Environment & Energy

I live three miles upwind of the plant. It was a pain in the ass for three years while it was under construction, traffic delays and much added traffic. They completely rerouted RT. 18 and added four traffic lights in a half mile stretch. What was a leisurely drive to the local mall is now interrupted with multiple stops and delays. The plant itself is horrendously large . At night it lights up the night sky and looks like a small city. We have never gotten bad smells being upwind, but have heard complaints from nearby the towns of Vanport and Beaver.

The fracking wells and pipelines that supply gas to the plant are potential water table polluters and emit methane gas. There was a pipeline explosion a mile north of the plant that damaged a house or two but fortunately there were no injuries or deaths. But it did partially melt an electric line tower near the explosion. All of this to make plastic pellets that are used in various applications shipped by trains to plastics companies. The pellets have been found in the Ohio River, and the plant itself has been fined for pollution violations.

There were a large number of construction workers while it was being built, but it only needs 60-200 employees to operate. I have never gotten an accurate number of employees, but would say it is closer to the 60 number. The plant certainly has not followed through on their wild claims of prosperity for Beaver County that earned them major tax breaks for years.