Fiberight retains permits for Maine WTE facility

An ongoing appeal against Catonsville, Maryland-based Fiberight LLC’s permits for a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility in Hampden, Maine, ended after a Superior Court judge upheld state permits for the project, a report by the Bangor Daily News says. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) can now issue permits to Fiberight for air emissions, solid waste processing, stormwater management and compliance with the Natural Resources Protection Act.

The $69 million facility was developed through a partnership with the Municipal Review Committee (MRC), a nonprofit organization that represents the solid waste interests of more than 187 Maine communities. According to the report, the facility is designed to turn municipal solid waste (MSW) into biofuels.

Penobscot Energy Recovery Co. (PERC), Orrington, Maine, it’s majority owner USA Energy and Exeter Agri-Energy, Exeter, Maine, filed the appeal in August 2016 in Kennebec County Superior Court claiming the Fiberight’s record has “serious deficiencies” because of the company’s failures to demonstrate the technical and financial abilities to build the plant, the report says.

Justice Michaela Murphy determined each claim did not provide the items needed and that the DEP did not abuse its discretion when issuing the permits, the report says.

The MRC is currently a customer and partial owner of PERC, but voted to accept a $5.4 million buyout In September 2016 to exit the partnership, effective March 31, 2018. According to the report, MRC believes PERC will not be profitable after 2018 and started looking for alternatives about six years ago.

In 2015, MRC entered a partnership with Fiberight to build the facility, which is scheduled to open in early 2018, the report says. 

In February, Fiberight asked the Finance Authority of Maine for help connecting to a $45 million tax exempt bond to build and operate the facility. The authority is expected to make a decision this month.