GENESEE COUNTY, N.Y. — The Tonawanda Seneca Nation is urging the Biden administration to reject a $1.6 billion loan sought by hydrogen producer Plug Power, alleging the company is evading federal environmental reviews at its planned Genesee County facility.
At issue is what Plug Power will spend the money on should the federal government approve its loan application later this year. Company executives have discussed the loan as essential for the company after it filed a statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in November, which stated “substantial doubt that we will have sufficient capital to fund our operations through the next 12 months.”
In its initial application, Plug Power proposed spending a portion of the loan on its plant under construction at the Science, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP), which borders Tonawanda Seneca Nation territory. That facility would use discounted electricity from the New York Power Authority to split water molecules to generate hydrogen. The company sells hydrogen batteries to companies, including Amazon and Walmart.
