12/15/10
You may have seen the story about the MID and the bio-energy plant on page B-3 of today’s BEE. Please consider this story carefully, as with a sprinkle of salt.
In the story’s 4th paragraph, you read that after the MID BoD voted against the plant, the plant proponents said, “...the project likely was dead, since the federal grant required that construction start by year’s end.”That statement is not exactly true.
The whole truth is that the MID Directors voted against the plant being built without performing a full and complete EIR. The financing of the plant was never discussed, and was not part of the Directors reasons for wanting a full and complete EIR.
The Directors heard testimony from many Citizens and rate payers. Three of the five Directors obviously were concerned by two things that kept coming up in the documents and statements of the plant proponents.
The first and most important issue was AIR POLLUTION. The proposed plant admitted that it would be out of compliance with the Air Board’s rules, but wanted an exemption.
Second, everyone, including the major partner of the plant project admitted that there was not enough biomass to make the plant viable. They specifically stated that they would be required to seek “alternative sources of fuel”.
Thus, the Directors vote was to require a full and complete EIR. The plant proponents decided that they did not want to do an EIR. That is what this whole thing is about. I cannot believe that the BoD will allow this project to come back for another bite of the apple, unless their appearance is preceded by a full and complete EIR, which proves beyond any possible doubt, that the operation of the plant will not poison our air and cause great harm to our Citizens.
Moreover, the EIR must prove beyond any doubt that the entire 375,000 tons of fuel will be made up of bio-mass waste, not medical waste, not municipal garbage, not garbage from Bay Area garbage dumps.The plant proponents can fund the building of their plant any way they want to.
However, we will resist to the last breath a gross polluter in the middle of our City.
Thank you,
Dave
