Permits for fuel plant moving forward

EAST LIVERPOOL — Building permits for the $4 billion Baard Energy plant could be submitted as early as June to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Tracy Drake, chief executive officer of the Columbiana County Port Authority, said Monday that the project is “proceeding full steam ahead.”

The building permits would allow construction of a plant that would turn coal into liquid fuel. Drake said after that, it would be a question of how fast the permits could be approved.

John Baardson, the president of Baard Energy of Vancouver, Wash., was one of four people seated at the head table at a recent dinner for U.S. Secretary of Defense   Robert M. Gates, Drake said. The military is interested in alternate fuels for its airplanes. Drake also said he’s met with elected officials who are interested in the project, including U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown and George Voinovich. “We have a lot of support on both sides of the [political] isle,” Drake said.