The Department of Environmental Protection issued an air quality plan approval to Virginia-based Moxie Liberty LLC for construction of a more than $800 million power plant in Pennsylvania to run on natural gas, including gas from the Marcellus Shale, in Asylum Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania.

The firm said plant, which will be constructed on 30 acres on the east side of Route 187 near the bridge that connects Asylum with Wysox, will take advantage of abundant natural gas resources in the area and a skilled workforce that has developed around the domestic natural gas production. The power plant will be fueled only by natural gas, with no diesel oil back-up, and will not require river water or any other large source of water typically used for cooling needs. It will generate up to 936 megawatts of electricity, create 500 construction jobs and once completed provide about 30 highly paid technical jobs.

Its location was selected due to its proximity to the high voltage transmission line adjacent to the site and the interest in developing that area as an industrial-commercial corridor. Currently, the proposed project site is being used as cropland, Moxie Liberty officials said.

"Today is a red-letter day for Pennsylvania," DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. "With this approval, Moxie now has all that it needs from DEP to move forward with the construction of this historic facility, which will use clean, pipeline-quality, locally produced natural gas as fuel."

As part of the plan approval, Moxie was required to perform air quality analyses and submit them to DEP for review. The agency determined that the proposed emissions from the plant will not cause or significantly contribute to air pollution in violation of national ambient air quality standards.

"This power plant will benefit the environment and the economy by using a cleaner fuel and creating hundreds of jobs," Krancer said. "It is a win-win and another landmark moment in the long history of Pennsylvania's leadership role in producing and delivering energy for our nation." The firm will receive a package of various clean energy and tax incentives.