* * * * PUBLIC NOTICE * * * * 

Mt. Poso Cogeneration Company 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROPOSED PERMIT AND REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT 

ON PROPOSED PERMIT TO REGULATE THE EMISSION OF AIR POLLUTANTS 

PERMIT NO. SJ 86-09 

The Region 9 Office of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requests 

public comment on the proposed minor revision of a Prevention of Significant Deterioration 

(PSD) air quality permit. EPA issued the initial PSD permit, in accordance with the PSD 

regulations (40 CFR 52.21), on January 8, 1987 to authorize construction and operation of the 

Mt. Poso Cogeneration Company (Mt. Poso), a nominal 49.5 megawatt coal-fired power plant. 

The facility currently utilizes a blend of coal, petroleum coke and tire derived fuel (TDF). The 

proposed modification is to allow Mt. Poso to utilize a renewable fuel – woody biomass in 

addition to the existing fuels. Primary biomass fuel sources will include: agricultural waste in 

the form of orchard removals, orchard prunings, shells, and pits; and urban wood waste including 

tree trimmings, woody construction waste, pallets, and clean demolition wood from county and 

municipalities’ recycling programs. The Mt. Poso power plant is located at 36157 Famoso Hwy, 

approximately 15 miles north of Bakersfield, California. 

All written comments or requests for a public hearing must be sent to Laura Yannayon at the 

contact information in this notice by e-mail or postmarked no later than February 15, 2010. All 

comments should address the proposed changes and discuss the specific issues/concerns you may 

have with these changes. An extension of the comment period may be granted if the request for 

an extension adequately explains why more time is required to prepare comments. 

Pursuant to 40 CFR 124.12, EPA has discretion to hold a public hearing if we determine there is 

a significant amount of public interest in the permit revision. Requests for a public hearing must 

state the nature of the issues proposed to be raised in the hearing. If a public hearing is to be 

held, a public notice stating the date, time and place of the hearing will be made at least 30 days 

prior to the hearing. Reasonable attempt will be made to notify directly any person who has 

commented on the proposed permit revision of any pending public hearing, provided contact 

information has been given to the EPA contact person listed in this notice. 

All comments that are received will be included in the administrative record without change and 

will be available to the public, including any personal information provided, unless the comment 

includes Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information for which disclosure is 

restricted by statute. Information that you consider CBI or otherwise protected should be clearly 

identified as such and should not be submitted through e-mail. If you send e-mail directly to the 

EPA, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the public 

comment. Please note that an e-mail or postal address must be provided with your comments if 

you wish to receive direct notification of EPA’s final decision regarding the permit and 

responses to comments submitted during the public comment period. 

EPA will consider all written comments submitted during the public comment period before 

taking final action on the revised PSD permit and will send notice of the final decision to each 

person who submitted comments and contact information during the public comment period or 
requested notice of the final permit decision. EPA will respond to all substantive comments in a 

document accompanying the final permit. 

The decision will become effective 30 days from the date of issuance unless: 

1. A later effective date is specified in the decision; or 

2. The decision is appealed to the Environmental Appeals Board pursuant to 40 CFR 

124.19 (any person who submits written comments on the proposed permit 

modification or who participates in the Public Hearing may petition the 

Environmental Appeals Board to review any part of the permit decision within 30 

days after the decision has been issued. Any person who failed to comment either 

in writing or by participation in the Public Hearing on the proposed permit 

modification may petition for review by the Environmental Appeals Board only

those parts of the final permit decision which are different than the proposed 

permit modification); or 

3. There are no comments requesting a change to the proposed permit modification, 

in which case the final decision shall become effective immediately upon 

issuance. 

All information submitted by the applicant is available as part of the administrative record. The 

proposed revised permit, statement of basis and ambient air quality impact report, permit 

application and other supporting information are available on the EPA Region 9 website at 

http://www.epa.gov/region9/air/permit/r9-permits-issued.html. The administrative record may 

also be viewed in person, Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at the EPA Region 

9 address below. Due to building security procedures, please call to arrange a visit 24 hours in 

advance. Hard copies of the administrative record can be mailed to individuals upon request in 

accordance with Freedom of Information Act requirements. 

Any written comments must be received (if sent by e-mail) or postmarked (if sent by U.S. mail) 

on or before February 15, 2010 at the following addresses: 

E-mail: R9airpermits@epa.gov 

 U.S. Mail: Laura Yannayon (AIR-3) 

 U.S. EPA Region 9 

 75 Hawthorne Street 

 San Francisco, CA 94105-3901 

If the proposed permit becomes final, and there is no appeal, the project will be subject to the 

conditions of the revised permit, and other applicable permit and legal requirements. 

If you have questions, please contact Laura Yannayon at (415) 972-3434 or by e-mail at 

yannayon.laura@epa.gov. 

Please bring the foregoing notice to the attention of all persons who would be interested in this 

matter.