Smokestacks: Monuments to Pollution & Industrial Blight Submitted to Shelton Blog by Bob Herr Mason County Progressive
It has become readily apparent that the supporters and promoters of the Adage/Simpson Biomass incinerator projects have chosen to ignore or discount the growing body of scientific evidence which clearly documents significant threats to public health and environmental quality. Given that the potential to make money exists, this support comes as no surprise.
Despite the carefully planned and crafted selling of these proposals, they remain a serious threat to our community. In no uncertain terms, these two smokestacks will be undeniably and seriously ugly. At 170’ for Adage and 135’ plus or minus for Simpson, the smokestacks will be highly visible, hideous monuments to pollution and industrial blight that will become the undesirable and unmarketable trademark of Shelton and Mason County.
Perception, reputation, and image play a huge role in quality community growth and economic development. Should these projects go forward, the Shelton/Mason County area will be perceived as the laughing stock of the south sound region, a place where tasteless development takes priority over quality of life, and where public health takes a back seat to the personal wealth of a very few.
Why would people want to raise a family, buy or start a business, or invest in property in a community where its so called business leaders have demonstrated such a regressive attitude toward development that they bottom fish for industrial development that, in the case of Adage, has already been rejected by other communities across the United States as being unacceptable?
Yes, these projects will infuse some short term money into the local economy, but in the process we will also build an extremely costly reputation and image as a place to be avoided by investment dollars, a reputation that will be devastating for long term economic growth.
The members of the Shelton/Mason County business community would do well to take a stone cold sober look at what lies in the precipice that Biomass proponents Tim Sheldon and Jay Hupp are willing to push them into. Quality, beneficial and sustainable community development is a matter of dollars and sense, and in the long run, these projects will make very little of either for our community.
What we are so sorely lacking is a civil, merit-based discussion on biomass to power plants. Adage and Simpson are willing to spend significant sums of money to see that doesn't happen. Why? The answer is simple; their argument is merit-less and, therefore, untenable to anyone willing to perform even cursory research of the biomass issue. Our leaders are either woefully ignorant of the consequences or complicit in its perpetration. Whatever the case, we must stop Adage and Simpson from turning the Mason County airshed into a toilet of pollution for the biomass industry.
ReplyDeleteAs Tom said, a merit-based discussion is missing from the equation. My favorite argument with the pro-adage folks involves whether adage is an incinerator.
ReplyDeleteCalling it carbon neutral does not make it so; calling it something other than an incinerator, does not change the fact that it is an incinerator!
Bob hits the nail with every comment!
submitted by: Dick Curtis
ReplyDeleteOnce again the Bottom Line: Merit based decisions? Carbon neutral applications? --- Let's get very Real here. Bob Herr says that Tim Sheldon and Jay Hupp have pushed to the Un-sustainable! Mason County Commissioners, Port of Shelton Commissioners, City of Shelton Officials --- and, oh my yes, our very own Judicial Officials --- have all pushed for the Un-sustainable.
I will not dignify these questionable individual decisions by entering into an argument of philosophy of principal --- except, that any principals Should Put People First -- not the bank account ($$$$)!
Remember the past: "Kooks -- Uninformed -- No one is educated" --- that was us (the Mason County citizens) per our current local leaders! Well, that is NOT the case now - nor has it ever been.
Read Tom's Comment -- Read Katherine's Comment --- this is why our elected officials are AFRAID! Yes, they are AFRAID to enter into any meaningful dialogue with the local citizens. They, our elected officials, realize that they were and are Wrong. Our elected officials cannot admit their errors in judgment in trying to maintain the revenues ($$$) directed towards themselves!
It is OUR DUTY, according to the Declaration of Independence, to ensure that the leaders --- lead according "TO THE DEMANDS OF THE CITIZENS" -- US!!
As we have tried to tell our elected officials, we have not ceded them authority over us; they were "hired" to work for us. God knows it is past time we fired Tim and Linda, and never let them hold public office in this County again.
ReplyDeleteI have heard Linda is supported by some for even higher office; how does that grab you Mason County?
Our problem is a lack of folks willing (or able, given full-time jobs or other time constraints) to run against these entrenched non-representative elected officials.
The Democratic Party in Mason County has failed miserably each time they have tried to dethrone Tim. But, they have a new leader; an air-breather and member of this community, John Piety, who might be able to steer them in the right direction given support from the rest of the air-breathing community!
It is time we do some fishing of our own, and not bottom fishing please.
We need to begin the process of replacing most of the "leadership" in our county, and some in our state, so that we can once again (or maybe for the first time?) have leaders who work for the citizens.
As Dick noted, we have a several fine folks who can read and articulate, and we pose a threat to Mason County's reigning minority who find things in the county to be just great.
Let's turn up the heat and show them the white light we are made of!