Article submitted to Shelton Blog by Katherine Price Mason County Progressive
& Cartoon submitted by Claude Bennington m
If you followed the ADAGE story on this blog (or elsewhere), you know that concerned citizens in this area organized and resisted with all their might a polluting industry being placed in the heart of their community.
This biomass incinerator (read "caveman technology") would have been located right next to the soccer fields, within shouting distance of a school, and right next to the neighborhood of Hiawatha.
It was planned that this fire-breathing dragon would burn Washington's forest "debris" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and that it would emit pollutants into the air measured in TONS.
This was quite bothersome to the citizens, whose vocal resistance is part of the reason ADAGE is no longer a threat to our community. We learned quite a few things while studying the science and medicine in connection with the ADAGE proposed incinerator. We learned that pollutants measured in tons are unacceptable.
Simpson has been burning in the harbor for over 100 years. This is polluting our water. This is polluting our air. The Simpson's ORCAA Air Operating Permit is up for a five year renewal.
Knowing what we now know, it is very important that we be afforded a public hearing in connection with Simpson renewing a five year air operating permit.
If you feel the same way, please let ORCAA know that you desire a public hearing, and that it be held in Shelton. Also ask for the public hearing notice to be published in the Shelton-Mason County Journal (for the ADAGE hearing, ORCAA published notice only in the Olympian!).
The science does not change from Johns Prairie to the Harbor. If it is not acceptable to rain death on Hiawatha and the soccer fields, why is it okay to rain death on downtown Shelton???
Comments and hearing requests must be submitted in writing by 8//15/11 to:
Fran L. McNair
ORCAA Executive Director 2940-B Limited Lane NW Olympia, WA 98502
Fax: 360-491-6308
Email: fran.mcnair@orcaa.org
SHELTON BLOG NOTE:
Link to Simpson AOP info on ORCAA website:
http://www.orcaa.org/public-involvement/draft-air-operating-permits/#simpson
The folks at ORCAA who will be deciding on the Simpson Air Operating Permit (AOP)are Mark V. Goodin, Professional Engineer, and Francea L. McNair, Director. Among the AOP pages is a form that Simpson hopes will be signed off on and it says: Reviewed by Mark V. Goodin, Professional Engineer, with a line for him to sign, and then Approved by Francea L. McNair, Director.
ReplyDeleteSome in our community remember that ORCAA has never met a permit it wanted to deny so our letters are critical. Whether we address them to Mr. Goodin or Ms. McNair, they will both (ONE HOPES) be reviewing it for compliance.
There are clearly items in the AOP which are mysterious to the citizens and I hope that we will be afforded a public hearing to present some of our questions to Simpson and to ORCAA.
HOWEVER, we will not be given a public hearing at all if we do not ask for it.
Now that we have been granted a hearing, we are also granted more time to comment.
ReplyDeleteNothing says we cannot comment more than once; although as they like to tell us "all comments by a single individual will be counted as a single comment from that individual"...
Also, now we can write letters THANKING THEM FOR GRANTING THE PEASANTS A HEARING TO COMMENT ON THE CONTINUING POLLUTION OF THE PEASANT'S AIR... while also commenting on citizen concerns about the length of the permit... five years.... so they can grandfather in their polluting practices even if the EPA wakes up and smells the biomass burning and strengthens their regulations!