Kirkwood, CA – Officials with the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District have set a hearing for this Friday on an appeal fighting a plan to replace a diesel generator plant that burned to the ground at California’s Kirkwood ski resort with another bank of diesel generator.nThe generator supplies electrical power to businesses and residents in the Kirkwood Valley, including the ski resort. Temporary diesel generators have been operating in its place ever since the fire on Jan. 1, which closed the ski area for several days.

On May 24, Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District officials approved the damaged facility’s replacement with a new building housing six diesel generators. Opponents led by SMART Energy Group say that replacing the generators with natural gas-powered models will cause less air pollution in the valley, but officials with the power company assert that such a replacement will require another year to gain approval.

In either event, the fuel — whether natural gas or diesel — would need to be trucked in to the facility.

The hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. this Friday in Markleeville, Calif.