Mat-Su Borough Assembly repeals permit requirement for power plants and other electrical infrastructure

The Matanuska Borough Assembly has repealed a requirement that developers of power plants and other electrical infrastructure must secure a conditional land use permit from the borough.

Assembly member Jesse Sumner sponsored the measure, which passed with two assembly members, Tim Hale and Stephanie Nowers, voting no.

The action came at the borough’s regular assembly meeting Nov. 22.

Mat-Su’s borough planning commission had recommended against the repeal earlier.

‘I want to feel free to develop a nuclear power plant in my back yard if I want to,” quipped one assembly member, who voted yes.

Nowers and Hale argued that the borough permit offers the only way that local residents can have a voice in where electrical transmission facilities, including power plants, are located. Other government approvals, such as state and federal agencies, deal with other questions like how a power plant or electrical transmission lines will affect local rates and the environment, but not how they will affect nearby residents.

Matanuska Electric Association or other utilities did not comment on the repeal, or offer support.

Sumner said his proposal would lower costs for power developers by eliminating the requirement for a local permit. Nowers said the cost of the borough permit is minimal compared with the cost of acquiring permits from the state or federal agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

“This at least gives people a seat at the table on how it would affect property owners,” Nowers said.

Two members of the public weighed in during the public hearing on the proposal, both against.

There is some history to including power plants in the borough’s permit authority. Several years ago there was a plan for a coal-fired power plant that was controversial.

The plan was withdrawn, but in a reaction the borough implemented a power plant permit requirement that involved an extensive, costly application process.

One point made during last Tuesday’s discussion was that the gas-fired power plant built by MEA wound up being built in Eklutna, outside the borough’s boundary partly because of the permit requirements.

The permit was modified and simplified, but Sumner’s proposal did away with It completely.