ORCAA DO NO HARM!
The Shelton Civic Center was packed Monday evening withboth ADAGE opponents & proponents. (ORCAA publicized
the public hearings in the Olympian, but did not do so in
our local paper, the Shelton-Mason County Journal.)
Despite the "Rules of Conduct" being painstakingly elucidated,the audience often broke into applause during the course of
the evening, & at the earlier session, a union pro ADAGE group
(from out of county) stood up, en masse & on cue,
demonstrating support for the proposed project.
ADAGE union proponents (mostly from out of county)mingled before the hearing began. As a group, their
statements to ORCAA did not address air quality,
with the main focus of their comments being JOBS.
However, several (in county) union members made
statements that the quality of the air we breathe is more
important than the relatively few jobs that would be created by
a project that would threaten the health of thousands for decades.
ADAGE proponents from the Washington Pilots Associationwere in attendance, including Jack Krause, PAPArazzi.
ADAGE proponents from the shellfish industry were also present. (ADAGE opponents outnumbered ADAGE proponents by at least
2 to 1, with most opponents residing in Mason County,
& most proponents coming from outside the county.)
2 to 1, with most opponents residing in Mason County,
& most proponents coming from outside the county.)
So many local concerned citizens came to ask ORCAAto abide by their "MISSION" statement:
"We promote air quality & take actions that protect the health
& welfare of people & the natural environment in ORCAA's jurisdiction."
& to honor their "VISION" statement:
"All individuals in ORCAA's jurisdiction - especially children & the elderly-
can live, work, & play in a healthful & clean environment, free from
the harmful & destructive effects of air pollution."
Fran Prescott, Concerned Citizens of Mason County Board member:
"Are we going to have to choose between burning biomass
& having a shellfish industry?"
"All individuals in ORCAA's jurisdiction - especially children & the elderly-
can live, work, & play in a healthful & clean environment, free from
the harmful & destructive effects of air pollution."
Fran Prescott, Concerned Citizens of Mason County Board member:"Are we going to have to choose between burning biomass
& having a shellfish industry?"
Local resident,Terri Thompson, whose grandparentshomesteaded in Shelton, brought balloons to make her
statement. The 1st balloon represents the height of the
courthouse (35 ft.). The 2nd balloon (going up)
represents the height of a full grown tree (80 ft.), & the
highest balloons, pushing against the ceiling represent
the proposed Adage smokestack (170 ft.).
"If you don't have your health, it doesn't matter if you have a job!"
statement. The 1st balloon represents the height of the
courthouse (35 ft.). The 2nd balloon (going up)
represents the height of a full grown tree (80 ft.), & the
highest balloons, pushing against the ceiling represent
the proposed Adage smokestack (170 ft.).
"If you don't have your health, it doesn't matter if you have a job!"
Jack Miles, Port of Shelton Commissioner, the only elected local official to oppose the ADAGE incinerator, quoted from
RCW 42.30.010: The people of this state do not yield their
sovereignty to the agencies which serve them.
David Bricklin, attorney for Concerned Citizens of Mason County:"Why would you be making a recommendation today when
the EPA is coming out with more strict regulations next week?"
A concerned senior citizen: "In the afternoon hearing, it wassaid that ORCAA does not ever remember not okaying a permit."
There were so many erudite scientific comments made,reports about already decreasing property values,
& also quite a number of personal heart rending health
issue statements. One of the most poignant appeals
came from an asthma sufferer who, with much difficulty
breathing & with much dignity, ended his statement with:
"The right to breathe supercedes the right to a job."
A local resident with a dramatic flair:"We are depending on you ORCAA to
look at this with an unbiased eye & not
believe what ADAGE is telling you!"
Area resident, Jake Rufer (who worked in the woodsbeside his father who was a logger his entire life),
actively opposes the proposed ADAGE project:
"Please pay attention to what you have heard tonight!"
(Mr. Rufer was one of the first in our community to sound the ADAGE alarm.)
Gordon Lance, ORCAA engineer, gave a slide presentationdetailing the pollutant output of the proposed ADAGE
project, if the plant complies with the permit application.
(Lance commented that he has never been involved in a
project that has had so much community involvement.)
ORCAA's Executive Director, Fran McNair (left) announced that ORCAA would respond to all comments submitted,
& that the final determination regarding the ADAGE permit
application will be issued after each comment has been
evaluated, & the Mason County SEPA review completed.
ORCAA DID YOU HEAR US?
Great job, as usual! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWow, excellent summary of events!!! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe speaker whose story stayed with me the longest was the 72 year old widow who lives on Johns Prairie, whose retirement account WAS her land. She expected to be able to sell parcels of her once valuable land to carry her through her retirement years. She said now "no one wants my property," and she said "and I am looking for a job."
ReplyDeleteThis is what the Chamber Pot (formerly the Shelton Chamber of Commerce), the Economic Development Council, the Port of Shelton, the Mason County Board of County Commissioners, and those who support ADAGE, have brought to Mason County. Shame on them all!
Prosperity? Not exactly.
Reduced property values? For certain and, in the case of this one woman, property that "no one wants."
How people like Jay Hupp and Tim ShelTon can look at themselves in the mirror, or sleep at night, is beyond me.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSubmitted by Clint Ferrara:
ReplyDeleteAreva and Duke have their own huge construction company that builds all of their plants world-wide. Fluer Daniel Construction used to be owned by them outright, but was divested for tax reasons in 2005.
So they are going to build a state of the art plant prototype here in Shelton for $250 million. Will they use their own tried and true construction company? Nooo, they're going to go down to Bob's tavern and hire some local tradesmen.
There are local workers and businessmen who believe this scenario.
To revisit this post after the 9-27-11 ORCAA public hearing on the Simpson five-year air operating permit is really something!
ReplyDeleteWhere were all of these concerned citizens last night? They were indeed missed.
And that Fran McNair.... really, she's the executive director of ORCAA; that warm, fuzzy, grandma-type? Naught!
She's a little pit bull who acted like she resented like hell having to be once again in our backwater little town listening to pesky citizens demand the right to breathe deeply.
She could be the poster-child for the type of person who has been put in charge of keeping our air clean and our citizens healthy by extension. I don't think she gives a rip about clean air, and it came through pretty clearly from her demeanor during her part of last night's presentation.
Kudos to the handful of articulate and informed citizens who did show up to speak!