By Spectrum News Staff

August 3, 2018 

New York's Department of Environmental Conservation tells Competitive Power Ventures it can't operate its plant in Wawayanda, rejecting attempts to renew an Air State Facility permit this week.

In a letter Wednesday, the DEC said the power company hadn't yet applied for or received a title five Clean Air Act permit for its Valley Energy Center, something the state requires. The agency said CPV's existing ASF permit officially expired Tuesday.

For its part Friday, CPV said they'd work with the DEC to address any concerns, saying they've, "worked collaboratively with regulators at every level of government. As the Supreme Court-State of New York stated in 2013 when the NYDEC defended our permits in court, the agency acted on a 'rational basis' when issuing the facilities permits."

Environmental critics of the plant, such as Protect Orange County and Riverkeeper, supported the DEC's move.

Riverkeeper's legal director saying, "I applaud Governor Cuomo and DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos for standing up for the health of all New Yorkers for the integrity of the permit process, and for protecting the environment of New York State and beyond. "