Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Kentucky Pioneer Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Demonstration Project at Trapp, KY

The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability for public review and comment of the Kentucky Pioneer Integrated Combined Cycle (IGCC) Demonstration Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) (DOE/EIS-0318). DOE also announces two public hearings on the Draft EIS. DOE prepared the Draft EIS pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), Council on Environmental Quality NEPA regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and the DOE NEPA regulations (10 CFR Part 1021). The Draft EIS evaluates the environmental impacts of the Kentucky Pioneer Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Project, a proposed Clean Coal Technology Program demonstration project in Clark County, Kentucky that was proposed by Global Energy, Inc. DOE's proposed action is to provide cost-shared funding of approximately $78 million (about 18 percent of the total cost of $432 million) for the proposed project. The project would involve constructing and operating a 540 megawatt-electric IGCC plant at the J.K. Smith Site owned by Eastern Kentucky Power Cooperative. The plant would be powered by synthesis gas generated from coal and refuse-derived fuel and a molten-carbonate fuel cell operating on the synthesis gas. This proposed project is expected to demonstrate the commercial viability of the fixed bed British Gas Lurgi process in the United States, and the operation of a high temperature molten carbonate fuel cell using synthesis gas. IGCC plants can operate at significantly higher efficiencies than conventional coal-fired power plants.