This Valentine's Day, we are sending a special valentine to Renovo Energy Center urging the company to reopen and redo its community benefits agreement with Renovo borough and include Renovo residents to create a better agreement.
February 14, 2022
Open Letter to Renovo Energy Center Requesting a Revised Community Benefits Agreement:
Renovo Energy Center,
Renovo Residents for a Healthy Environment opposes REC’s proposed power plant. However, in case the project were to actually move forward, our group calls on Renovo Energy Center (REC) to re-open its inadequate community benefit agreement with Renovo Borough to allow for a thorough participation process for Renovo residents who would be negatively impacted by the proposed power plant. Residents were not informed or involved in the agreement between REC and Renovo Borough, so the process must be started over to ensure any agreement includes broader participation.
We are demanding a community benefits agreement that includes at least the following provisions:
Agreement to decommission the power plant by 2030 at the latest
Agreement to meet declining greenhouse gas emission rates at a pace consistent with the goal of reducing the plant’s emissions 100% by 2050, when the plant will be decommissioned (through reduced operations, new technologies, or investments in renewable energy)
Payment of $2 million per year of operation to be spent on job training programs, small business incubation programs, and energy efficiency assistance programs
Creation of an independent board, appointed by the parties of the agreement, to make decisions about and oversee how the donated money is spent
A thorough investigation and remediation of any remaining contamination of soil at the site
Installation and operation of a robust fenceline air monitoring program to detect and quickly repair leaks and other problems that could cause increased air pollution beyond the fenceline of the plant
In-depth testing of potentially contaminated soil and groundwater at the site and commitment to adequate remediation measures
An exterior lighting analysis that assesses lighting impacts of the plant and if the plant is built, a lighting study during the commissioning period and following the installation of all exterior lighting
A noise study, noise limits during construction, noise barriers, and ongoing noise monitoring
Payment for Renovo Borough to hire experts to create an adequate stormwater management plan for Renovo
Air filters for all Renovo residents