By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-978628.mp3
Albany, NY – A Southern Albany County cement plant gets the green light from state officials to expand the facility. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas has an update:
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has announced that Lafarge Building Materials Inc. has been granted the necessary state permits to modernize and expand its existing cement manufacturing facility.
Following an extensive environmental review which included numerous public involvement opportunities and an expanded public review and comment period, DEC issued air and water discharge permits to allow Lafarge to expand its operations in New York state. Plant manager John Regan says that during a 2-year construction cycle, the plant will create 800 temporary jobs. The 180 current employees at the facility will be retained.
Lafarge will replace the existing "wet" cement-making process with a more energy efficient "dry" cement-making process. The new process will replace two kilns and their associated 325-foot smoke stack with a single kiln with a 525-foot smoke stack which will be partially enclosed to reduce visual impacts. Regan notes the plant will become cleaner and greener in the process.
The DEC notes that the Lafarge plant will no longer use Hudson River water as a primary water supply and will install screening to protect aquatic organisms when river water is used as a backup supply.