8/31/10
It was a meeting unlike any other MID meeting I’ve witnessed in a very long time.
The meeting was taken up with mainly one issue and that was the Bio-mass plant. In most minds it was a foregone conclusion that the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration or Neg/Dec would be approved.
If it was approved the plant would move forward on the fast track and Mid was prepared to follow a positive vote with Power Purchasing Agreement.First the MID Staff, and several hired guns, spoke out to say they had already responded to any and all complaints and found them to be negated by staff’s arguments.
Then the public had the chance to speak. The Taxpayers Association was represented by several speakers all voicing concern regarding unanswered questions, erroneous responses, and deleterious effects to the air quality in Modesto and the rest of the valley.
It was interesting to hear speakers from all over Modesto say they didn’t want the plant for a variety of reasons.
Noe Paramo
After a break staff came back with their responses to the public’s questions.
When answering the question if the MID was legally forced to adhere to a 33% green mandate the staff said yes. Avila stood up and asked a question in response and was told that the public comment period was over and questions weren’t being taken.His said loudly “but he’s lying.”
That’s immaterial he was told and he was again reminded that public comment was over.
Tom Van Groningen made the motion to accept the Neg-Dec and Glen Wild seconded it.Cecil Hensley, John Kidd, and Paul Warda voted against it, but that wasn’t immediately understood.
You see everyone there thought if was such a foregone conclusion that in mass it was believed the vote was positive.
When the audience clamored for a roll call vote Tim O’Laughlin
And yes, the audience did start clapping and cheering in happiness and quite honestly shock.
Admittedly the battle isn’t over. This monstrosity might still be forced onto the unwilling public at sometime in the future.
But for now…...We WON.
