Comprehensive Plan Approval and PSD
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) issues a written Major Comprehensive Plan Approval (MCPA) once it has determined that the upgraded plant will comply with state and federal air quality regulations and state noise policy.
In addition, MassDEP administers the federal Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting program, which ensures that the project complies with EPA New Source Review (NSR) regulations (as part of the 1977 Clean Air Act Amendments).
The MassDEP process includes a period of public review and comment. Information about the MassDEP public review meeting dates and locations are provided below and will be posted in local news publications.
Permit documents and review
- MassDEP Major Comprehensive Plan Approval application process
- Major Comprehensive Plan Approval Application, submitted December 2015, revised May 2016 and December 2016 [MCPA application document]
- Prevention of Significant Deterioration Application, submitted December 2015, revised May 2016 and December 2016 [PSD application document]
- MassDEP Cover Letter, issued April 2017
- Proposed Major Comprehensive Plan Approval (MCPA), issued April 2017 [MCPA document]
- Draft Prevention of Significant Deterioration permit, issued April 2017 [PSD document]
- MassDEP Draft PSD Permit Fact Sheet
- MassDEP Notice of Public Comment Period & Hearing, issued April 2017 for May 22 hearing
- MassDEP held a public hearing about the proposed MCPA and draft PSD permit on Monday, May 22, 2017. Per the regulations, the public comment period remained open until 5 PM on Tuesday, May 23, 2017.
- MassDEP's June 21, 2017 cover letter regarding MCPA approval and approved PSD permit
- MassDEP Major Comprehensive Plan Approval, issued June 21, 2017 [MCPA approval]
- MassDEP Prevention of Signficant Deterioration permit and fact sheet, issued June 21, 2017 [PSD permit and PSD fact sheet]
- MassDEP Response to Comments, issued June 21, 2017