NiSource, a major player in Ohio’s Utica shale boom, wanted to have a shale gas refinery built in Mahoning County by December, but they needed the permit to begin construction by June 1.

The company needed a pollution permit in less than four months to stay on schedule.

NiSource got the permit on June 5. How did they do it? They asked the Ohio Enivronmental Protection Agency, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Why did the refinery get permitted so quickly? Because it qualifies as a minor air-pollution source, a label that allows the Ohio EPA to move along with accepting the request without a public hearing.

Now residents near the refinery are speaking out.

Read it:

“Demands for a public hearing in Mahoning County were rejected by officials who feared it would slow down the permit process, in part because holding a hearing triggers a requirement that the agency go back and evaluate and respond to public concerns.

So instead of a hearing, the EPA held an informational meeting for residents, who said their concerns were not addressed.”

Minor vs. Major pollution sources

The permitting process moved quickly for the Hickory Bend refinery, which the state considers a minor polluter. Plants or businesses considered major polluters undergo much more scrutiny. Permitting businesses that are major polluters can take months.

As more refineries come online, state officials admit that, collectively, the refineries will become a major source of pollution, opening the door for residents to have a chance to comment.

Read more about the story, and how the EPA seemed more concerned about NiSource’s desires than residents’ at the Columbus Dispatch.

Related: NiSource and Landowners Still Assessing Partnership

» Via: The Columbus Dispatch › State agency fast tracks permits for fracking, raising concerns