Monday, August 30, 2010

AIR POLLUTION AGENCY TO APPROVE HIGHLY POLLUTING INCINERATOR


Activists from 3 Counties Mass in Olympia on 9/1 to Protest
Submitted by Duff Badgley
August 30---A controversial biomass incinerator proposed for Mason County has been given preliminary approval by an Olympia-based air pollution agency. Activists from Thurston, Jefferson, and Mason Counties will mass in protest from 4-6pm on Sept.1 outside the Olympia offices of the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) on Limited Lane off Harrison St. in West Olympia.
A transnational company called Adage has proposed a 65mw biomass incinerator just outside Shelton in Mason County. The proposal has sparked furious citizen resistance over claims the incinerator would emit pollution so toxic a single exposure could kill.
ORCAA lead engineer, Gordon Lance, told No Biomass Burn, a statewide group opposing biomass incinerators, that the Adage application to ORCAA “already complies” with state and federal regulations.
The Adage incinerator is one of five biomass incinerators proposed for the Olympic Peninsula, raising fears regional forests will be clear-cut to feed them. The Adage incinerator will burn a ton of forest wood every 53 seconds. Other biomass incinerators are proposed in Mason County by Simpson in Shelton, plus incinerators at Evergreen State College, at Port Townsend, and in Port Angeles. 
Activists expect ORCAA will soon issue its formal “Preliminary Decision to Approve/Disapprove” for the Adage air pollution permit.
Contact:
Duff Badgley
No Biomass Burn
206-283-0621
duff@nobiomassburn.org
www.nobiomassburn.org

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Adage, your carbon neutrality is just a fallacy!



Submitted to Shelton Blog by John Cox

BIOMASS INCINERATION releases tremendous amounts of CO2 (carbon dioxide). The proponents for this process say that the release is balanced by new trees being planted, which pull the CO2 from the atmosphere as it is incorporated into the trees as they grow.

The problem with this view is that it takes decades, even hundreds of years, for the equivalent amount of CO2 to be completely reabsorbed, depending on the biomass type. Even if you look at it in a simplistic way, it would take at least a century to reabsorb the CO2 when trees and slash are used as fuel.

So, with biomass incineration, just ONE incinerator, like the planned ADAGE unit, would release 1,600 TONS of CO2 per DAY. That's 600,000 TONS per YEAR and that's just ONE incinerator. There are plans in Washington to build 50+ units. All of these incinerators would be releasing MILLIONS of TONS of CO2 into the atmosphere, and this is just in Washington State. In an attempt to neutralize this gigantic amount of CO2 released, we would presumably have newly planted trees that take decades to hundreds of years to remove that same amount of CO2 from the atmosphere.

I ask you, do we really have the luxury of waiting decades or hundreds of years to regain carbon neutrality? It is quite clear that the world has a problem NOW. CO2 is a problem NOW. We cannot wait. We must stop this NOW.

The EPA is reconsidering its position on the carbon neutrality of biomass incineration. That is a hopeful sign, but please remember that the EPA and related agencies allowed the BP disasters to occur, and these agencies are essentially political in nature. We cannot expect the EPA or its Olympic regional version, ORCAA, or any other political agent to act against the wishes of their corporate masters. So we ordinary citizens must force them to act in a way that is beneficial for EVERYONE and EVERYTHING living on this Earth.
So please, don't just sit there. Do something...

Demonstration, Wed., Sept.1st, 4-6pm, OLY ORCAA


NO BIOMASS INCINERATOR
OLYMPIA ORCAA OFFICE DEMONSTRATION
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st, 4-6pm
2940-B Limited Lane (off Harrison) in West Olympia


JOINT MASON, THURSTON. & JEFFERSON COUNTY EFFORT

to
PROTEST BIOMASS INCINERATORS in WASHINGTON STATE

(may this demonstration induce ORCAA
to pay more attention to application discrepancies!!!)
*****************************

WE need to make a STRONG STATEMENT. A STRONG STATEMENT needs MANY PEOPLE to SHOW UP. MANY PEOPLE will attract the PRESS. (the press wants to be called ONLY if at least 40 people show up) WE need the PRESS to SHOW UP!!!
*************************
PLEASE COME!!!

*MASON COUNTY CONCERNED CITIZENS give HEARTFELT THANKS*
to THURSTON & JEFFERSON COUNTY CITIZENS for JOINING US!!!

Participating in a demonstration is one of the highest forms of democracy in action.
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY!!!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Press Release From NoBioMassBurn.Org


PUD-3 OFFERS TO PAY SIMPSON $289M FOR ALL ITS INCINERATOR POWER 
RATES UNDER SECRET 20 YEAR DEAL WOULD SOAR

August 23, 2010— Mason County PUD-3 has offered to pay almost $300M over 20 years for all the electricity generated by the controversial biomass incinerator proposed by Simpson Logging Co. A confidential document from March, 2010 obtained under Washington Public Records Request law shows PUD-3 offered to pay Simpson $289,347,567.70 during 2013-2032
 
Under the secret deal, PUD-3, which supplies power to more Mason County users than any other utility, would pay Simpson $83 per megawatt hour for the electricity—almost three times more than the $30 per megawatt hour PUD-3 currently pays to Bonneville Power Administration.
 
It is uncertain if a contract between PUD-3 and Simpson reflecting this offer has been signed.  PUD-3 has refused to provide more than 150 documents requested under Washington Public Records Request law, citing “attorney/client” privilege among other reasons.
 
Simpson is proposing to build a 31MW biomass incinerator on its Shelton waterfront property to generate electricity for sale to the grid. Along with the 65MW biomass incinerator proposed 1.5 miles outside Shelton by Adage, the Simpson incinerator has drawn fierce criticism from citizen activists who claim it would emit toxic air pollution threatening lives and health in Mason County and drive down property values. 
 
Including the Simpson and Adage burners, five biomass incinerators are planned for the Olympic Peninsula. Activists and scientists claim the collective demand of these incinerators for forest wood will lead to clear-cutting regional forests. 
 
In addition to the $289M Simpson would receive from PUD-3 under the secret offer made in March, Simpson would also qualify for $35-40M from the federal government as a cash grant for 30% of the incinerator construction costs—if construction begins by December 31, 2010. Under the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, Simpson would be paid more millions by the federal government for burning its own mill residue to fuel the incinerator.
 
While this secret deal would guarantee a market for 100% of Simpson’s incinerator-generated power, Adage has yet to announce any buyers for the electricity its incinerator would generate.

Contacts: 

1.      Duff Badgley, No Biomass Burn, 206-283-0621, duff@nobiomassburn.org,      www.nobiomassburn.org.  

2.      Linda Gott, PUD-3, LindaG@MasonPUD3.org , 360- 426-8255.        Gott is current president of PUD-3 Board of Commissioners.   
__._,_.___

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Thank you again Adage?


Submitted to Shelton Blog by John Cox


For some time now, I have been watching, reading, and hearing about various disturbing events and issues.

Chevron Oil's destruction of Nigeria, the BP refinery explosion, the BP oil spill, the privatized prison industry involvement in the Arizona immigration law, and on and on.

These are all examples of the corrupting influence of corporate greed and the complicity of politicians.

But the experience of these issues, as important as they are, have been, more or less, second hand for me. I haven't really had a direct experience of the corruption, filth and slime that these events represent...until now. And I have Adage to thank for that...

So thank you Adage:
  • for showing me just how corrupt, self-serving, arrogant, egotistical, closed minded and petty (with rare exceptions), our local politicians are.
  • for showing me how little regard most of our politicians have for the welfare of our community.
  • for further inspiring me to do whatever I can to stop further abuse.
  • for further inspiring me to think globally and act locally.
  • for providing me with still another opportunity to clearly see, without any doubt, that the true nature of corporations is greed, and their sole purpose is profit. Nothing else matters. I don't matter. You don't matter. Our families don't matter. The Earth itself doesn't matter. Only profit matters.

Tim Sheldon 101: A Dummy's Guy...er, I mean Guide

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Winston Elvet

By now, I can only hope that you are all aware of and familiar with Mason County's most controversial: Timothy M. Sheldon. While you have probably never seen him at a charitable occasion or community related event, I assure you that he is currently both a Mason County Commissioner and a State Senator (which some contend "violates RCW 42.52.020") For these two public offices he has a salary from the taxpayer of well over $100k. It should be noted that he is infamous enough to have his own Wikipedia page, but that most of the information there is disputed and therefore unreliable. Here is some interesting information on the fellow that is undisputed fact:

1. Don't let the suspenders fool you. While Tim may "play" logger on the weekends, he is Ivy League educated (University of Pennsylvania) and holds an MBA from The University of Washington.

2. There's more than lint in his pockets. His family owns extensive amounts of timberland, of which he is a general partner...also let's not forget about the 100+k of our money- per year.

3. Tim Sheldon is NOT a Democrat. Contrary to what it may say on your ballot, Tim is a Republican. He has consistent right-wing view points including "nay [votes] on stronger car-emission standards, nay on stem-cell research, nay on strengthening unemployment-insurance benefits, and nay on gay-rights." One that consistently votes with the Republican party is not a "maverick", they are a Republican. Additionally, he was elected to the Mason County Commission in 2004 as an "Independent."

4. Last, but certainly not least... Here is a quick look at Timmy's campaign for this year's State Senate race...be warned this info is not for the faint of heart ethically.

-He has payed his daughter/campaign manager that lives in Seattle $10,000 to date. It must be tough working on the campaign day in and out from such a far distance. http://www.pdc.wa.gov

-He has a $500 contribution from John Quigg (owner of Quigg Bros., Inc.- an out of district gentleman whose construction company was coincidentally awarded a contract to repair the Purdy Creek bridge here in Mason County-a $15 million project) http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/us101/purdycreekbridge/

-He has taken $1600 worth of contributions from Washington Beverage Association AND has coincidentally voted nay on S.B. 6143 to have a temporary tax increase on carbonated beverages (which is naturally what WA Bev. wanted him to vote).
can you say cash and carry government?

-He has $1600 worth of contributions from Avista- operator of the Kettle Falls biomass incinerator. And he is not trying to bring one here? Add to that list contributions from Weyerhauser, Port Blakely Tree Farm, Energy NW and others with a vested interest in the success of biomass in Mason County. Can you say unethical conflict of interest?

-He has massive out of state corporations pumping thousands into his campaign every day. The short list (for his votes perhaps?):
-Big tobacco giants Phillip Morris and Reynolds American
-Retailers hoping to get Sheldon's liquor privatization bill passed such as Walgreens, Walmart,
- 7-11, Inc- The same company he "joked" about coming to Mason County on King 5 news last week.
-BNSF Railway Co.
-AT&T
-Ceturytel, Inc.
-Johnson and Johnson
-BP America Employees PAC
-Progressive
-Pfizer
Need more? just visit his public disclosure site http://www.pdc.wa.gov

In summary, it seems (and this is just my opinion) that this is an elected official we need to replace. His concerns are clearly centered on his ability to use his public office for personal gain and to aide rich companies in their quest to become wealthier at the expense of the voters. He manipulates the loggers so they think he's one of them. He does the same to the Democrats. All I can say is 20 years of his "leadership" has gotten us where we are today- "dried up" jobs and less money in everyone's pockets (except for his, of course). I feel like I've been given a "hot lead enema" and Tim Sheldon pulled the trigger. It's too bad we will have him for four more years...

-W.E

Sunday, August 15, 2010

What's this? A thank you for Adage?


Submitted to Shelton Blog by Christine

YES! A major miracle! I am thanking Adage! What possibly FOR, you might justifiably ask?

ANSWER: The PEOPLE!!! The incredibly bright. shining, articulate, perceptive, talented people of all ages and all walks of life, who have appeared from all corners of Mason County to save our community from the ravages of biomass incinerators!

The people who my spouse and I most likely would have never met if our area and quality of life were not threatened in this way...

The people, who when I look around at all their bright, concerned faces, give me HOPE that in the end, WE, the people, WILL persevere and succeed in preserving and protecting our environment, our community, our state, our country, and perhaps even the world from the GRIP of corporate domination!

So, thank you Adage for providing me the opportunity to meet all of these amazing, caring, and dedicated people! MAy we all be waving our goodbyes to you before too long!

MAy goodness conquer corporate greed!

MAy gentleness and harmlessness prevail!

MAy the LiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiGHT of wisdom illuminate the darkness of ignorance!

AMEN!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

What? No wood? Let's burn garbage!


Submitted to Shelton Blog by John Cox

According to last week's (8/5/10) Journal, the Port's contract with Adage will contain a provision that requires a bond of $1 million to cover the possibility that, should the incinerator not be able to operate due to lack of available fuel (among other reasons), the money could be used to convert the incinerator to “another use”.

It is a known fact (but rarely admitted) that sufficient fuel for the proposed Adage incinerator will be a problem. In the Jay Hupp video from the 2006 Coastal Bio-Energy forum, he calls the fuel source problem “the 900 pound gorilla in the room”. It seems odd that the biomass incinerator advocates are already planning for the possibility of running out of fuel, and at the same time telling anyone that will listen about the abundance of fuel available for the Adage incinerator.

So, when the slash type fuel runs out, and Adage is long gone, what will happen?. Will the plant be shut down? I don't think so. I suspect that the “plan” is to convert to another fuel. How about trash, garbage, or sewer sludge? They are all considered “biomass”, and the incinerator is designed to burn hot enough to incinerate just about anything. Have you ever been in an area near a garbage/trash incinerator operation? It is a disaster area.

Would ORCAA protect us? I guess the answer depends on your point of view. Is ORCAA protecting us now?

Is this just a paranoid fantasy? A delusional episode? Do we just wait and see?

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Port Commissioners' Meeting 8/10/10

ADAGE vs. ADAGE

The main item discussed today at the Port Commissioners' Meeting was the “Adage Option to Lease”. Two of the commissioners, the Port's lawyer, and the lawyer for Adage all agreed it was a wonderful document. Why is it I feel like it's not really supposed to be this way? Why is it I feel like they are all on the same side, and we, the citizens, are on the other?

This is a link to the document:

Please take a long look at the document & bring your questions, doubts & fears to:

The Commissioner's Public Comment Meeting
on
Monday, August 16th, at 10:00 am

Photo by Christine

Dr. Penoyar's Letter to the Commissioners

Commissioners of Mason County
Ross Gallagher, Tim Sheldon, Linda Ring-Erickson
411 N. 5
th Street
Shelton, WA 98584


Dear Commissioners Gallagher, Sheldon and Ring-Erickson


The active medical staff physicians of Mason County have worked together to discuss and research the current findings relative to the health effects of the biomass incineration process.  After careful review of the current proposals and evaluating the growing body of medical evidence, especially in the last three years, a clear consensus was reached. We have released a no dissention supermajority opinion on August 2, 2010.


The signed petition states the following:  We are in opposition to the currently proposed biomass power plants based on the grounds that these facilities pose unacceptable health risks.
The attached petition has been signed by the active medical staff. Our concerns have been forwarded to the Port Commissioners, Mason Thurston Medical Society, the Washington State Medical Association and the Washington State Osteopathic Medical Association. This follows similar action taken by the Massachusetts Medical Society, Florida Medical Society, and the Oregon State Medical Society.

Medical science is continuously being updated and new research has revealed current regulations and permitting systems do not provide adequate protection to public health particularly in certain at risk groups. We have encouraged community members with particular interest to review the American Heart Association article in 
Circulation June 2010: Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease.We have encouraged community members and officials with questions to contact us for further information. They may do so by calling Dr. Mark Schlauderaff at 426-2500 or Dr. Christopher Penoyar at 463-6951.

Sincerely,

Dr. Christopher Penoyar

Monday, August 9, 2010

Adage Biomass Propaganda


Submitted to Shelton Blog by Clear Cut

Ever since the public presentation Adage LLC made in April 2010, their story has changed over and over. If it wasn't so blatant and serious, it would be laughable. One wonders, if they can't get a few simple figures right and they can't produce a coherent SEPA application with consistent figures, how on earth will they operate a dangerous and complex pressurized incineration boiler where they are required to keep close track of their emissions, prevent boiler explosions, ammonia leaks and dust fires in an explosive environment? At this point there is ZERO confidence in their ability to perform the simplest of tasks. Adage is a three ring circus hosted by the Mason County Commission court jesters. They all appear to be wearing clown suits.

Back in April they claimed 300-400 construction jobs. This is twice as many as Simpson says it will take to build their new co-generation boiler. Simpson says it *may* take 4 people to run their plant. Either Simpson is run by geniuses, or Adage is inept. Let's look into this Dear Readers. You decide.

In May and June, after Adage discovered Mason County citizens weren't ignorant hicks and could both read and do simple math, they began advertising 700 jobs in the Journal. When that didn't convince everyone, they inflated it to 900. Recently they submitted their SEPA (State Environmental Protection Application) to Mason County where the public could download each exhibit and examine their handy work. What a surprise! The cover stated they were building a 60 MW facility and the table of contents stated it was a 50 MW facility! We haven't made it to page 1 and already we are off by a rather serious 16.5% margin. Now dear reader, I'm no PhD, but I graduated high school with a 3.8 GPA and I attended college and finished a machinist apprenticeship, so I can do some relatively complex math, read blueprints and machine various materials to very close tolerances. I'm NOT a PhD but I have a calculator and English is my first language. This Adage SEPA is the product of THREE PhD's from the University of Idaho! I have to say, it totally destroyed my estimation of the capabilities of PhD's, or at least PhD's from the U of I. I'd give them a D-.

Now to the employment numbers. Depending on which page you choose in the Adage SEPA, the employment numbers can run in a rather large range as well. On page 1 the SEPA says "793 jobs created, with 450 people directly employed in the construction of the plant, plus 152 indirect and 191 induced jobs within the 2-county region." What's this 2-county region? Oh just wait! We'll get to that later Dear taxpaying Reader! For now, back to Adage's magic expanding employment numbers.

When we turn just three pages to page 4 it says "620 would be directly employed in the construction of the plant; the change in local employment resulting from the direct employment of construction workers plus the indirect and induced employment totals to 964 jobs." 964 jobs now! I think the jobs are starting to breed......like rabbits. They've been breeding since April!

How on earth can we trust these people to run a complex and dangerous incinerator right next to our children's playground and so close to our hospital and retirement homes if simple math eludes them? Are you afraid? I AM!

Now I'm sure you are dying to know about this 2-county economic impact region they weren't in a hurry to share with you. Turns out there is a good reason for keeping it under wraps, unless you were inclined to read the entire SEPA. They must have known only a few people would have time and if there was a problem they could simply run some more Journal ads, a few blurbs on the Mason County News web site, send out the mailer pictured at the top of this blog entry, and presto-chango, you would buy it all!

Ask yourselves Dear Readers.....how many union commercial contractors, pipe fitters, high voltage electricians, iron workers and concrete contractors do you think reside in Mason County? Do you suppose when they advertise "Adage will hire employees locally WHEREEVER POSSIBLE and will work with LOCAL CONTRACTORS" it is just more of their double talk that really means they will hire union workers from Pierce, King and Thurston Counties? Read on. The slippery answers await. You will see what Adage REALLY means when they say "local".

The Adage propagandists DO seem to be able to spend unlimited funds to try to fool everyone into thinking they are such wonderful people. Don't laugh! Either it worked on our Senator/Commissioner Sheldon and his naive partners in non-representation; Lynda Ring Erickson and Ross Gallagher, or Adage dangled some baubles, beads, shiny things and green paper in front of them. Something tells me it's a combination of several of these factors. From the looks of Tim Sheldon's PDC (public disclosure) it looks like green paper from timber companies (Green Diamond), Avista (Kettle Falls biomass), the Biopac and his longtime contributor and biomass cohort Bill Quigg. For those who are wondering, Mr. Quigg owns Grays Harbor Paper which runs it's own biomass incinerator and Quigg Bros. trucking, which somehow seems to win all kinds of Mason County infrastructure bids. Jobs like the highway 106 bridge and road and the Harstine Island boat launch. Tim even let's them use his gravel pit! Does Mr. Sheldon profit from these endeavors? I wonder, and you might too, does Quigg trucking haul biomass hog fuel? An even bigger question....will Quigg Bros. get the gigantic bids for the highway 3 - Johns Prairie interchange, upgrades to John's Prairie Rd. and Wallace Kneeland blvd. and the monstrous upgrade of the Hwy 101 - Wallace Kneeland and NEW K street offramp/overpasses? Do ask Dear Reader, do ask. We'll have to look into that.....

If I had known I could buy a state senator for under $3000 in campaign contributions and get him to completely ignore his own voting constituents, I would have been stunned. But that is how it appears Dear Reader. Who knew? I guess if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. Just think, if all of the 3000 voters signing the 'vote on biomass' petition simply sent Tim Sheldon a couple bucks he might listen. Do you think? I wouldn't bet on it.

Now, back to our two county economic region. In the Adage SEPA our Idaho PhD's confirm what the Concerned Citizens of Mason County and Incinerator Free Mason County have been saying all along. On pg 10 they say the vast majority of woody biomass is located in Gray's Harbor County (465,000 green tons) and 180,000 green tons would come from Mason County. For you math whiz's that 70% of the fuel located in Gray's Harbor. Back on pg 2 they tell us that "most if not all of the economic impact" of the efforts of the loggers and truck drivers gathering fuel will be felt where they live. On pg 10 they tell us where that is. "We assumed all logging and trucking operators reside in the county in which the feedstocks are found, and the Implan modeling exercise allowed that 5% of the feedstocks would come from outside the Mason County and Grays Harbor 2-county economic region." So let's be generous and for the sake of discussion split the difference and say 67.5% of the feedstocks and economic benefit goes to Grays Harbor County, 5% goes to Pierce or Thurston Counties, and Mason County get's 27.5% of the benefit and jobs providing fuel.

So the deal our county commissioners made gives us 100% of the cost of infrastructure....road building, road maintenance, social services, police, fire, sewer treatment plant and pipeline upgrades, water lines and wells, upgrading Wallace kneeland Blvd to make it "all weather", adding pavement to Johns Prairie to make it "all weather", 100% of the pollution and well over 100 truck loads of woody biomass, dangerous ammonia, lime and ash, and we get 27.5% of the jobs and "benefit"? Would our county commissioners make that kind of deal with THEIR OWN MONEY?

No wonder Adage kept saying it would add jobs "to the community"! Until we asked how many jobs would be directly in Mason County, which they NEVER answered! Tom Deponty, the registered lobbyist for Adage said, "That's a good question"...the same answers we got in April.
Now we know from the SEPA what "community" they refer to.

Dear Readers...is it starting to stink yet? The incinerator is still on paper and it's already stinking the place up and draining our county budget. Just wait until it starts to make your kids and the elderly sick.

Our county commissioners are busy cutting services to the voters and taxpayers to try like mad to balance a budget millions in the RED while they are spending your money like a broken water main on Adage.

Have you had enough yet? Don't you think it's time to send our irresponsible and corrupt County Commissioners and our big spending State Senator packing? If you don't stop them now it's all done but the singing. November is almost here.

The voters have some serious decisions to make. Do you like your town? Do you like the outdoor life? Do you want to be Shelton or do you want to be Tacoma? It's your choice Dear Reader. You can still give it a shot on the phone. Call your county commissioner at 427-9670 extension 419. Tell them you want them to stop spending YOUR money on a private company and you want a VOTE on biomass in Mason County.

Where's Frodo?

Have you read the Lord of the Rings?  I think it could be considered  an analogy for our battle against the incinerator.  In particular, I see Jay Hupp as Gollum, and biomass incineration as the Ring.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Kneeland Park Demonstration Photos 8/5/10

 Concerned Citizens Waving!

Concerned Mom!

Innocence!


Incognito!

Chutzpah!


Focus!

Car Honks Make Smiles!
photos by Christine

ORCAA Peeves Me OFF

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Healthy Mama

One of my latest but greatest pet peeves is that opposition to the biomass incinerators has been spun as a just a political issue. If you have lungs this will affect you. Incinerators are like lead paint, DDT, asbestos, and cigarettes. At one time, all were thought safe. We are behind the times on what is safe and what is not. And if you will excuse my rant, it is a major problem in this country. Our government caters to companies and corporations and not to its people. Our health and well being are put behind the desires of lobbyists for corporations. (And on a side note, watch Food Inc. or Future of Food to see more of what I am talking about.)

Here is some of what I have learned about PM2.5...

PM2.5 covers all particulate matter that is 2.5 microns and smaller. It, at its largest, is 1/30th the size of the human hair. It is not the dark clouds of black smoke and dust that can get in our lungs and make us cough. It is considerable smaller. It is primarily caused by combustion. It has the ability to go right through our lungs and into our bodies. The Journal of the American Medical Association says PM2.5 leads to large amounts of plaque in the arteries which in turn leads to heart attacks and other cardiovascular disease. Research shows even short term exposure to elevated levels can significantly contribute to heart disease. The Washington State Department of Ecology says, "In fact, studies have not been able to identify any levels of PM2.5 that is completely safe-that is has no health effects at all.” In California a study was done comparing young children growing up with high levels of emissions, and children growing up under low level conditions. Across the board they found that children who grew up in areas with high emissions had more asthma and breathing problems then children who grew up in low levels. Unfortunately, we can't just move away after our children's health starts to decline and expect things to get better. It is often a lifelong problem. Children are especially affected because children's lungs are growing and they are more active than adults. They take in more air then we do which in turn means they are taking in more PM.

The proposal for Adage plant in Mason County claims it will emit 98 tons per year of PM2.5. Sit back and think about how much that really is. Again, the largest PM2.5 is 1/30th the width of a hair!!! Now here is what strikes me, and is my main reason for starting my research. The Adage plant proposed for MC is a 60mega watt plant. The one that was proposed for Hamilton County was a 50 mega watt plant. They are the exact same technology. The following is from the two permit applications:
Emissions Mason County (60mw) Hamilton County (50mw) Difference In tons per year
PM
(total particulate matter)
137 274 137
PM10 Note1
(PM 10 um particles)
103 245 142
PM2.5 Note2
(PM 2.5 um particulates)
98 233 135
Nox Note3
(nitrogen oxide and dioxide)
240 249 9
SO2 Note4
(sulfur dioxide)
149 246 97
H2SO4
(sulfuric acid)
4 40 36
CO
(carbon monoxide)
248 248 0
VOCNote5
(volatile organic compounds)
34 63 29
Notes:
  1. Dust, visible to the eye. Causes coughing, asthma, lung cancer and other cardiovascular disease.
  2. See description above.
  3. Nitrogen Dioxide is created by burning and is highly toxic causing serious lung damage with a delayed effect. It also causes shortness of breath, chest pain, wheezing, coughing, colds, flu and bronchitis.
  4. When combined with Nitrogen dioxide forms acid rain.
  5. Children exposed to ozone (NOx and VOC combined with sunlight) have a 3 times higher rate of asthmas than children in low ozone areas.
When the above was presented to ORCAA they told us the differences we found were "typos" and not intentional manipulations of the data. How would they know? Did they actually check the data, or just accept Adage's figures as truth? When we have agencies that are supposed to protect us, ignoring obvious discrepancies in the application, how can we trust they are doing the right thing by the people instead of the right thing for the company? This is one of the reasons I won't feel any better if this permit is approved by ORCAA or the EPA.
BTW- I am not a kook nor am I an outside agitator or have I been influenced by one. EVERYTHING written above is from my own research other then the typo comment, but I feel that it comes from a credible source.

PS - check out
www.incineratorfreemasoncounty.org

Friday, August 6, 2010

The Smoking Stack?

Submitted to Shelton Blog by John Cox

Brenda
's blog posting today at http://masoncountybudget.blogspot.com/ is called "Premeditated Permitting". This video clip gives additional insight into what she is talking about.

The clip is from a 2006 (that's right, 2006) bio-energy conference which was attended by Jay Hupp and Tim Sheldon--the dynamic duo of premeditated neutrality.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Which One is Different?


Business Conversion Program

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Clear Cut

One of our County Commissioners has lost his mind. For a person with an MBA and who holds a relatively high position in state government, it appears he has run off the tracks or he has one or more serious medical issues.

On Tuesday, August 3, 2010, opponents to a biomass facility on Johns Prairie presented the county commissioners with 3000 petition signatures to put biomass on the local ballot. The Mason County Physicians read a letter warning of the health risks of locating the facility in Shelton and the Hiawatha property owners presented a letter opposing the plant after two real estate deals for half million dollar homes were scuttled because of the proposed plant. KING5 TV and FOX national news covered the story.

KING5 provided coverage at 5:00 PM and included an interview with Commissioner/State Senator Tim Sheldon, wherein Mr. Sheldon compared a 60 MW woody biomass incinerator to a 7-11 convenience store.

When I was in school, we used to periodically have testing to determine if we learned anything and presumably, to inform the school as to what subjects we might need help with or if a student may have some more serious issues. I remember distinctly, early on, some of those questions. They usually had a series of pictures with one or two items quite different than the others. You know, a series of animals and a truck or something, and then they asked; "Which one is different", or "which one is larger" or any variation on one being different than the others in the group.

So last night I was thinking, what must little Timmy Sheldon's teacher been thinking when he answered those questions, and did he score well on the basic IQ tests in school? I hear Tim Sheldon is a smart person, but what has been coming out of his mouth lately has me wondering if he hasn't undergone some blunt head trauma or if he is suffering from early onset dementia.
My Mother has dementia and is in an assisted living facility, and frankly, she and Tim Sheldon seem to be struggling with simple associations and comparisons. But my Mother has a doctor, has been diagnosed and is on medications to help. She has a good excuse. I'm worried about my mom and now I'm worried about Senator/Commissioner Sheldon.

I suspect most readers will easily understand the difference between a 7-11 and the biomass plant proposed for Shelton, but just in case I'll list a few here.

1. We would know exactly how many jobs a 7-11 would provide.

2. Slurpees can cause "brain freeze" but won't kill you or cause a stroke, heart attack or endanger your health.

3. Southland Corporation (the owners of 7-11) isn't the largest CO2 producer in the United States and has little use for carbon credits.

4. 7-11 wouldn't require extensive road upgrades or maintenance, new highway over-passes, interchanges, sewer, water, gas lines or additional police, fire and public services at public expense.

5. 7-11 wouldn't have special tax breaks provided by Senator Sheldon, so they would pay sales, use, property and business and occupations taxes, where the biomass plant doesn't and won't.

6. 7-11 might get one or two truckloads of supplies a week, where the biomass plant will get 8 truckloads an hour, which is why Senator/Commissioner Sheldon wants all those fancy road upgrades at taxpayer expense.

7. 7-11 doesn't emit 380 tons of particulate air pollution per year.

8. 7-11 would sell to and benefit locals. They wouldn't sell Shelton Slurpees to California.

9. 7-11 wouldn't stink-up the place or alter the Ph of Puget Sound or Hood Canal endangering our shellfish industry.

10. 7-11's don't have 200 foot tall smokestacks. They don't look anything alike.

These are just a few of the differences between a 7-11 and the biomass incinerator Senator/Commissioner Sheldon wants. I'm sure our readers can identify more.

It makes a person wonder....what is in it for Senator/Commissioner Sheldon? There MUST be a payback somewhere for someone to be so blatantly and purposely ignorant. OR it's blunt head trauma or early dementia. It's up to you to decide dear reader.

Can we entrust anyone with such a marked observational deficit to elected office?

The voters are faced with some serious considerations this fall.