The Original Shelton Blog
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Evergreen Students Disrupt Convocation to Expose Biomass!
This is great! Evergreen students interrupted the new student oreintation to tell the crowd about the horrors of the biomass incinerator that the Evergreen State College plans to install.
Olypmic Panel Products and the Everbrown State College
Who really owns Olympic Panel products? That question reoccurred to me this morning as I was walking my child to school under a plume of black smoke. Former Simpson workers suspect that Olympic Panel Products is just another Simpson shell company. Simpson fired a lot of workers then Olympic Panel re-hired them at lower wages. Classic restructuring. I suspect Solomon (named after Simpson founder Solomon Simpson?) will do the same. Fire workers and then re-hire them at lower wages to work for Solomon.
Is the city going to consider the pollution pumped out by Olympic Panel when they review Simpson's ORCAA permit to build a new incinerator? I used the burn tool to highlight where the smoke comes out of Olympic Panel products.
The Ever brown State College is pumping up the biomass propaganda with a full time banner in Red Square that points to their biomass website. They also trotted out their electric car to show just how green washed, uh I mean greed uh I mean green the Evergreen State College is.
Green is the new brown..
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Port of Shelton Considering Eliminating Workshop Meetings
Port of Shelton Considering Eliminating Workshop Meetings
Port of Shelton Considering Eliminating Workshop Meetings
Written by Dedrick Allan
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 07:14
The Port of Shelton Commission is considering eliminating their workshops and going back to meeting twice a month instead of once a week. Commission Chair Jay Hupp brought up the subject.... (more)
Port of Shelton Considering Eliminating Workshop Meetings
Written by Dedrick Allan
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 07:14
The Port of Shelton Commission is considering eliminating their workshops and going back to meeting twice a month instead of once a week. Commission Chair Jay Hupp brought up the subject.... (more)
Monday, September 27, 2010
Save the Date
Demonstrate Wednesday, October 6th, 4-6pm, at the ORCAA offices just off Harrison Ave in Olympia.
This will be a three county protest against the proposed biomass incinerators
ORCAA
2940 Limited Ln
Olympia, WA 98502-6503
(360) 539-7610
Bus: Harrison at Kenyon
This will be a three county protest against the proposed biomass incinerators
ORCAA
2940 Limited Ln
Olympia, WA 98502-6503
(360) 539-7610
Bus: Harrison at Kenyon
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Evergreen State College Forest Incinerator Is next to the Childcare Center
The future forest (biomass) incinerator planned for the Evergreen State College is next to the childcare center and the recreation center. A ballfield is between it and student housing.
The Simpson Comment Period has been extended until October 7th Click Here to learn more.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Thursday at the Civic Center
Submitted by Tom Davis:
Amy and I attended the meeting the city of Shelton held in conjunction with representatives of ORCAA and Simpson to explain to us, the public, how the ORCAA process will address Simpson’s application to introduce yet another biomass fueled plant into our community.
Although representatives from the city seemed sincerely intent on encouraging questions about the permitting process, I couldn’t help thinking how we, the public, were intentionally excluded from the process at its most critical stage, before our elected officials committed to expose us to two major sources of pollution.
Just before the meeting began, I was approached by a man who offered me a business card that read Dave McEntee Vice President, Operational Services and External Affairs for Simpson Lumber Company, LLC. He extended his hand and invited me to call him, should I have any questions about the Simpson proposal.
My first impulse was to ask him how he could work for a company capable of jeopardizing the health of an entire city and still manage to keep from hanging himself in his garage. But my wife was sitting beside me, so I simply said “Thank you, I will do that.”
The meeting itself was civil and predictable in that most of the questions centered around how much or how little the Simpson proposal was going to harm us. There was, however some ambiguity over whether both of Simpson’s bio-fueled plants would run simultaneously, and for how long. In the end, I was left with the feeling that any confusion was by design.
At this point the air suddenly went out of the room and Amy and I felt a cold chill run up the back of our necks. Apparently many of the other attendees had a similar sensation, and turned their attention to the rear of the room.
The source of our collective discomfort was a large image dressed completely in draping, hooded black robes, holding a scythe. My first impression was that Jay Hupp had taken his tendency toward “Godfather” style garb to it’s obvious conclusion. But Mr. Hupp was still seated in the front row; two fingers of his right hand now pressed firmly against his left wrist, apparently checking for a pulse.
What we were all looking at was The Grim Reaper- Death! I remember thinking, “Wow did you ever come to the right place; there’s a few people in this room Mason County would be better off without.”
It was a grim reminder that, when all the smoke presented by the proponents of biomass settles, many of us will be left with the consequences of decisions made by a few.
Tom Davis
Amy and I attended the meeting the city of Shelton held in conjunction with representatives of ORCAA and Simpson to explain to us, the public, how the ORCAA process will address Simpson’s application to introduce yet another biomass fueled plant into our community.
Although representatives from the city seemed sincerely intent on encouraging questions about the permitting process, I couldn’t help thinking how we, the public, were intentionally excluded from the process at its most critical stage, before our elected officials committed to expose us to two major sources of pollution.
Just before the meeting began, I was approached by a man who offered me a business card that read Dave McEntee Vice President, Operational Services and External Affairs for Simpson Lumber Company, LLC. He extended his hand and invited me to call him, should I have any questions about the Simpson proposal.
My first impulse was to ask him how he could work for a company capable of jeopardizing the health of an entire city and still manage to keep from hanging himself in his garage. But my wife was sitting beside me, so I simply said “Thank you, I will do that.”
The meeting itself was civil and predictable in that most of the questions centered around how much or how little the Simpson proposal was going to harm us. There was, however some ambiguity over whether both of Simpson’s bio-fueled plants would run simultaneously, and for how long. In the end, I was left with the feeling that any confusion was by design.
At this point the air suddenly went out of the room and Amy and I felt a cold chill run up the back of our necks. Apparently many of the other attendees had a similar sensation, and turned their attention to the rear of the room.
The source of our collective discomfort was a large image dressed completely in draping, hooded black robes, holding a scythe. My first impression was that Jay Hupp had taken his tendency toward “Godfather” style garb to it’s obvious conclusion. But Mr. Hupp was still seated in the front row; two fingers of his right hand now pressed firmly against his left wrist, apparently checking for a pulse.
What we were all looking at was The Grim Reaper- Death! I remember thinking, “Wow did you ever come to the right place; there’s a few people in this room Mason County would be better off without.”
It was a grim reminder that, when all the smoke presented by the proponents of biomass settles, many of us will be left with the consequences of decisions made by a few.
Tom Davis
Solomon Renewable Energy Contact - "With the new furnace, they'll burn it all, and bring in more from elsewhere."
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| From the Solomon ORCAA permit application |
Do you wonder where the Solomon name in Solomon renewable energy came from? Could it be from Solomon Simpson the founder of Simpson?
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Simpson-Investment-Company-Company-History.html
Striaght from the horses mouth.
"Although Simpson Investment represented the corporate dynasty of the Reed family, whose legacy of leadership nearly spanned a century, the company was not founded by a member of the Reed family. Instead the diversified forest products giant was formed by Solomon Grout Simpson, a Canadian-born fortune-seeker who scored his greatest success in the logging business and lent his name to what would become one of the oldest and largest privately owned companies in his adopted home state of Washington."
On the ORCAA forms the contact person for "Solomon Renewable Energy" is one Douglas Reed.
Here is Simpsons, uh I mean Solomon's ORCAA Permit:
http://www.orcaa.org/wp-content/uploads/Solomon/SREC_Shelton_NOC_Application_082510.pdf
On the permit they say they will begin construction in November.
Does the name Doug Reed look familiar? It should:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127121363&ft=1&f=1001
"It seems logical that if the country wants green power -- and it's said that it does -- that we try to extract the most value from those little pounds of biomass and make electricity as well as heat," Simpson General Manager Douglas Reed says.
The plant means more electricity -- but it also means more burning wood. Right now, Simpson doesn't use all its hog fuel. Much of it is trucked off, sometimes sold as "beauty bark" for gardens, sometimes dumped in landfills. With the new furnace, they'll burn it all, and bring in more from elsewhere."
ORCAA board of directors Same people, different hats
Pro-biomass Lynda Ring Erickson is on the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) board of directors. And we are supposed to trust these people to protect our air quality?
Board of Directors
Cynthia Pratt, Director
City of Lacey, Council member
PO Box 3400
Lacey, WA 98509
Mike Doherty, Director
Clallam County Commissioner
223 East 4th
Port Angeles WA 98362
(360) 417-2233
Lynda Ring Erickson, Director
Mason County Commissioner
411 N 5th
Shelton WA 98584
(360) 427-9670 Ext. 421
Clay Harwood, Chair
Pacific County Commissioner
PO Box 187
South Bend WA 98586
(360) 875-9337
Phil Johnson, Director
Jefferson County Commissioner
Port Townsend WA 98368
(360) 385-9100
Craig Ottavelli, Director
City of Olympia Council member
PO Box 1967
Olympia WA 98507
(360) 753-8447
Dan Diguilio, Director
City of Port Angeles Mayor
PO Box 1150
Port Angeles WA 98362
(360) 417-4500
Art Starry , Director
Thurston County Representative
2000 Lakeridge Dr SW
Olympia WA 98502
(360) 786-5414
Terry Willis, Director
Grays Harbor County Commissioner
100 W. Broadway, Suite 1
Montesano WA 98563
(360) 249-3731
Board of Directors
Cynthia Pratt, Director
City of Lacey, Council member
PO Box 3400
Lacey, WA 98509
Mike Doherty, Director
Clallam County Commissioner
223 East 4th
Port Angeles WA 98362
(360) 417-2233
Lynda Ring Erickson, Director
Mason County Commissioner
411 N 5th
Shelton WA 98584
(360) 427-9670 Ext. 421
Clay Harwood, Chair
Pacific County Commissioner
PO Box 187
South Bend WA 98586
(360) 875-9337
Phil Johnson, Director
Jefferson County Commissioner
Port Townsend WA 98368
(360) 385-9100
Craig Ottavelli, Director
City of Olympia Council member
PO Box 1967
Olympia WA 98507
(360) 753-8447
Dan Diguilio, Director
City of Port Angeles Mayor
PO Box 1150
Port Angeles WA 98362
(360) 417-4500
Art Starry , Director
Thurston County Representative
2000 Lakeridge Dr SW
Olympia WA 98502
(360) 786-5414
Terry Willis, Director
Grays Harbor County Commissioner
100 W. Broadway, Suite 1
Montesano WA 98563
(360) 249-3731
Friday, September 24, 2010
Simpson and ORCAA B.S. Session at the Civic Center
Here are some pictures. The new burner will be twice as big. At least 12 extra truck trips will be generated. Maybe more train trips too. The current union electricians might get screwed out of their union jobs. The old burner is still going to be running. Due to economies of scale the air will be dirtier in spite of the new burner being "cleaner". And the old burner will still be running (all day long every day??)
There are no Solomon officials who can be contacted.
The point was made that the amount of slash currently burned the three county area is only enough to last for 9 days in the ADAGE plant. So lots of new stuff will be burned and lots of extra carbon will be added to the atmosphere.
ORCAA is clearly bought and paid for but the city is on the side of the air breathers.
The Little Creek Casino is the backbone of this community, it is the biggest single employer, and it hires full time workers and gives them health insurance. Wal Mart, the Hospital and the School district also have more employees than Simpson.
Simpson is an anachronism and it needs to go. Simpson fires its full time workers and then re- hires them as part time workers with no bennies. "Family wage" jobs at Simpson are a thing of the past. Now even the union electricians are on the chopping block.
The grim reaper was the highlight of the night. He said he loved dioxins and he thought that Simpson was doing a great job.
Yay we are all going to die! Too bad lung disease is such a slow and painful way to die. I guess the best we can hope for is to get run over by a chip truck. That or we can move away, far away. OR WE CAN FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!
Here come the pictures. I'm not much of a writer, so if you would like to write a report for the night to post on this blog, shoot me an email with your post in it.
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| Shame on you! |
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| You have to love teenagers |
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| So sorry, you're all gonna die and you don't get to vote on it. |
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| Clean air vs. minimum wage jobs |
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| Jack Miles and two biomass signs a citizen |
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| Shame on you |
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| The entire crowd with death in the back |
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| Citizen wants to hear that the air will be cleaner, death watches on |
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| Civic minded citizens at the Civic Center |
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| Jobs for death and despair, what a deal! |
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Incineration Demonstration at Civic Center Today
Clean Air Demonstration Todaycome join your neighbors
Time Thursday, September 23 · 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location Shelton City Hall, 525 West Cota St.
The City of Shelton Planning Staff have scheduled a public information meeting at Shelton City Hall. Present at the meeting will be representatives from: the City of Shelton, Simpson Lumber Company, and the Olympic Regional Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) to discuss the permitting process (City of Shelton and ORCAA) and the project proposal itself (Simpson Lumber). This is NOT a public hearing for the required permits for the proposal. Public hearings will be scheduled (and noticed) separately, and after the SEPA process has expired.
A DEMONSTRATION is scheduled for 5:00pm BEFORE this meeting.
Study: Majority of US Tax Breaks, Incentives Benefit the Wealthy
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| Port of Shelton |
Study: Majority of US Tax Breaks, Incentives Benefit the Wealthy
A new study shows that tens of billions of dollars in US government tax breaks and other incentives mostly went to the wealthiest Americans last year. Of nearly $400 billion in spending to spur growth in home ownership, retirement savings, business start-ups and education, more than half benefited the wealthiest five percent of taxpayers. The study was sponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Corporation for Enterprise Development. The authors conclude: "We can ill afford a federal wealth-building strategy that primarily helps those who are already wealthy."
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| Will this baby who came to the port meeting, have clean air to breath or will this baby die young because Port officials Hupp and Wallinter are courting ADAGE? Recall them all! |
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Welcome to Dis-Orientation Week!
It's disorientation week at the Evergreen State College! As part of disorientation there will be a two incinerator related events1) 1pm-3pm this Thursday
Meet at Red Square.
2) 11am-1pm Friday
SEM II B2109
SEM II B2109
The following is form the Dis-O Facebook Page:
"Welcome to Dis-Orientation Week! The school year at Evergreen is starting again, and again we see Evergreen administration trying to push an image of "sustainability", "tolerance" and "dialogue" on to those who are new to the Evergreen and broader Olympia community. We plan to smash this narrative. Every year, radicals and friends at Evergreen put together a weeklong series of workshops and events designed to question, counter, ...and challenge TESC's "Orientation Week". We want to promote awareness in new students of the importance of autonomy, anti-oppression work, anti-cop work, community work, and directing oneself in ways that lead to collective liberation against capitalist and state domination.
Also, it's helpful when we're able to show off where the buses go, create kid-friendly spaces (free childcare/kid hang-out all week!) meet new friends, eat a bunch of good potluck food, watch queer and radical movies, read zines, dance, sing, play board games (Twister!) and provide an understanding of how to effectively use the state institution for public education that we're involved with towards the goals of resistance, liberation and empowerment.
Whether this is the first time you've read the word "radical" used outside of the news or a book or have had loads of experience with it, we hope that you'll meet some new folks, and learn a thing or two about the goings-on of TESC and Olympia here this week! Feel free to come to any and all of our events this week, including walking through our space for food and friendly faces anytime from 12-5 (SEM II B2109 unless otherwise noted).
"
Disorientation Week Schedule
Tuesday
10am-1pm Olympia Bus Tour and Downtown walkabout
MEET UP RED SQUARE
1pm-3pm A Recent History of Struggle on Campus - Events from '08-'10
SEM II B2109
3pm-5pm What is Anarchism? An explanation and discussion
SEM II A2109
5pm-7pm TESC Divest
SEM II A2109
7pm-9pm Movie! "Hedwig and The Angry Inch"
SEM II B2109
Wednesday
11am-1pm Radical Nature Walk
MEET UP RED SQUARE
1pm-3pm Consent Workshop
SEM II B2109
3pm-5pm Sodomizing Gay Marriage: Beyond Assimilation
SEM II B2109
5pm-7pm Potluck Dinner
SEM II B2109
7:30pm-1030pm Contra Dance
RED SQUARE
Thursday
11am-1pm Campus History Tour
MEET UP RED SQUARE
1pm-3pm TESC-Guided Gasification Discussion
SEM II A1105
4pm – 5:30pm Hardcore!! White Words, Outlook, Dehumanized
SEM II A2109
5:30pm-7:30pm Potluck Dinner
SEM II B2109
9:30pm-11pm
Olympia Free Choir w/ Kimya Dawson!
RED SQUARE
Friday
11am-1pm Rising Tide Talks Biomass Gasification Incinerators
SEM II B2109
1pm-3pm Self Publishing Zines & Getting Out of Olympia
SEM II B2109
3pm-5pm Security Culture Workshop
SEM II B2109
5pm-7pm Facilitation Training
SEM II B2109
7pm-9pm Movie Night! "Lucio Anarquista"
SEM II B2109
If you'd like more information on any of the above events, feel free to contact Trevor at:
vantre27@evergreen.edu or here on Facebook
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Pictures from Sept. 21 Port of Shelton
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| We Back Jack |
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| Citizens Sign In, Candidate Nancy Williams in background |
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Citizen hands Jack Miles a card to show our support for him |
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| All the local media was there |
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| Jay Hupp during a tense moment |
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| Citizens at the meeting |
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| Jay Hupp and TM Wallitner taking notes after the meeting |
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The ADAGE bundles are all gone now |
No circus act today!
Just a quick update for those who could not attend the Port of Shelton Commissioners meeting today:
Citing all the Internet publicity surrounding the issue, Jay Hupp decided to remove the two agenda items related to Brad Owens and Jack Miles. He broke procedure by doing this without adopting a motion to do so. Ah well, that's how the port works. Jay does what he likes and Wallitner nods in approval. Jack Miles asked Jay Hupp what the two items were related to and Hupp refused to answer. He cited all the Internet publicity as his reason for not answering the question.
We had a good turn out for this Port of Shelton meeting and although the meeting was not quite a circus it was not without drama. Many citizens wore buttons that said "We Back Jack". Pictures and a dramatic video will be posted later.
Citing all the Internet publicity surrounding the issue, Jay Hupp decided to remove the two agenda items related to Brad Owens and Jack Miles. He broke procedure by doing this without adopting a motion to do so. Ah well, that's how the port works. Jay does what he likes and Wallitner nods in approval. Jack Miles asked Jay Hupp what the two items were related to and Hupp refused to answer. He cited all the Internet publicity as his reason for not answering the question.
We had a good turn out for this Port of Shelton meeting and although the meeting was not quite a circus it was not without drama. Many citizens wore buttons that said "We Back Jack". Pictures and a dramatic video will be posted later.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Grays Harbor Paper, when did they start burning "biomass"
(I have no idea how the photographer feels about biomass or this blog)
Is this before or after they started burning "biomass"? These numbers seem quite a bit higher than the numbers proposed by ADAGE and Simpson.
ORCAA EMISSION INVENTORY - YEAR 2004 - EMISSIONS BY COUNTY, CITY, AND SOURCE NAME
Grays Harbor County
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP PM 198 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP PM-10 192 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP PM 2.5 174 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP SO2 (Sulfur Dioxide) 11 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP NOX (Nitrogen Oxides) 312 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP VOC 11 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP CO (Carbon Monoxide) 704 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP ACETALDEHYDE 2009 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP ACETONE 403 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP ACROLEIN 9681 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP ARSENIC 54 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP BENZENE 10165 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP BENZO(A)PYRENE 7 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP BERYLLIUM 2 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP CADMIUM 10 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP CARBON DIOXIDE 235976 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP CHLORINE 1912 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP CHROMIUM (VI) COMPOUNDS 8 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP FORMALDEHYDE 10649 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP HYDROGEN CHLORIDE 2299 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP MERCURY 8 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP METHANE 50826 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP METHYLENE CHLORIDE 616 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP NICKEL 82 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP NITROUS OXIDE 31463 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP STYRENE 4599 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP TOLUENE 2227 Lbs/Yr 2004
Demonstration this Thursday at the Civic Center
Clean Air Demonstration
come join your neighbors
Time Thursday, September 23 · 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location Shelton City Hall, 525 West Cota St.
The City of Shelton Planning Staff have scheduled a public information meeting at Shelton City Hall. Present at the meeting will be representatives from: the City of Shelton, Simpson Lumber Company, and the Olympic Regional Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) to discuss the permitting process (City of Shelton and ORCAA) and the project proposal itself (Simpson Lumber). This is NOT a public hearing for the required permits for the proposal. Public hearings will be scheduled (and noticed) separately, and after the SEPA process has expired.
A DEMONSTRATION is scheduled for 5:00pm BEFORE this meeting.
come join your neighbors
Time Thursday, September 23 · 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location Shelton City Hall, 525 West Cota St.
The City of Shelton Planning Staff have scheduled a public information meeting at Shelton City Hall. Present at the meeting will be representatives from: the City of Shelton, Simpson Lumber Company, and the Olympic Regional Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) to discuss the permitting process (City of Shelton and ORCAA) and the project proposal itself (Simpson Lumber). This is NOT a public hearing for the required permits for the proposal. Public hearings will be scheduled (and noticed) separately, and after the SEPA process has expired.A DEMONSTRATION is scheduled for 5:00pm BEFORE this meeting.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Biomass cogeneration opponents to gather in Port Angeles
Biomass cogeneration opponents to gather in Port Angeles:
The Peninsula Daily News
"PORT ANGELES -- Opponents of a proposed biomass boiler at the Nippon paper mill in Port Angeles will air their concerns about the environmental impacts at a Tuesday forum.
The forum will be on the eve of a Port Angeles Planning Commission public hearing concerning permits for the biomass project, which would burn wood chips or forest slash to create electricity and heat.
No Biomass Burn, a Seattle-based organization that aims to "to expose and confront the myth of sustainable biomass energy," will conduct a public meeting at the Vern Burton Gymnasium, 308 E. Fourth St., from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Duff Badgley, No Biomass Burn coordinator, said the proposed incinerator is "dirtier than coal" and is based on an "outrageous untruth" about the carbon neutrality of biomass.
On Wednesday, the Port Angeles Planning Commission plans a public hearing on Nippon's shoreline substantial development and conditional use permit applications. Both are related to the proposed conversion to biomass burning.
The planning commission hearings will begin at 6 p.m. in the Port Angeles City Council chambers, 321 E. Fifth St.
Nippon Paper Industries USA has proposed the $71 million cogeneration plant as a "green energy" project" ......(more)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
ADAGE is toast?
The Mason County Planner stated that ADAGE deeds to produce an Environmental Impact Statement. There is no guarantee that ADAGE can get this done before the end of December. If ADAGE does not break ground before the end of December they will miss out on 75 million dollars of taxpayer subsidies. ADAGE packed up and left Grenta Florida when they learned they could not break ground in time for subsidies there. I expect ADAGE to do the same thing in Shelton.
The port of Shelton is also being sued over ADAGE, this will cause yet another delay for ADAGE. In the mean time Simpson is still working on its biomass plant that will be almost as big as the proposed ADAGE and will spew out nearly the same amount of pollution according to the ORCAA permit application documents.
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B5piSgjjotkdZmRkODAzYTAtNGQ3MC00YzE5LTkyZWYtZjcyZWU5OTc3ODdk&hl=en&pli=1
September 10, 2010
F. Reed Wills, President
ADAGE Mason LLC
225 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Suite 302
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Re: Biomass Electric Power Plant Proposal- Request for Early Notice under SEPA
Dear Mr. Wills:
I am writing in response to your request for "early notice" under the State Environmental Policy Act [SEPA, WAC 197-11-350(2)] as to whether Mason County is considering a Determination of Significance (DS) for the Biomass Electric Power Plant project proposed for construction and operation at the Johns Prairie Industrial Park. As SEPA lead agency, Mason County has the responsibility under WAC 197-11-310 and Mason County Code 8.16 for making a threshold determination on the proposal.
Community Development staff have reviewed the environmental checklist and supporting documents submitted for the proposed project. As part of the review process our staff consulted with other County departments and agencies with jurisdiction and received written comments from the Mason County Public Works and Public Health Departments, the Mason County Noxious Weed Control Board, the City of Shelton, and the Washington Department of Ecology. A summary of those comments is attached to this letter.
ln addition, the County's SEPA consultant, Pacific International Engineering, reviewed the checklist and supporting documents and identified additional data gaps or areas needing clarification. Those items are also listed in the attachment.
Based on our initial review, Mason County considers issuance of a DS likely for the proposal. We have two primary areas of concern. First, WAC 197-11-330 states that a number of marginal impacts may together result in a significant impact. The proposed project would entail several potential impacts that may be mitigated, but not completely eliminated. Such impacts include but may not be limited to:
Odor emissions from biomass storage or other areas on site
Air emissions not captured by pollution controls
Degradation of water quality from accidental spills or releases
Permanent loss of 75 or more acres of forested habitat
Injury and/or mortality of wildlife from vehicle/animal collisions
Ongoing, long-term disturbance of adjacent habitats
Impacts (e.9., noise, dust, engine emissions, public safety, visual aesthetics) on residential areas from construction and use of the relocated access road
Noise from heavy trucks idling or operating on site
Impacts on existing uses from added truck and employee vehicle traffic on access routes
lnjury, property damage, or other impacts from fire, explosion, or accidental release of chemical products
We have concluded that, considered together, these impacts are likely to result in a significant adverse impact and that a DS is consistent with the provisions of WAC 197-11-330.
Second, WAC 197-11-794 states that an impact may be significant if its chance of occurrence is not great, but its effect would be severe if it occurred. With regard to the proposed project, the likelihood of fire, explosion or accidental release of chemicals is not known. Although the probability of occurrence may be low, if any of these events were to occur, the impact could be significant because of the proximity of residential areas to the west and south of the project site.
ln addition, a review of RCW 70.95.700 indicates that an Environmental lmpact Statement (ElS) is required for this proposal. That statute provides that "[N]o solid waste incineration or energy recovery facility shall be operated prior to completion of an environmental impact statement containing the considerations required under RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c) and prepared pursuant to the procedures of chapter 43.21C RCW."
Under RCW 70.95D.010, facilities that have the primary purpose of burning hog fuel are excluded as solid waste incinerators. However, RCW 70.95.030(8) defines "energy recovery" as "a process operating under federal and state environmental laws and regulations for converting solid waste into usable energy and for reducing the volume of solid waste." The proposed project appears to be an energy recovery facility under this definition.
“Solid waste" is defined under RCW 70.95.030 as "all putrescible or nonputrescible solid and semisolid wastes including, but not limited to, garbage, rubbish, ashes, industrial wastes, swill, sewage sludge, demolition and construction wastes, abandoned vehicles or parts thereof, and recyclable materials." At least a portion of the biomass fuel proposed to be used (i.e., construction wood waste) explicitly meets this definition. The fuel derived from slash wood, understory wood, and material from pre-commercial thinning is woody debris that would normally be abandoned on logged sites and may also be considered solid waste under this definition.
We interpret these statutes to mean that the proposed project is a solid waste energy recovery facility that may not be operated until an EIS on the project has been completed.
The information that has been submitted and reviewed to date is reasonably sufficient to evaluate the impacts of the proposal and to make a threshold determination. However, under MCC 8,16.050 an applicant may change or clarify a proposal to mitigate impacts, revising the environmental checklist as necessary to reflect the changes or clarifications. Should ADAGE Mason LLC wish to make changes or clarifications to its proposal to mitigate the project's impacts, those measures must be submitted in writing and must be specific. Changes and clarifications should address the concerns raised in this letter as well as those listed in the attached comment summary. They should also address the additional information requested in our July 26,2010 letters of incompleteness issued in response to ADAGE Mason's Special Use Permit and Environmental Permit applications. All changes and clarifications should be contained in one composite set of new or revised documents and must be received by Mason County within 60 days of the date of this letter. The SEPA review process will be suspended during this period. lf a revised submittal is not received by November 12,2010, Mason County will issue a threshold determination based on the information that has already been submitted and reviewed.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Adkins, AICP
Department Manager
c: Monty Cobb, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
Grace Miller, Senior Planner
Mason County Board of County Commissioners
The port of Shelton is also being sued over ADAGE, this will cause yet another delay for ADAGE. In the mean time Simpson is still working on its biomass plant that will be almost as big as the proposed ADAGE and will spew out nearly the same amount of pollution according to the ORCAA permit application documents.
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B5piSgjjotkdZmRkODAzYTAtNGQ3MC00YzE5LTkyZWYtZjcyZWU5OTc3ODdk&hl=en&pli=1
September 10, 2010
F. Reed Wills, President
ADAGE Mason LLC
225 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Suite 302
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Re: Biomass Electric Power Plant Proposal- Request for Early Notice under SEPA
Dear Mr. Wills:
I am writing in response to your request for "early notice" under the State Environmental Policy Act [SEPA, WAC 197-11-350(2)] as to whether Mason County is considering a Determination of Significance (DS) for the Biomass Electric Power Plant project proposed for construction and operation at the Johns Prairie Industrial Park. As SEPA lead agency, Mason County has the responsibility under WAC 197-11-310 and Mason County Code 8.16 for making a threshold determination on the proposal.
Community Development staff have reviewed the environmental checklist and supporting documents submitted for the proposed project. As part of the review process our staff consulted with other County departments and agencies with jurisdiction and received written comments from the Mason County Public Works and Public Health Departments, the Mason County Noxious Weed Control Board, the City of Shelton, and the Washington Department of Ecology. A summary of those comments is attached to this letter.
ln addition, the County's SEPA consultant, Pacific International Engineering, reviewed the checklist and supporting documents and identified additional data gaps or areas needing clarification. Those items are also listed in the attachment.
Based on our initial review, Mason County considers issuance of a DS likely for the proposal. We have two primary areas of concern. First, WAC 197-11-330 states that a number of marginal impacts may together result in a significant impact. The proposed project would entail several potential impacts that may be mitigated, but not completely eliminated. Such impacts include but may not be limited to:
Odor emissions from biomass storage or other areas on site
Air emissions not captured by pollution controls
Degradation of water quality from accidental spills or releases
Permanent loss of 75 or more acres of forested habitat
Injury and/or mortality of wildlife from vehicle/animal collisions
Ongoing, long-term disturbance of adjacent habitats
Impacts (e.9., noise, dust, engine emissions, public safety, visual aesthetics) on residential areas from construction and use of the relocated access road
Noise from heavy trucks idling or operating on site
Impacts on existing uses from added truck and employee vehicle traffic on access routes
lnjury, property damage, or other impacts from fire, explosion, or accidental release of chemical products
We have concluded that, considered together, these impacts are likely to result in a significant adverse impact and that a DS is consistent with the provisions of WAC 197-11-330.
Second, WAC 197-11-794 states that an impact may be significant if its chance of occurrence is not great, but its effect would be severe if it occurred. With regard to the proposed project, the likelihood of fire, explosion or accidental release of chemicals is not known. Although the probability of occurrence may be low, if any of these events were to occur, the impact could be significant because of the proximity of residential areas to the west and south of the project site.
ln addition, a review of RCW 70.95.700 indicates that an Environmental lmpact Statement (ElS) is required for this proposal. That statute provides that "[N]o solid waste incineration or energy recovery facility shall be operated prior to completion of an environmental impact statement containing the considerations required under RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c) and prepared pursuant to the procedures of chapter 43.21C RCW."
Under RCW 70.95D.010, facilities that have the primary purpose of burning hog fuel are excluded as solid waste incinerators. However, RCW 70.95.030(8) defines "energy recovery" as "a process operating under federal and state environmental laws and regulations for converting solid waste into usable energy and for reducing the volume of solid waste." The proposed project appears to be an energy recovery facility under this definition.
“Solid waste" is defined under RCW 70.95.030 as "all putrescible or nonputrescible solid and semisolid wastes including, but not limited to, garbage, rubbish, ashes, industrial wastes, swill, sewage sludge, demolition and construction wastes, abandoned vehicles or parts thereof, and recyclable materials." At least a portion of the biomass fuel proposed to be used (i.e., construction wood waste) explicitly meets this definition. The fuel derived from slash wood, understory wood, and material from pre-commercial thinning is woody debris that would normally be abandoned on logged sites and may also be considered solid waste under this definition.
We interpret these statutes to mean that the proposed project is a solid waste energy recovery facility that may not be operated until an EIS on the project has been completed.
The information that has been submitted and reviewed to date is reasonably sufficient to evaluate the impacts of the proposal and to make a threshold determination. However, under MCC 8,16.050 an applicant may change or clarify a proposal to mitigate impacts, revising the environmental checklist as necessary to reflect the changes or clarifications. Should ADAGE Mason LLC wish to make changes or clarifications to its proposal to mitigate the project's impacts, those measures must be submitted in writing and must be specific. Changes and clarifications should address the concerns raised in this letter as well as those listed in the attached comment summary. They should also address the additional information requested in our July 26,2010 letters of incompleteness issued in response to ADAGE Mason's Special Use Permit and Environmental Permit applications. All changes and clarifications should be contained in one composite set of new or revised documents and must be received by Mason County within 60 days of the date of this letter. The SEPA review process will be suspended during this period. lf a revised submittal is not received by November 12,2010, Mason County will issue a threshold determination based on the information that has already been submitted and reviewed.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Adkins, AICP
Department Manager
c: Monty Cobb, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
Grace Miller, Senior Planner
Mason County Board of County Commissioners
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Simpson will clean our air by burning stuff!
In mean time a suit has been filed against the Port over the ADAGE plant. ADAGE is toast, now it's time for the rest of us to fight the Simpson plant.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Grays Harbor Paper Biomass Plant 18MW
I found this photo on Flickr and it belongs to Mik Watson sorry don't know how to make the two dots over the "i". Here is his photo stream I have no idea how he feels about biomass, but he does take some wonderful photographs.
This biomass plant is only 1/4 the size of the proposed ADAGE plant and 1/2 the size of the proposed Simpson plant. Many of the homes near this plant are for sale or for rent. Perhaps shades of things to come to Shelton?
ORCAA EMISSION INVENTORY - YEAR 2004 - EMISSIONS BY COUNTY, CITY, AND SOURCE NAME
Grays Harbor County
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP PM (Total Particulate) 198 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP PM-10 192 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP PM 2.5 174 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP SO2 (Sulfur Dioxide) 11 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP NOX (Nitrogen Oxides) 312 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP VOC as Volatile Organic Compounds 11 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP CO (Carbon Monoxide) 704 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP ACETALDEHYDE 2009 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP ACETONE 403 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP ACROLEIN 9681 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP ARSENIC 54 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP BENZENE 10165 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP BENZO(A)PYRENE 7 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP BERYLLIUM 2 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP CADMIUM 10 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP CARBON DIOXIDE 235976 Tons/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP CHLORINE 1912 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP CHROMIUM (VI) COMPOUNDS 8 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP FORMALDEHYDE 10649 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP HYDROGEN CHLORIDE 2299 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP MERCURY 8 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP METHANE 50826 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP METHYLENE CHLORIDE 616 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP NICKEL 82 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP NITROUS OXIDE 31463 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP STYRENE 4599 Lbs/Yr 2004
HOQUIAM 98550 27 2 GRAYS HARBOR PAPER LP TOLUENE 2227 Lbs/Yr 2004
"Biomass plants are by their very nature prone to fire"
Who thinks the Shelton fire department is equipped to handle something like this?
This video gets really exciting at 3:07
http://michaelannland.blogspot.com/2010/03/biomass-plant-on-fire.html
A large sawdust fire in Oregon
This video gets really exciting at 3:07
http://michaelannland.blogspot.com/2010/03/biomass-plant-on-fire.html
"Mayor William Martin of Greenfield included a letter regarding the Pinetree Power burner from Westminster, MA Town coordinator, Karen M. Murphy, in his pro-biomass task force report. It includes this passage: "On the down side, the facility by its very nature is prone to fires. There was a five-alarm fire at the plant in 2004 and there have been a number of other fires over the years. Extreme care should be given to implementing adequate safety measures in this regard..."
A large sawdust fire in Oregon
The Aroma of Tacoma is Coming to Shelton
Mill waste spews out of just one of Simpsons waterfront machines (what are these things called?)
Simpson loads is mill waste onto a barge (same picture taken from a higher vantage point)
I'm not the only one who has noticed that the air in Tacoma suddenly got much worse, after Simspon opened its wood burning biomass plant on the Tacoma waterfront in August of 2009. The good old Aroma of Tacoam is back. Those of us who grew up here remember it fondly.
If you don't believe me go visit the Port of Tacoma so you and smell and see it for youself. If you can't travel to Tacoma don't worry, soon we will all be able to smell the aroma of Tacoma right here in Mason County!
A 2008 article about the Tacoma biomass plant says:
"Simpson will gather wood wastes from its own sawmills in Tacoma and Shelton to help power the plant, said Tennison"
I have pictures and video of Simpson loading sawdust onto a barge, presumably to go to its biomass plant in Tacoma. Remember Simspon claims it will clean the air in Shelton by burning the sawdust in Shelton rather than trucking it out. Yes Simpson claims that currently trucks all it's mill waste out and burning the waste here will clean the air by reducing truck trips.
Simpson will also increase the truck traffic into Shelton when it begins delivering strip mined branches, bark, duff, moss, pine needles, insects and whatever else the John Deere machines will bundle up with their slash. This kind of stuff is not currently trucked into town at all. For the most part it is left to rot in the forest and nurish the soil. Soon all that and more will be trucked into town in nice tight bundles created by John Deere machines. And it will be burned downtown right next to Kneeland park and just one mile from two grade schools and hundreds of homes.
How is that going to clean our air???? Would good old Uncle Simpson tell a lie? Never!
Simpson Permit Numbers 30 MW
Nitric/Nitrous oxides 248 tons/yr
Carbon monoxide 248 tons/yr
Sulfur dioxide 147 tons/yr
PM 10 38.2 tons/yr
PM 2.5 29 tons/yr
These numbers do not reflect the extra truck traffic that will be generated by the biomass plant.
We must fight this. If we give in to Simpson, we may as well give in to ADAGE!
http://www.advancedbiomass.com/2010/05/biomass-handling-system-design-%E2%80%93-things-to-consider/
"Biomass delivery by barge is popular on the west coast and the equipment utilized varies greatly. The best and most simple system utilizes mobile equipment that drives onto the barge via a ramp. The ramp is equipped with a receiving hopper that the mobile equipment fills. The hopper discharges into the conveyor system to storage. Other systems utilize dockside knuckleboom unloaders or overhead cranes with clamshell buckets. Delivery by barge requires a docking / mooring facility and possibly a warping system, that will accommodate water level changes."
Good, if only they would keep on barging to Tacoma.. If they get their Permit Simpson will start burning all their mill waste right down town. Explain to me again how that is going to clean our air?
The September Issue of Biomass Busters is out
Shearer trucking begins chipping the ADAGE biomass at the Port of Shelton, presumably for landscaping use, as the two new biomass incinerators planned for Shelton are not operational
Biomass Busters has issued the September edition of their informative newsletter. I urge everyone who has an interest in stopping biomass incinerators from poisoning us and deforesting the land to check it out.
Headline stories include:
Anti-Biomass Lawsuit in Gainesville, FL
Traverse City, MI to Vote on Biomass
Arizona Incinerator Goes Bankrupt
Biomass Greenwash in Washington
Petition Filed with EPA Challenges "Carbon Neutrality" of Biomass
New York State Restricts Biomass
Report on Pollution and Children's Health: "The Price of Pollution"
Biomass Busters is at:
http://content.enewslettersonline.com/20757/40693.html
Sunday, September 12, 2010
A land left to drown by the "timber mafia"
When the Skok starts flooding, you know it's the start of fall
Typical Simspon tree farm with National Forest land in the back ground, guess where the property line is?A land left to drown by the ‘timber mafia’
“The claims and slogans of officialdom are completely divorced from reality,” said Dawn in an editorial. “The government is promoting ‘Green Pakistan’ even as trees continue to be slaughtered across the country in the name of development. The timber mafia is denuding the country’s woodlands. The situation is desperate and is deteriorating by the day.”
That could just as easily be the Skokomish Valley. Look at the picture, it reminds me of the picture of Shelton on the bottom of this page.
How much worse will the Skok flood when Simpson starts strip mining for biomass? ADAGE will get 85% of its wood from another county but Simpson will do its mining right here in Mason County.
Downtown Shelton after the 2007 rain on snow event. The two blue things are the tops of picnic tables
Photographs copyright, Shawnie Whelan 2010 all rights reserved
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Extra Truck Traffic to be Generated by Simpson Biomass plant?
Slash left to rot before the new era of biomass incineration
I’ve heard all the Simpson propaganda about how the new plant will make our air cleaner. One of the arguments I hear is that there will be less truck traffic because they will start burning the slash instead of trucking it out. I’m not falling for that.
Simpson currently burns what? It mostly burns sawdust and bark from whole logs, not bundles of biomass. That’s right Simpson doesn’t currently truck slash in! And I’ve also been told that the saw dust is currently barged out to Tacoma to burn in Simpson’s Tacoma Biomass incinerator, but I don’t know if that is a fact. If that is true it would mean that slash is not currently being trucked out so there are no truck trips to save there! I’m going to spend some time up at the view point watching and taking picture of what I see going on down there. BTW I used to have a job (for one day) trucking sawdust out of Simpson. We worked on a pile of saw dust that was very old and rotten, maybe even 100 years old, and we trucked it out to landscaping companies in Kitsap County. That’s right for many, many years they used to just store all the sawdust in a pit. I was told that that the pit was cleaned out about 10 years ago.
Bundles of John Deere Biomass trucked in to Evergreen Elementary School
Anyway, getting back to my point, contrary to Simpsons claims of less truck trips, I contend that Simpson will greatly increase truck traffic when it starts trucking in vast quantities of slash to feed both their and Evergreen’s incinerators. How exactly are all those bundles of biomass made by the John Deere machines going to get to Shelton? I’ll give you a hint, there are no train tracks left in the forest and you can’t run a barge down Goldsborough Creek.
I believe that there will be a huge net gain in truck traffic as a result of Simpson’s biomass plant. And we have been told that the trucks generate more pollution than the burning of biomass. So to me, it just doesn’t add up that the new biomass incinerator will bring us wonderful cleaner the air.
Photographs copyright Shawnie Whelan 2010 all right reserved
Anyway, getting back to my point, contrary to Simpsons claims of less truck trips, I contend that Simpson will greatly increase truck traffic when it starts trucking in vast quantities of slash to feed both their and Evergreen’s incinerators. How exactly are all those bundles of biomass made by the John Deere machines going to get to Shelton? I’ll give you a hint, there are no train tracks left in the forest and you can’t run a barge down Goldsborough Creek.
I believe that there will be a huge net gain in truck traffic as a result of Simpson’s biomass plant. And we have been told that the trucks generate more pollution than the burning of biomass. So to me, it just doesn’t add up that the new biomass incinerator will bring us wonderful cleaner the air.
Photographs copyright Shawnie Whelan 2010 all right reserved
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Please take action by Monday, September 13, 2010!
From the website of Stop Spewing Carbon:
There are many ways to do this but perhaps the easiest is to visit
Stop Spewing Carbon and fill out their form.
EPA information
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-19031.pdf
The Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign is a grassroots effort to stop taxpayer subsidies for polluting biomass incinerators in Massachusetts. We are collecting signatures for a November 2010 state ballot measure that would disqualify biomass incinerators from receiving “renewable energy credits.”
The Campaign is made up of Massachusetts citizens who say no to polluting "green" energy schemes. We are working to secure a healthy environment for our families, our neighbors, and for future generations.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is trying protect our health and the planet by making new Clean Air Act rules to regulate greenhouse gases from industry smokestack emissions, like those of biomass and garbage incinerators. Predictably, the biomass and garbage incinerator industry and their lobbyists are fighting to be exempt from the rules. Now is the time to help us debunk the industry LIES!
Please take action by Monday, September 13, 2010! This is an important opportunity to tell EPA that biomass smokestack emissions are not carbon neutral and should be subject to the law, just like other sources of CO2! EPA issued a "Call for Information" – and wants to hear from YOU!
There are many ways to do this but perhaps the easiest is to visit
Stop Spewing Carbon and fill out their form.
EPA information
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-19031.pdf
The Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign is a grassroots effort to stop taxpayer subsidies for polluting biomass incinerators in Massachusetts. We are collecting signatures for a November 2010 state ballot measure that would disqualify biomass incinerators from receiving “renewable energy credits.”
The Campaign is made up of Massachusetts citizens who say no to polluting "green" energy schemes. We are working to secure a healthy environment for our families, our neighbors, and for future generations.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Evergreen State College Testified in Favor of Biomass Feb. 27
http://blogs.evergreen.edu/officeofgovernmentalrelations/tag/biomass/
While Evergreen is telling us all that they have not made a decision, are just doing a biomass feasibility study, they testified Feb. 27 in favor of biomass at the Legislature:
Published February 27, 2010
The Senate Ways & Means Committee met early this Saturday morning to hear a variety of bills and take action on several more.
The deadline for the Committee to consider House bills with a fiscal impact is end of day Monday, March 1.
As a part of the public hearing process this morning , Evergreen testified in support of House Bill 2481. HB 2481 is a bill discussed often on this blog, but is worth further discussion because it looks different at this stage in the legislative process than it did earlier on. The bill would: Allow Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to enter into contract terms up to 15 years when an entity plans and commits to a capital investment of at least $50 million prior to the contract and completes that investment before removal of biomass under the contract;Allow DNR to include provisions in the agreement that are periodically adjusted for market conditions; Require the contract to include provisions that allow DNR, when it is in the best interest of the trust beneficiaries, to maintain access to existing users of biomass; Ensure that biomass volume conveyed under this act will not be counted toward DNR’s sustainable harvest target, except that appraised timber sold in a conventional timber sale will count toward the target whether individual trees are ultimately used by that purchaser for timber or biomass energy; Remove wood from old growth forests from the definition of what is not included in forest biomass; and Require DNR to conduct a survey of scientific literature regarding the carbon neutrality of forest biomass and report to the Legislature by December 15, 2010.
Evergreen believes that the passage of House Bill 2481 would provide the Washington Department of Natural Resources with the tools necessary to be a viable player in the emerging biomass industry and a potential partner with Evergreen as we move forward to construct our Biomass Gasification Project.
The Committee took no further action on the bill.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Simpson and ADAGE ORCAA permit application numbers
Simpson Permit Numbers 30 MW
Nitric/Nitrous oxides 248 tons/yr
Carbon monoxide 248 tons/yr
Sulfur dioxide 147 tons/yr
PM 10 38.2 tons/yr
PM 2.5 29 tons/yr
ADAGE Permit Numbers 60 MW
Nitric Oxide 240 tons/yr
Carbon Monox. 248 tons/yr
Sulfur Diox. 149 tons/yr
PM 10.0 103 tons/yr
PM 2.5 98 tons/yr
Nitric/Nitrous oxides 248 tons/yr
Carbon monoxide 248 tons/yr
Sulfur dioxide 147 tons/yr
PM 10 38.2 tons/yr
PM 2.5 29 tons/yr
ADAGE Permit Numbers 60 MW
Nitric Oxide 240 tons/yr
Carbon Monox. 248 tons/yr
Sulfur Diox. 149 tons/yr
PM 10.0 103 tons/yr
PM 2.5 98 tons/yr
DIOXIN!
Will this be you?
HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD SIMPSON POISON EACH DAY?
The biomass incinerator Simpson plans to operate on the Shelton waterfront would poison us with dioxins, the MOST dangerous chemical ever made. That’s dioxin poisoning of our kids in school, our pedestrians walking Shelton streets, our motorists driving through town, our neighbors living peacefully in their homes--us.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD SIMPSON POISON EACH DAY?
The list of what Simpson’s calls ‘Hazardous Pollutants’ in its on 8/25/10 application filed with the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency includes:
Dichloroethane-12, dichloromethane, dichloropropane-12: These are precursors to dioxin, generally accepted as the most dangerous chemical ever made. “Burning any source of chlorine in the presence of hydrocarbons creates dioxins. Trees are hydrocarbon. Dioxins have profound biologic effects in parts per trillion increasing the risk of endometriosis, polycystic ovary disease, reduced immune competence, increased ear infections in children, hypo and hyper thyroidism and neurological problems. There is no known safe level of dioxins. All levels increase the risk of cancer. The worst impact is on the fetus and newborn.”—William Blackley, MD
This list also includes:
Chlorine.
---by Duff Badgley, No Biomass Burn, September 5, 2010
---by Duff Badgley, No Biomass Burn, September 5, 2010
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