DEC holds Greenidge comment sessions

YATES COUNTY--The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation held two public comment hearings Wednesday, Oct. 13 regarding permit renewal applications for Greenidge Generation on Seneca Lake. The facility is a primarily natural gas-fired plant, with a generating capacity of approximately 107 megawatts. In 2020, Greenidge began using power created onsite to power cryptocurrency mining computers and has expanded that operation since then. With the recent change of New York state's governor and an increased focus on greenhouse gas emissions both state and nationwide, the renewal of an air permit for a fossil-fueled power plant has rallied environmental groups and some residents in opposition. Over 100 people spoke during the two hearings, many directly opposing the cryptocurrency mining and emissions.
The day before the hearing, the Yates County legislature voted unanimously for a resolution in support of Greenidge and their permit renewal.
The hearing, which was overseen by Lara Olivieri, who serves as an administrative law judge for the DEC, is part of the process to renew air permits that were issued in 2016 and expired Sept. 6. While the renewal is in progress the plant can continue to operate normally. The comment period was initially set to expire Oct. 22 but has now been extended to Nov. 19.
One opposition speaker to the project was Rt. Rev. Dr. DeDe Duncan-Probe, 11th Bishop of Central New York for the Episcopal Church, saying, "Part of Seneca Lake lies within my diocese and I believe that as people of faith we have an obligation to act as stewards of creation to protect the planet from degradation...I believe the (DEC) and (Gov. Kathy Hochul) should deny the permit application."
While the majority of those who spoke did so to oppose the permits, some did speak in favor of the operation.
"I grew up on this beautiful Lake Seneca... I've worked at the Greenidge facility for over 20 years... for years now upstate New York has been promised that New York is open for business and we believe that," said Dale Irwin, president of Greenidge Generation.
Irwin went on to say the project has support from a bevy of local residents and officials, noting the support of the legislature.
"We have broad local support, hundreds of local businesses, a supermajority at the town planning level," said Irwin.
He added that along with being a successful local business, the operation has employed dozens of people and through its business operations and has greatly increased its tax contribution.
However, the matter has been further complicated by the recent announcement by DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos on Twitter that said in part, "New York state is taking action on [climate change]. Today [the DEC] released for public comment draft air permits for former coal plant turned bitcoin mine, Greenidge LLC. DEC has not made a final determination on the permits and Greenidge has not shown compliance with New York's climate law."
Additional documents are available on the DEC's website that go into the specifics of the state-wide Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, but the aim of the measure is to reduce emissions using 1990 as the baseline.
Since 1990, the Seneca Lake power plant was converted from coal to natural gas and recently has been buying carbon offsets to operate at a net-zero emission level. The DEC still references on their Greenidge page, "While sufficient information has been submitted to begin the required public review, at this time the applicant has not demonstrated compliance with the requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, including requirements regarding greenhouse gas emissions."
The DEC continually says in materials about Greenidge that the determination about the final issuance of the permit has not been made.
At issue for some local residents and environmental non-profits is the fact that the end use of some or a majority of the power generated at Greenidge will go to mining computers instead of the grid. Opponents argue the operation has fundamentally changed its purpose by adding the cryptocurrency element, while the company says nothing changed in regards to the permits they operate under, in full compliance. When the data center opened, Greenidge said in a press release, "The site has several attributes that make it highly competitive globally, including an experienced team of cryptocurrency experts and power plant operators, access to the cheapest natural gas in the United States through its connection to the Empire Pipeline System, ideal climate conditions for digital currency mining the majority of the year, and strategic partnerships with the local community, premier hardware manufacturers and mining pools."
In addition to the Air Title IV and Title V permits under review, Greenidge also holds a State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit and a Water Withdrawal Permit which are set to expire Sept. 30, 2022. Those permits relate to the lake water used for cooling the power generation equipment. The permit authorizes the facility to withdraw 139,248,000 gallons per day from Seneca Lake and return it to the Keuka Outlet that flows into Seneca.
Comments can still be made on the permits in progress to Comment.GreenidgeGenerating2021@dec.ny.gov by email or by mail to New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Permits, ATTN: Chris Hogan, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-1750.