*** PUBLIC NOTICE ***

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Okeelanta Cogeneration Station Air Permit PSD-EPA-R4016

For New Hope Power Company

Public Comment Period: January 23, 2014 to February 24, 2014

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public comment on a draft Clean Air Act

(CAA) Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) air permit for 

New Hope Power Company (NHPC) Okeelanta Generation Station Project (Project), 8001 U.S. 

Highway 27 South within the City of South Bay, in Palm Beach County, Florida. The draft 

permit will regulate GHG emissions from an additional natural gas boiler with a maximum 1-

hour heat input rate of 589 million British thermal units per hour and a maximum steam 

production rate 440,000 pounds per hour. 

The EPA Region 4 is the agency responsible for implementing and enforcing CAA requirements 

for GHG sources in Florida. Pursuant to the air quality regulations applicable to GHG sources set 

forth in Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 52, a GHG source is required to obtain 

an air quality permit before beginning construction. The EPA has completed review of the 

NPHC air permit application and supplemental materials and is soliciting comments on the 

Agency’s proposal to issue Permit No. PSD-EPA-R4016 to NHPC for their project, which is 

subject to the terms and conditions described in the permit.

The EPA has prepared a draft permit for public comment, as well as a preliminary 

determination/statement of basis document that explains the basis of the permit conditions. 

These documents are available on the EPA Region 4’s website at: 

http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ghgpermits/ghgpermits.html. To request a copy of these 

documents or to be added to the EPA’s GHG permit mailing list, please contact: Ms. Rosa 

Yarbrough, Permit Support Specialist at: 404-562-9643, or yarbrough.rosa@epa.gov. For

questions on the draft permit, please contact: Mr. James Purvis at 404-562-9139 or

purvis.james@epa.gov.

Send comments on the draft permit and requests for a public hearing to: USEPA Region 4, 

Air Permits Section, APTMD; 61 Forsyth Street, SW; Atlanta, GA 30303; Fax: (404) 562-9066

Email: R4GHGPermits@epa.gov, or submit comments electronically via www.regulations.gov, 

which can be accessed through the EPA Region 4 website listed above.

Public Comments must be received by email, submitted electronically via 

www.regulations.gov, or postmarked by February 24, 2014.

Public Hearing requests must be received by the EPA by email or mail by February 7, 

2014.
Project Emissions: The potential annual emissions in tons per year (TPY) of GHG emissions 

from the Project are summarized in the following table. Okeelanta Cogeneration Station is an 

existing major source and this project triggered PSD review for emissions of GHGs exceed the 

subject-to-regulation applicability threshold of 75,000 TPY of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) 

and the PSD significant emission rate of 0 TPY of GHG emissions on a mass basis. Hence,

NHPC is required to apply Best Available Control Technology for GHGs. 

Pollutant PTE 

(TPY)

Subject-to-Regulation 

Threshold 

(TPY of CO2e)

Significant 

Emission Rate 

(TPY mass)

PSD Review 

Required

GHGs 274,446 75,000 0 Yes

The project will also result in emissions increases and decreases of other regulated air pollutants; 

however, these emissions are subject to a separate preconstruction permitting action under the 

jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Public Comments: Any interested person may submit written comments on the draft permit 

during the public comment period. If you believe any condition of the permit is inconsistent with 

applicable requirements, you must raise all reasonably ascertainable issues and submit all 

reasonably available arguments supporting your position by the end of the comment period. Any 

documents supporting your comments must be included in full and may not be incorporated by 

reference unless they are already part of the record for this permit or consist of state or federal 

statutes or regulations, EPA documents of general applicability, or other generally available 

reference materials. Comments should focus on the draft permit and the permit terms as they 

relate to GHG emissions. 

All comments on the draft permit must be received by email, submitted electronically via 

www.regulations.gov, which can be accessed through the EPA Region 4 website listed above, or 

postmarked by February 24, 2014. An extension of the 30-day comment period may be granted if 

the request for an extension adequately demonstrates why additional time is required to prepare 

comments. Comments must be sent or delivered in writing to the address above. All comments 

will be included in the public docket without change and will be made available to the public, 

including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes Confidential Business 

Information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Information that you 

consider Confidential Business Information or otherwise protected should be clearly identified as 

such and should not be submitted through email. If you send email directly to the EPA, your 

email address will be captured automatically and included as part of the public comment. Please 

note that an email or postal address must be provided with your comments if you wish to receive 

direct notification of the EPA’s final decision regarding the permit and responses to comments 

submitted during the public comment period.

All timely comments will be considered in making the final decision, included in the record, and 

responded to by the EPA. Similar comments may be grouped together in our response, and the 

EPA will not respond to individual commenters directly.

Public Hearing: The EPA will hold a public hearing if the Agency determines that there is a 

significant degree of public interest in the draft permit. Requests for a public hearing must be 
received by the EPA by e-mail or mail by February 7, 2014, and state the nature of the issues 

proposed to be raised in the hearing. You may submit oral or written comments on the draft

permit at the public hearing. You do not need to attend the public hearing to submit written 

comments. If the EPA determines that there is significant public interest, a public hearing will be 

held on February 26, 2014, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., at the following location: Belle Glade 

Library/Civic Center, 725 North West 5th Street, Belle Glade, Florida, 33430, (561) 993-

0728 

If no timely request for a public hearing is received or the EPA determines that there is not 

significant interest, the hearing will be cancelled. An announcement of cancellation will be 

posted on the EPA’s website at:

http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ghgpermits/ghgpermits.html or you may call the EPA at 

the contact number above to determine if the public hearing has been cancelled.

Permit Documents: The EPA’s draft permit and preliminary determination/statement of basis, 

NHPC’s application and supporting documentation/data, and comments received from the 

public, other government agencies, and the applicant during the public comment period become 

part of the administrative record for the permit. All data submitted by the applicant is available 

as part of the administrative record. The administrative record is available to the public and is 

available at the following websites:

http://www.epa.gov/region4/air/permits/ghgppermits/ghgpermits.html and www.regulations.gov

(docket# EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0023). The administrative record is also available at the EPA 

Region 4 office (please call in advance for available viewing times): 61 Forsyth Street, SW;

Atlanta, GA 30303; phone: (404) 562-9643.

Final Determination: A final decision to issue a permit, or to deny the application for the 

permit, shall be made after all comments have been considered. Notice of the final decision shall 

be sent to each person who has submitted written comments or requested notice of the final 

permit decision, provided the EPA has adequate contact information.