Lafarge to receive $300,000 state grant for natural gas conversion

(Whitehall, Pennsylvania)  --  Lafarge North America is slated to receive a $300,000 state grant that will aid the national cement producer in converting a major manufacturing system to natural gas.

 Lehigh County's Department of Community and Economic Development secured the grant from the state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program and will pass the funds along to Lafarge, which operates a plant at 5160 Main St. in Whitehall.

 County Commissioner Thomas Creighton said the funds will help Lafarge with a $1.1 million project that should save the company roughly $200,000 a year.

 Commissioner Percy Dougherty said the project aims to covert a major system at the plant to natural gas, which is significantly cleaner and less expensive than other fossil fuels. The production of cement requires the use of high levels of heat.

 "They will be cleaning up the act there and helping the environment," Dougherty said.

 In 2010, Lafarge reached a settlement to pay a $5 million civil penalty to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act.

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 The violations stemmed from the conversion of low-sulfur coal to a mixture of coal and high-sulfur petroleum coke as part of the manufacturing process. This conversion increased sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions beyond regulatory standards.

 The company is one of the nation's leading cement manufacturers with 13 plants across the country. Lafarge employs about 100 people at its Whitehall location.

 County commissioners held their first reading of a bill Wednesday that will approve the grant. A final vote is expected at their Jan. 12 meeting.