W.Va. extends public comment period on air pollution permit for coal-to-gas plant

W.Va. seeks more comment on coal-to-gas plant

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Air Quality is giving the public more time to weigh in on an air pollution permit for a planned coal-to-gasoline plant in the southern coalfields.

The public comment period was originally slated to end on Nov. 30. The division said Wednesday it’s pushed the decision to Dec. 18 for written comments.

New York-based TransGas Development LLC announced last year it planned to build the plant in Mingo County near Wharncliffe.

The facility is expected to turn 3 million tons of coal a year into methanol that would then be converted into as many as 756,000 gallons of gasoline a day.

The state Department of Environmental Protection announced a preliminary decision to grant the permit in October.