Linda Helms' Letter to Jason Dose

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Linda Helms

October 6, 2010

Jason Dose, Senior Planner,
City of Shelton,
525 West Cota Street,
Shelton, WA 98584.
Phone: (360) 432-5102; FAX: (360) 426-7746.

Mr. Dose,

I am writing in response to the open public comment period for the new Solomon Energy Project located in the City of Shelton. I would like a confirmation email to let me know that you have received this, plus a written response to my questions and concerns. Thank you for extending the comment period.

On May 17th of this year, Simpson had an informational meeting sponsored by the Shelton Chamber of Commerce. At that meeting citizens and Chamber members were told about the plans for an upgrade to the existing Simpson plant. We were told, in public, by Simpson management that this new upgrade would include the ability to make and sell electricity to the grid, and that Simpson would be held to the highest standards for a biomass energy plant. They touted their integrity and commitment to this community.

Because Simpson would be upgrading their existing facility, they would be required to not only install MACT pollution controls and be required to have an EIS, they would also need to do a PSD. Shelton sits in the Class1 Air Shed of the Olympic International Biosphere region and sits on our Bay. These specific permit processes would require a more diligent and judicious plan from Simpson for their footprint in our community. They said they were happy to do this because the citizens of Shelton and Mason County were what had helped make Simpson who they were. That they wanted to “protect” and “help” this county.

Now on September 24th, the citizens find out in another “informational” meeting that whatever was said before in May, no longer applies, because 2 months ago Simpson created a “shell company” named Solomon. This company was created to directly avoid getting around the permits stated above, receive Federal tax monies, and dilute the standards that they would be held accountable for under the current application for an upgrade of the Simpson Plant. These standards would have helped hold Simpson to the task of being the “good stewards” they claim they are.

Now Simpson/Solomon is asking to build an entirely new facility AND keep their old boiler plant. Mr. Dose how can you even consider “Solomon’s” application when it was applied for under Simpson? Have they reapplied under Solomon? When? How does this change happen without community knowledge? If Simpson is a wholly separate company from Solomon and they are not support facilities for each other, then shouldn’t Solomon have to reapply and go through the entire process again under Solomon instead of Simpson? How can Solomon use ANY applications or permits previously submitted for your review under Simpson? And why would the good leaders of “The City of Shelton” (obviously seeing the shell game Simpson is trying to force on the citizens of the community they say they love and support) allow them to get away with this? Did Simpson hold their first informational meeting and then promptly apply under Solomon?

This is just plain disgraceful and deplorable maneuvering done to avoid more stringent standards, which cost more to install and to achieve and also gives them access to Federal Tax monies. Given the large base of human beings that live in, near and around this already polluting plant, I would assume our City Planners and Leaders would demand that Simpson/Solomon be held to the very highest standards no matter what.

In their application they state that Solomon is not a support facility for Simpson or Olympic Panel and that Simpson and Olympic Panel are not support facilities for Solomon. However, it then goes on to state that two-thirds of the steam and the power that Solomon will be making will go to both the old Simpson plant and Olympic Panel. It states that Solomon is not going to be a power plant for the grid, thus getting around the PSD.,,It will also not provide energy for the City of Shelton.

So what is its purpose? If it is built to give steam and power to the old Simpson Plant and Olympic Panel are they not supporting each other? The only reason Solomon is now a “separate entity” is because if you took the amount of pollutants of each of the facilities and emitted them as one facility, it could never be permitted! As one entity they would be entirely over ANY reasonable conceivable amount of pollutants for a community.

Please do not think that the citizens of this town do not see what is going on. It is now up to you and the City Officials of this community to stand up and do the right thing and quit giving into this Corporate deceit and greed in the name of business, which is just truthfully only corporate welfare for a few on the backs on many. Simpson should have to close down its old plant, and the “New Solomon” should be required by our city to have the highest and most stringent standards available for environmental and human health including an EIS, a PSD and MACT pollution controls.

The people of this community and their health and welfare are far more important than the pockets of Simpson, Solomon, Green Diamond, Olympic Panel, all really one in same, so let’s call a spade a spade shall we? Do the right thing for the taxpayers and citizens of Shelton and Mason County!

Linda Helms
Mason County Resident