Uploaded January 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
NEWPORT TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Questions and concerns are being raised Monday night about plans for a natural gas processing facility proposed for Luzerne County.
A Texas-based energy company announced plans in October to construct a $6 billion facility in Newport Township.
Creating thousands of jobs, but residents claim their concerns are being ignored.
“I’m very concerned about the noise pollution. There’s a whole bunch of questions that we have that need to be answered,” said Laura Keener, Newport Township.
Laura keener lives in the Ridge View neighborhood in Newport Township. The proposed natural gas processing facility would be located near the neighborhood.
“Is the property values going to go down? Are there going to be construction vehicles everywhere? It’s just not why we moved here. The beauty, peace, and quiet bares around all of that,”
In October, Texas-based Nacero announced it wants to build a $6 billion facility on 3000 acres of reclaimed coal mining land in Newport Township, near Nanticoke.
The facility would turn natural gas into gasoline that can be used for vehicles. Nacero claims the gasoline would have zero sulfur admissions and 50 percent less CO-2 emissions.
Around 4,000 construction jobs would be created and 500 high paying permanent jobs. The project is being touted as one of the biggest economic projects in the history of Luzerne County.
“Residents are right to have some questions. We’re going to have a very public process. Nacero has been very open and transparent in the early stage of this process. We recognize it’s going to take several years before this project is up and running,” said Senator John Yudichak, 14th District.
Newport Township officials say they too are gathering information about the proposal.
“As of this date no permits have been pulled and no paperwork yet. That’s all we know,” said Joe Hillan, Newport Township Manager
“We know absolutely nothing as if and when it’s going to come or have we do not know yet until we get paperwork stating that it will be here,” said John Vishnefski Newport Township Commissioner.
Scott Cannon is an environmental activist who says his group, Action Together, is closely monitoring the Nacero project.
Community hopes for bright future with regarding Nacero facility
“Nobody knows what a plant like this is going to bring to the area and people need to start asking questions,” said Cannon.
In October I asked the Chairman of Nacero, Tom Tureen, about residents’ concerns at that point in time about the safety of the facility.
“We are very attuned to safety as we are to the environment. But today when we build something for example or tanks are self-extinguishing functions. If a fire starts it’s put out in 90 seconds,” said Tureen.
Nacero has yet to file any paperwork such as permits with any federal, state, or local agencies such as the State Department of Environmental Protection, the D.E.P.
We reached out to the company today and have not heard back. In October, Nacero says they hope to begin construction in two years. It would take four to six years to complete. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf
NEWPORT TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Questions and concerns are being raised Monday night about plans for a natural gas processing facility proposed for Luzerne County.
A Texas-based energy company announced plans in October to construct a $6 billion facility in Newport Township.
Creating thousands of jobs, but residents claim their concerns are being ignored.
“I’m very concerned about the noise pollution. There’s a whole bunch of questions that we have that need to be answered,” said Laura Keener, Newport Township.
Laura keener lives in the Ridge View neighborhood in Newport Township. The proposed natural gas processing facility would be located near the neighborhood.
“Is the property values going to go down? Are there going to be construction vehicles everywhere? It’s just not why we moved here. The beauty, peace, and quiet bares around all of that,”
In October, Texas-based Nacero announced it wants to build a $6 billion facility on 3000 acres of reclaimed coal mining land in Newport Township, near Nanticoke.
The facility would turn natural gas into gasoline that can be used for vehicles. Nacero claims the gasoline would have zero sulfur admissions and 50 percent less CO-2 emissions.
Around 4,000 construction jobs would be created and 500 high paying permanent jobs. The project is being touted as one of the biggest economic projects in the history of Luzerne County.
“Residents are right to have some questions. We’re going to have a very public process. Nacero has been very open and transparent in the early stage of this process. We recognize it’s going to take several years before this project is up and running,” said Senator John Yudichak, 14th District.
Newport Township officials say they too are gathering information about the proposal.
“As of this date no permits have been pulled and no paperwork yet. That’s all we know,” said Joe Hillan, Newport Township Manager
“We know absolutely nothing as if and when it’s going to come or have we do not know yet until we get paperwork stating that it will be here,” said John Vishnefski Newport Township Commissioner.
Scott Cannon is an environmental activist who says his group, Action Together, is closely monitoring the Nacero project.
Community hopes for bright future with regarding Nacero facility
“Nobody knows what a plant like this is going to bring to the area and people need to start asking questions,” said Cannon.
In October I asked the Chairman of Nacero, Tom Tureen, about residents’ concerns at that point in time about the safety of the facility.
“We are very attuned to safety as we are to the environment. But today when we build something for example or tanks are self-extinguishing functions. If a fire starts it’s put out in 90 seconds,” said Tureen.
Nacero has yet to file any paperwork such as permits with any federal, state, or local agencies such as the State Department of Environmental Protection, the D.E.P.
We reached out to the company today and have not heard back. In October, Nacero says they hope to begin construction in two years. It would take four to six years to complete. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf
