New Ohio EPA Director Scott Nally Signs First Permit, Ends 20-Month Backlog for Eastern Ohio Employer

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COLUMBUS – Today at a signing ceremony attended by Gov. John Kasich, Ohio EPA Director Scott Nally signed his first agency permit, ending a 20-month bureaucratic backlog for an energy facility in Mingo Junction, Jefferson County. Nally was sworn in as director on Monday.

“Ohio companies cannot afford to wait 20 months for a single permit from a government agency,” said Kasich. “It is unacceptable that permitting processes such as this have been dragged out for nearly two years. We must reform our systems, particularly within the EPA, to ensure companies will push toward innovation without hesitation or uncertainty. The sooner our businesses and entrepreneurs are able to focus on succeeding rather than on paperwork and bureaucracy, the better off we’ll all be.”
Dir. Nally cited improved, hands-on communications as a reason for the successful processing. Said Nally, “For 20 months, the Mingo Junction Energy Center has been navigating the permit process within the EPA in an attempt to utilize the plant’s resources in the most energy efficient way. After just a few days in office, our team resolved this nearly two-year long saga by simply using direct, clear communication between the agency and the company’s leaders.”
Mingo Junction Energy Center (MJEC) located in eastern Ohio is a blast furnace gas fueled cogeneration facility that supplies steam and electricity to Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation's facilities. By allowing the company to capture and recycle waste gas that would otherwise be flared off, the permit will provide for an overall reduction in emissions.