FAIRFIELD, MD—The Maryland Department of Environment has ordered Albany, NY-based Energy Answers International to halt construction on its power plant here because the agency says the firm failed to purchase enough required emission credits for the project.

The agency could fine Energy Answers more than $8 million for the violation and $25,000 each day since it began construction on the venture last August. The Department of the Environment gives Energy Answers the opportunity to pursue a settlement with the state and requests the firm to halt construction until it can show it has enough emissions credits, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Opponents of the Fairfield Renewable Energy Power Plant and Resource Recovery Project say they will use the notice of violation as a means to show the construction permit for the project is invalid.

"It really brings the validity of the construction permit into question," says Jennifer Duggan, managing attorney with the Environmental Integrity Project, a Washington-based environmental group. "They've failed to obtain the offsets that are required." Environmental Answers did not respond to requests for comment by the newspaper. See story in the Baltimore Sun.