COLUMBUS — According to officials at American Municipal Power-Ohio, its proposed “state-of-the-art” power plant in Letart Falls took another step forward with this week’s issuance of a final solid waste permit-to-install (PTI) from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

The agency issued the PTI for the landfill, which will receive combustion waste from the American Municipal Power Generating Station (AMPGS) proposed for Letart Falls. AMPGS will supply power to 81 municipal electric systems in four states, who are partners in the project.

In a statement, AMP-Ohio officials said “the AMPGS project will use leading edge technology to control emissions, making it the cleanest facility of its type in the region and one of the cleanest in the nation. That same technology will significantly reduce the amount of waste from the facility — positively impacting the landfill operations.”

The proposed landfill will be constructed adjacent to the generation facility, and, as a result, AMP-Ohio says no off-site hauling of ash will occur on public roads or right-of-ways, adding the facility will be used for the placement of primarily fly ash and bottom ash.

AMP-Ohio has said it is committed to the use of Powerspan ECO-SO2 technology at the AMPGS facility. The ammonia-based scrubbing technology creates a an ammonium sulfate fertilizer, as opposed to the synthetic gypsum, which comes from more traditional limestone-based scrubbers. AMP-Ohio is working with Ohio headquartered The Andersons, Inc. to procure the urea that will be used as feedstock for the Powerspan process and to produce and market the fertilizer byproduct. This means an approximate 50 percent reduction in the amount of material placed in the landfill on an annual basis, according to AMP-Ohio.

“AMP-Ohio is proud of the AMPGS project,” AMP-Ohio President/CEO Marc Gerken said. “And this latest permit is an example of why. We are proposing to build what will be the cleanest facility of its type in the region, not only in terms of emissions, but in terms of limiting and safely disposing of the combustion waste. Powerspan brings many advances to the table, efficient and effective control of emissions, decreased waste to the landfill and the strong possibility of future carbon capture. This will truly be a state-of-the-art project.”

AMP-Ohio says it will use Powerspan to control SO2 emissions, with co-benefits for the control of mercury and particulate matter. Earlier this year, Powerspan initiated a commercial pilot of its carbon-capture technology at the R.E. Burger plant in Shadyside. AMP-Ohio is participating in that pilot. AMP-Ohio reports in laboratory testing performed by the company and by the US Department of Energy, Powerspan demonstrated the ability to capture up 90 percent of CO2 emissions.

As permitted, the 133-acre facility will have a state-of-the-art liner and runoff collection system, and a ground water monitoring system. The PTI requires 15 years of post-closure care and monitoring upon closure of the facility.

According to AMP-Ohio, the landfill PTI is one of several “critical path permits” related to the project and issued in final form. Additional permits already finalized include, the air permit-to-install (finalized February 2008), National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit (finalized November 2008), 401 Water Quality Certification (finalized January), Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need-Generation Facility (finalized March 2008), OPSB Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need-Transmission Line (finalized November 2008). An application for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 Permit remains pending and the final air and NPDES permits are being appealed by various opponents of the project.