CCMC LAUNCHES 2011 MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

son County Progressive

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Concerned Citizens of Mason County
Announces Changes to the Board of Directors
-- Launches Membership Drive for 2011 --

Date: February 26, 2011

From: Concerned Citizens of Mason County

Press Contact: Beth McBain, Green Time Marketing - 360-432-8203

Concerned Citizens of Mason County anticipates a busy spring as they prepare for Mason County’s Department of Community Planning to announce their determination on the revised SEPA application from ADAGE Mason, LLC. CCMC, which is comprised of a group of local volunteers, will again help set the pace for the community’s response to the determination.

The outcome, based on the County’s review of the latest series of revisions to the complex SEPA application, will help determine the ability of the out-of-state energy giant, Duke/Areva/ADAGE, to move forward with its plan to build a 65 Mw Electricity Generation Plant located off John’s Prairie Road adjacent to homes, a K-8 school and the MCRA athletic playfields. The facility would cover just under 100 acres and would burn 600,000 tons of woody biomass each year as its source of fuel.

Other recent actions taken by CCMC include the filing of an appeal of the decision made in January by Mason County Superior Court Judge, Amber Finlay. The original suit was brought by CCMC against the Port of Shelton for signing the Option to Lease Port property to ADAGE without waiting for the SEPA process to be completed, so that Port Commissioners could take the time to learn if there were any environmental impacts that should be taken into account before they entered into the Option to Ground Lease. The case will be heard in a higher court, most likely in Pierce County, later this year.

In an effort of involve the many supporters of Concerned Citizens of Mason County in a more organized way, CCMC has launched it first membership drive. “We are in the process of expanding our network so that we can provide better methods of communication. When direct action or quick response is required we’ll have programs in place to get the word out,” says Beth McBain, outgoing chair of the CCMC’s Board of Directors. She went on to add, “We now realize that we are not only serving the residents of Mason County but an increasing number of people who have a strong interest in what’s happening here in our community. With up to twenty biomass facilities in various stages of the permitting process in western Washington alone, the outcome of what happens with the ADAGE project will have far-reaching impact throughout the Pacific Northwest.”

Leadership changes for CCMC’s Board of Directors will also go into effect during February. Fran Prescott, formerly Government and Community Relations, will move into the role of Chairperson. Warren Hoffman will manage finance as the group’s new Treasurer. Outgoing Chair, Beth McBain, will continue to work closely with the group as well as the newly formed state-wide organization, Concerned Citizens of Washington.

For more information contact: Beth McBain 350-432-8203 or Fran Prescott 360-868-2251

SHELTON BLOG NOTE:

CCMC will be hosting a Public Information Meeting on Wednesday, March 9th, from 6:30-9:00 PM at the Shelton Civic Center. All are welcome to attend.