SOUTH POINT - If plans to build the nation's largest wood-fired power plant were a track and field event, Biomass Energy LLC officials would probably say the company cleared one of the last remaining hurdles.

Last year, the Nicholasville, Ky.-based company announced its plans to renovate the former South Point Ethanol facility into an operating electricity plant. New proposals increased the cost of the project to between $200 to $300 million and double the number of jobs created to a total of 100.

On Friday, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency approved a final air permit that regulates emissions from Biomass' seven coal and oil fired boilers that will burn 100 percent wood waste - mostly sawdust and small wood chips from across the Tri-State.

&#8220Obviously, this has been a very difficult struggle,” said Mark Harris, CEO of Biomass, a company that has had an up and down relationship with the community and local leaders. Harris contends the company's woes have caused it to unfairly earn a bad reputation.

&#8220It is a great project. We look very forward to kicking it off.”

Biomass plans to award the construction contract by the end of the year, Harris said. Construction could begin as early as March and the facility should be up and running by November 2007.

South Point Mayor Bill Gaskin remains concerned about the project. Though Biomass plant is not technically inside the village, trucks will have to drive through South Point to get there, Gaskin said.

&#8220At the last meeting, (Harris) wouldn't answer any questions. He wouldn't tell us how many trucks would come through,” Gaskin said. &#8220So, we know nothing about what he is going to do.”

Gaskin said he wants to see quality jobs created as much as the next person, but cannot help but remain skeptical.

&#8220I am always concerned about the safety and welfare of the residents of the village of South Point,” he said. &#8220We will just take a wait-and-see attitude.”

Biomass' air permits were originally approved in 2002 but modifications to the plan required the company to host another public hearing as part of the requirements for a new draft air permit to allow Biomass to burn wood waste to generate the power.

Those changes from 2004 have greatly increased the value of the project, Harris said.

The plant would generate about 200 megawatts of electricity - enough to supply 250,000 households - selling electricity to utility investors in Ohio, Pennsylvania and possibly tenants within The Point industrial park.

The project will create as many as 100 permanent jobs, 400 ancillary jobs across the Tri-State and 250 to 400 construction jobs during construction, Harris said.

Anyone who would like to review the permits and other materials can contact the Portsmouth Local Air Agency at (740) 353-5156.

Biomass ran into some problems in 2003 when it tried to burn surplus tobacco. The Ohio EPA halted those plans and Biomass eventually removed all of the tobacco.

The company has also been criticized for fires on the property and for not paying its taxes in a timely manner.