ERLANGER — Opponents say they plan to appeal Friday's approval of a state air quality permit authorizing construction of a mini-power plant here.

        The permit clears the way for Cinergy Capital & Trading Inc., an affiliate of Cinergy Corp., to begin building a peaking station on Erlanger-Crescent Springs Road, said John Hornback, director of the Kentucky Division for Air Quality.

        The $40 million to $50 million station would consist of two natural gas-fired turbine engines in front of Cinergy's gas plant and electric substation at 3000 Erlanger-Crescent Springs Road.

        Any energy generated by the peaking station would be sold on the wholesale market and also would boost the supply of electrical power in Northern Kentucky during periods of high usage.

        “This is just another step in the process,” Cinergy spokesman Dave Woodburn said Friday. “They haven't made a decision yet (on whether to build the plant). “I don't know when that decision will be made.”

        In recent months, six Kenton County city governments — Erlanger, Fort Mitchell, Lakeside Park, Crestview Hills, Elsmere and Edgewood — have adopted resolutions opposing the proposed mini-power plant. Opponents say they are concerned about noise, pollution and the plant's effect on residential property values.

        Crestview Hills Administrator Kevin Celarek said that city plans to appeal the state's decision to the Office of Administrative Hearings within 30 days.

        Covington lawyer Phil Taliaferro, who represents a group of Erlanger citizens opposed to the plant, also will be involved in the appeal.

        Mr. Celarek said he met with the mayor and 17 other opponents of the proposed peaking station Friday to discuss ways to prevent the plant from going online.

        “The mayor asked me to call (other neighboring cities) and see if they want to be part of the coalition to appeal the power plant and contribute money for lawyer fees,” Mr. Celarek said. “We also are inviting Cinergy to a meeting at 6 p.m. May 15 at the Erlanger city building to answer questions from citizens.”

        The site of the proposed peaking station is less than 700 feet from the Baptist Village assisted-living complex and within 600 feet of the site of the future Erlanger branch of the Kenton County Public Library. It also is about 800 feet from residents of Crestview Hills.

        In a Thursday letter to James Bickford, secretary of the Kentucky Natural Resources & Environmental Protection Cabinet, Mr. Celarek noted that the American Lung Association had given the Greater Cincinnati region an “F” for its smog. He said the proposed plant would endanger Northern Kentucky's ozone attainment status and would be the single greatest source of air pollution in Kenton County if built.

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