the New Source Review Section of the Utah Division of Air Quality, said the state looked at the BACT analysis (Best Available Control Technology) and found Consolidated Energy’s standards “very adequate.”

But environmentalists oppose the plant. Dr. Brian Moench, president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, said that petroleum coke and fuel oil are the dirtiest fossil fuels available, “much dirtier than coal for emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.”

He warns such plants also emit high levels of heavy metals, especially vanadium and nickel, but also lead, mercury and arsenic.

Moench believes that over a 50-year period, the levels of particulate matter will cause more than 1,000 extra deaths and impair health for hundreds of thousands, causing an economic loss of at least $1.5 billion in increased health costs.

Moench also said that young children and the unborn will be particularly sensitive to the pollutants, pointing out that the plant will be close to a number of schools which already have increased levels of pollution from area refineries.

The Utah Division of Air Quality agrees the plant will add to air pollution, but maintains, it won’t exceed EPA standards.

“There’s no doubt about it, any new source to the air shed will cause air pollution,” Howard said, but the petroleum coke plant will not add enough pollution to send Davis County over the non-attainment levels.

However, Lewis Garrett, director of the Davis County Health Department was more hesitant to endorse the plant. “At this point we’re not ready to make a formal statement but in general Davis County has poor poor air quality. He said he views adding another source of pollution to the area with some skepticism.

Howard said Davis County is currently considered a maintenance area for ozone but meets federal standards for other pollutants, and “it doesn’t look like the plant will cause the county to exceed the standards.”

But Garrett said Davis County has been designated a nonattainment area for PM 2.5 or fine particulates, and while the petroleum coke plant will not add to the PM 2.5 levels, adding other pollutants can’t be good.

Speaking of measures Consolidated Energy is taking to keep the air clean, Howard said while some companies find clever ways to keep pollution low on the front end of production, Consolidated Energy has “state of the art control equipment” on the back end of the operation, which will keep pollution levels down, and help them stay within limits.

Howard said the average car puts out 84 pounds of pollution yearly. Compared to what is emitted into the atmosphere by drivers in Davis County, the power plant’s emissions will be quite a bit less.

Garrett said the department is studying the permit application and will likely release a statement in time for the Jan. 13 meeting. He adds, though, that the department’s views may not influence what decision the Division of Air Quality makes.

A comment period on the plant will end Jan. 15 and if the state gives its approval, it should come within a few months of the end of the comment period.

mwilliams@davisclipper.com

WOODS CROSS — The state Department of Environmental Quality is close to giving the nod to a petroleum coke plant just west of the Holly Oil Refinery, but environmental activists are alarmed.

They contend the plant will spew even more health-damaging chemicals into the already dirty South Davis air.

To inform area residents of the dangers, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment is sponsoring a public education session Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Woods Cross City Hall, 1555 S. 800 West.

Then, the Department of Environmental Quality will hold its public hearing on Jan. 13 at the department’s offices, 168 N. 1950 West, Salt Lake City at 6:30 p.m.

While environmentalists are sounding the warning bell, the state Division of Air Quality said the plant meets air quality standards, and that controls the company plans on putting in place are “state of the art.”

Petroleum or pet coke is a carbonaceous solid derived from oil refinery coker units or other cracking processes. Other coke has often been derived from coal.

According to an abstract filed by the state, the plant will have one large two-stroke engine operating on residual fuel oil, one boiler fired with petroleum coke and two natural-gas fired auxiliary boilers.

According to the state’s Intent to Approve document, the residual fuel oil will be provided by Holly Refinery, while the petroleum coke will be shipped from off-site. Residual steam will be sold back to Holly, although electricity produced will be returned to the general power grid.

At full capacity, the plant would generate enough electricity to power about 85,000 homes, based on U.S. Department of Energy statistics.

Consolidated Energy, the Salt Lake City firm proposing to build the plant, will limit the hours of operation to obtain plant approval.

Ty Howard, manager of the New Source Review Section of the Utah Division of Air Quality, said the state looked at the BACT analysis (Best Available Control Technology) and found Consolidated Energy’s standards “very adequate.”

But environmentalists oppose the plant. Dr. Brian Moench, president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, said that petroleum coke and fuel oil are the dirtiest fossil fuels available, “much dirtier than coal for emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.”

He warns such plants also emit high levels of heavy metals, especially vanadium and nickel, but also lead, mercury and arsenic.

Moench believes that over a 50-year period, the levels of particulate matter will cause more than 1,000 extra deaths and impair health for hundreds of thousands, causing an economic loss of at least $1.5 billion in increased health costs.

Moench also said that young children and the unborn will be particularly sensitive to the pollutants, pointing out that the plant will be close to a number of schools which already have increased levels of pollution from area refineries.

The Utah Division of Air Quality agrees the plant will add to air pollution, but maintains, it won’t exceed EPA standards.

“There’s no doubt about it, any new source to the air shed will cause air pollution,” Howard said, but the petroleum coke plant will not add enough pollution to send Davis County over the non-attainment levels.

However, Lewis Garrett, director of the Davis County Health Department was more hesitant to endorse the plant. “At this point we’re not ready to make a formal statement but in general Davis County has poor poor air quality. He said he views adding another source of pollution to the area with some skepticism.

Howard said Davis County is currently considered a maintenance area for ozone but meets federal standards for other pollutants, and “it doesn’t look like the plant will cause the county to exceed the standards.”

But Garrett said Davis County has been designated a nonattainment area for PM 2.5 or fine particulates, and while the petroleum coke plant will not add to the PM 2.5 levels, adding other pollutants can’t be good.

Speaking of measures Consolidated Energy is taking to keep the air clean, Howard said while some companies find clever ways to keep pollution low on the front end of production, Consolidated Energy has “state of the art control equipment” on the back end of the operation, which will keep pollution levels down, and help them stay within limits.

Howard said the average car puts out 84 pounds of pollution yearly. Compared to what is emitted into the atmosphere by drivers in Davis County, the power plant’s emissions will be quite a bit less.

Garrett said the department is studying the permit application and will likely release a statement in time for the Jan. 13 meeting. He adds, though, that the department’s views may not influence what decision the Division of Air Quality makes.

A comment period on the plant will end Jan. 15 and if the state gives its approval, it should come within a few months of the end of the comment period.

mwilliams@davisclipper.com