YOUNGSTOWN A citizens group who's voiced several concerns about the SOBE Thermal Energy Solutions pyrolysis plant in downtown Youngstown is now asking the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to rescind the permit it granted to the facility.

The Ohio EPA approved SOBE's 10-year pyrolysis permit in February of 2024. Following this, the City of Youngstown filed an appeal with the Environmental Appeals Commission (ERAC) to have that permit rescinded.

This effort was supported by the group SOBE Concerned Citizens, who held a town hall meeting in August of 2025 to collect signatures on a letter to the Ohio EPA director to rescind the permit.

According to a press release from SOBE Concerned Citizens, over 220 Youngstown residents signed that letter.

In addition to the request to rescind the permit, the letter also asks the EPA to schedule an inspection of SOBE's facility, and if it has already, to share the results of that inspection with Youngstown's residents.

"SOBE operates with one pipe connected to a boiler fired by natural gas in a semi truck trailer to provide the steam heating and cooling for our downtown businesses. Why is SOBE allowed to vent methane directly into the air when burning natural gas to fire the boiler," the letter reads.

In a separate letter to the Ohio EPA, the group said it confirmed with Youngstown's Assistant City Attorney that the 10-year permit is considered an asset that may be sold as part of the receivership proceedings.

This means if someone else buys SOBE's facility while the permit is still in effect, it can be transferred to them without proper review or public input.

"Given the potential for this permit to be transferred without adequate oversight, we respectfully but urgently request that the Ohio EPA immediately rescind the permit issued to SOBE Thermal Energy, LLC," the letter reads.

You can read much more about SOBE, pyrolysis and the concerns it brings in our related coverage below. 

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