The judge in the ongoing Environmental Hearing Board case has set deadlines ahead of the Feb. 2020 hearing against Erie Coke Corporation.

In a court filing posted Monday, Judge Steven Beckman outlined the procedure and deadlines in the case that will determine the future of the east Erie plant. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) denied Erie Coke's application to renew its operating permit in July. During an initial hearing in July, a DEP official said the application was denied due to repeated air quality violations.

Beckman ordered that all discovery documents were due in to the court by Dec. 13, 2019. All expert reports need to be exchanged on or before Dec. 20, 2019. The company and DEP are to file pre-hearing memoranda by Jan. 10 and Jan. 17, respectively.

On Aug. 28, the board granted Erie Coke's petition to remain open while the board hears its case for renewal, with conditions. 

The order set the standards by which Erie Coke must operate its plant, and allows the DEP to take "appropriate enforcement action if it finds that Erie Coke has committed additional violations."

The full hearing on the departments denial of the operating permit is set for Feb. 3, 2020 in Erie.