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UPDATE ON THE PROPOSAL TO EXPAND THE BROOKFIELD COMPRESSOR STATION

 

On Friday, July 24, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) released its response to public comments on the Brookfield Compressor Station expansion proposal. DEEP also announced that they are tentatively approving an amended application submitted by the applicant. 

 

Update on the amended application, the amended application includes:

  • Minor air pollution source permit application (same as the original application). The corporation is applying for a minor source air permit.

  • Proposal to install 2 new gas turbines at the Brookfield compressor station (same as the original application). This would make a total of 4 gas turbines at the compressor station, doubling the horsepower on site in Brookfield.

  • Proposal to emit:

    • 12.25 tons of carbon monoxide per year (increased from the original application). For all 4 turbines, increases the original proposal total of 3.25 tons per year to a total of 12.25 tons per year.

    • 80,000 tons of carbon dioxide emission per year (same as original).

    • 24.9 tons of nitrous oxide per year (same as original). This is 0.1 tons under the limit of 25 tons for a major source permit.

    • All other emissions (PM/PM10/PM2.5, SO2, VOC) are the same as the original permit.

  • Conditions of the permit required in DEEP’s approval:

    • Continuous emissions monitoring (new from the original application): DEEP added continuous emissions monitoring of NOx as a condition of the permits.

    • Limits on the running time of the turbines (same as original permit).

 

How to make public comment

Written comments are due by 5 pm on August 26th. Send your comments to Mr. James Grillo, Bureau of Air Management, DEEP, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127, or via electronic mail to: james.grillo@ct.gov. Or Sierra Club Connecticut has created this public comment that you can send. Please add a personal message about why this is important to you.

 

Comment Guide

Sierra Club Connecticut remains concerned about many aspects of DEEP’s tentative permit. 

Consider using the topics below to craft your comments, and share why it is personally important to you.

 

  • Protect residents not gas corporations seeking permits:  Brookfield community members and residents from across the state have been clear: we don’t want this expansion. Call on DEEP to prioritize our state’s environment and public health. 

  • The Brookfield proposal should be a Major Source permit not a Minor Source permit: The company has applied for minor source permits, despite that equipment in the permits have a potential to emit that is in the major source range. DEEP has not adequately addressed this difference,  its permit limits are not sufficient to stay under the limit, and continuous monitoring is welcome but would only address this after the fact.

  • Unreasonable pollution: Fairfield county has not met the 2008 Ozone NAAQS in Fairfield County or the 2015 ozone NAAQS. This facility will add pollution, and unregulated blowdowns will add pollution. DEEP should require monitoring and recapture of blowdown gas.

  • Continuous emission monitoring: The new requirement that continuous emission monitoring of NOx for the current and newly proposed equipment is a good step, and should be required should this move forward. However, the permit would allow many more toxins in the air. We urge that other emissions be continuously monitored as well. The permits must also include a description of the timeline and enforcement mechanisms that DEEP will use; too often the public has felt unprotected when enforcement takes years to happen.

  • Additional requirements needed: For years, residents of Brookfield have raised concerns about the compressor station, and they included some of those concerns in public comments. They’ve experienced blowdowns, odors, soot, noise, shaking, and other concerning incidents. They don’t get satisfying information or answers from DEEP or the company in response to their serious concerns. Brookfield and all communities that host compressor stations deserve better, and the only way to guarantee better treatment of the community is to include requirements in the permits that DEEP issues. We urge DEEP to require public notification and reporting of blowdowns, emergency shutdowns, and incidents.

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