Progress

January 2, 2009

Ethanol delivery proposed

Proposal for construction in Dupont to add to borough’s tax base, bring jobs to area.

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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The Luzerne County Planning Commission will meet Thursday to consider final plan approval of a rail transport facility to receive ethanol in Dupont.

The Scranton-Altoona Terminals Corp. of Harrisburg wants to develop an 18.5-acre tract just south of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport that would include construction of a 600-square-foot office building, a 2,000-square-foot warehouse, a rail canopy, a two-bay loading rack, a vapor recovery unit and an access roadway, according to Planning Commission Director Adrian Merolli.

The project would involve construction of a pipeline from an existing holding tank facility to the site.

Merolli referred a reporter to Scranton-Altoona for more specifics, but no one from the company was available to answer questions earlier this week.

Dupont Council President Stanley Knick said he believes the facility will be used to receive ethanol on tanker rail cars. The ethanol will be added later to gasoline that is stored in massive holding tanks in Pittston Township.

Knick said it appears that the project, on its face, will benefit the borough through increasing the property tax base after the facility is constructed, and he expects it will bring additional jobs to the local economy as well.

Merolli said the commission will be looking at “the technical end” of the project from a land subdivision aspect; the commission must recommend whether a land subdivision application should be approved.

The commission is requiring a security guarantee, usually secured through a bond, in the amount of $527,214 to ensure that any requirements imposed by the commission are fulfilled.

“We want to ensure the proper infrastructure will be provided for the project,” Merolli said.

Knick said he plans to attend the planning commission meeting to learn more details about the project.

The meeting will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in the commissioners meeting room at the Luzerne County Courthouse, 200 S. River St., Wilkes-Barre.

Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 459-2005.

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