Tag Archives: incinerator

Harrisburg, PA loses solvency and trust over incinerator

Michael Cooper wrote in the New York Times on 20 May 2010 about An Incinerator Becomes Harrisburg’s Money Pit:
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Officials here decided seven years ago to borrow $125 million to rebuild and expand the city’s enormous trash incinerator, which the federal government had shut down because of toxic air pollution.

But the incinerator burned through the money faster than the trash, leaving Harrisburg residents feeling like they were living through a sequel to the 1986 movie “The Money Pit.”

There were contractor troubles, delays, cost overruns and squabbles. The city borrowed tens of millions more, shoveling good money after bad into the job.

The Patriot-News Editorial Board wrote on 12 April 2010 about Harrisburg incinerator fiasco deserves an investigation to understand how it happened:
Over nearly a decade, officials at the Harrisburg Authority and City Hall made a series of decisions that sought to get the trash incinerator working and profitable, but which instead brought Pennsylvania’s capital to the brink of bankruptcy.

The 2003 deal that took on $125 million in debt to repair the incinerator neglected to include a performance bond.

Inexperienced firms were hired. Fees were paid for work poorly done. Loans were taken on disastrous terms.

Officials were aided, or rather misled, by the advice of numerous attorneys, bankers and engineers apparently far more interested in collecting handsome fees than they were in protecting the interests of taxpayers.

As a result, there is a deep distrust of the fundamental institutions that created this fiasco.

Something else sounds familiar about this situation:
While some of the seats have changed, many of the same people in government today had their fingerprints on these decisions.
It’s the same old boy network locally as approved Sterling Chemical, and the chair of the county commission at that time is now on the Industrial Authority. And the VLCIA has taken on what is reputed to be a $15 million bond issue.

How big is Harrisburg? 50,000 people, same as Valdosta. What is Harrisburg considering? Bankruptcy. Who profited anyway? Local developers.

What’s the moral?

All of the guarantees proved worthless.

All of the fail-safes failed.

What say we have the investigation now, before the fail-safes fail?

-jsq

Phyllis Stallworth: “I am gravely concerned and disappointed”

I received this on 7 Oct for posting.

-jsq

Valdosta is an innovative city with expanding opportunities for our growing community. Valdosta has recently celebrated 150 years of progress. As a citizen, I have spent most of my adult life experiencing this progress. I’ve seen economic developments through recruitment, retention and expansions that benefit our city, with tremendous support from our communities. I’ve seen job opportunities that improve the livelihood of our citizens, through the recruitment of national companies who have established their businesses in our great city.

Our school systems are innovative, and they serve as models for other school systems in our state, with great parental involvement and encouragement toward improvements. Our University and College systems are some of the best in the state, with phenomenal enrollment and retention of traditional and non-traditional students in our city and abroad.

Our religious establishments are growing from leaps and bounds with more and more people becoming citizens of our great city, who are leaving larger unsafe, polluted, and unproductive cities, for a safer, less polluted and productive small town lifestyle, such as our wonderful city provides.

The development of small businesses, through our downtown projects, have been a great success story for our city. The innovative improvements make our city one of the most visited in our state. We pride ourselves as a Titletown community, through continuous progress over 150 years.

When I contemplate our shared 150 years of progress, I find it disturbing that our Industrial Authority would make such a bad decision as to bring a Biomass incinerator into our community. As an advocate for the welfare of children, women, and families I am gravely concerned and disappointed that such a project has been endorsed by leaders who were elected to carry out the wishes of the community for the betterment of all citizens.

Continue reading →

Michael Noll: “enough is enough”

Here is a followup to the VDT story in the previous post.

-jsq

Dear Lowndes County Commissioners.

My sincere thanks for letting me present my concerns at yesterday’s meeting. It is very much appreciated.

Please understand that what I presented is based on facts. I have worked for ten years at VSU as an educator, and my students and colleagues know me as a straightforward person. I may ruffle some feathers at times, but I clearly was brought up in a no-nonsense household.

If Mr. Lofton would not continue to ignore our concerns (as he again did at the BOE meeting), to misrepresent organizations such as the Sierra Club (an organization I happen to support), or to keep bringing up names of those who endorse the biomass plant (yet conveniently overlooks a conflict of interest), I  probably would have never brought this up. However, during these past couple weeks, and particularly with his behavior at the BOE meeting, Mr. Lofton has added insult to injury, and enough is enough.

To substantiate the comments I made yesterday,

Continue reading →

Karen Noll thanks biomass opponents who spoke at VBOE

Karen Noll sent this letter to the Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE) and asked that it be posted here:
Dear Valdosta City Board of Education,

I just wanted to thank you for responding to my concerns about the proposed biomass incinerator by seeking further information. I also want to thank Dr. Brad Bergstom and Dr. Gretchen Bielmyer for coming and speaking before the board. Their expertise in the area of ecology and toxicology provided valuable information to the discussion. At the same time, I greatly appreciate that these two professors’ comments were succinct and to the point.

I am deeply disappointed that the Industrial authority chose to consume the board’s time with a 45 minute presentation that never answered the question: Is this plant safe for our students? Never did Brad Lofton or Allen Pickett come close to discussing the air pollution emissions and their effects on the health of our children. Anecdotal information from hand-picked people in Cadillac, Michigan does not convince me as to the safety of this proposed plant for my children.

Meanwhile, the American Lung Association, a group that I trust, has spoken out against biomass and its emissions in regard to children’s health:

http://www.lungusa.org/get-involved/advocate/advocacy-documents/Letter-to-Reps-Henry-Waxman-and-Edward-Markey-re-American-Clean-Energy-and-Security-Act.pdf

The American Heart Association collected many specialist to look at the relationship between Particulate matter and our health and their findings are frightening:

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/121/21/2331?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=particulate+matter&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT

The American Cancer Society finds that extended exposure to air pollution increases risks of cancer:

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/news/News/epa-estimates-cancer-risk-associated-with-air-pollution

Lastly, the world Health Organization presents air quality guidelines to prevent health risks, which pertain to most of the emissions from the plant:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en/index.html:

I am appalled at the disrespectful tone that Brad Lofton took when addressing concerned citizens of this community. I am ashamed that the Industrial Authority would be so callous as to waste the Valdosta City Board of Education’s time with an endless sales pitch.

I truly appreciate the board’s effort to become informed about the issue and hope that we can get to the bottom of the paramount question: is the proposed biomass plant safe for our students?

Sincerely,

Karen R. Noll

George Rhynes is not in favor of the biomass plant

A citizen responds:
TO: Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, Local and State SCLC, NAACP, ICU, Churches, Editors, and beyond http://kvci.blogspot.com

On September 27, 2010 while attending the Valdosta City School Board Meeting held at J.L. Newbern Middle School at 7:00. When Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority Executive Director Brad Lofton, and Mr. Allen Ricketts, did their presentation before the school board concerning the Biomass Plant projected to come into our community.

What concerns me was Mr. Ricketts using my name during his presentation that could have given the impression that I (George Boston Rhynes) was in support of the Biomass plant coming into the minority community that already have too many existing pollutants. School Board Chairman Love closed the meeting before I could respond to Mr. Ricketts before the meeting was adjourned.

Mr. Ricketts comments during his presentation: “…the practical matter is once you put the electricity on the grid we don’t know where it will flow but most likely it will stay in Georgia because it will be purchased by a Georgia utility. Ah, of that 40 mega watts about two will be used to run the plant because the plant will be self sustainable. Ah, it will be able to produce enough electricity to carry forth its own operation.” &ldquoGeorge, you and I talked about that. Ah a couple of months ago when you was in my office. We had a good conversation about that. Now let us talk about what that means….”

MY RESPONSE! I would like to say to the board. That I know you have adjourned the meeting. But because my name was used I need to respond because I value my credibility and my name means everything go me. So I want each board member to know that George Boston Rhynes does not sign off on any part of the Biomass Plant. This I want to make perfectly clear so there is no confusion; about where I stand concerning the Biomass Plant coming into the minority community. Because I do NOT approve of it!

I live closer to Cherry Creek, than I do Mud Creek. And I would rather see

Continue reading →

VBOE Biomass Discussion Tonight

On the agenda for tonight’s meeting of the Valdosta Board of Education is a discussion of the the biomass incinerator Wiregrass Power LLC proposes to build in Lowndes County, Georgia, just outside Valdosta. Listed in the agenda as speakers are:
  • Brad Lofton, Executive Director, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA)
  • Dr. Brad Bergstrom
  • Dr. Gretchen Bielmyer
I hear that you can sign up at the door to speak.

For much recent discussion of this plant involving Brad Lofton, see the VLCIA category in this blog.

For more context, see the biomass category.

-jsq

“We’re moving forward with permits in hand.”

The Executive Director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA) responds to my message about the biomass incinerator Wiregrass Power LLC proposes to build in Lowndes County, Georgia, just outside Valdosta. he copied the VDT and the usual list.

-jsq

From: “Brad Lofton”
To: “John S. Quarterman”
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:19:12 +0000

John:

We’re moving forward with permits in hand. Have a nice day.

BL

Economic development affects the whole community

My response to Brad Lofton’s previous mail to me and Sunday’s exchange between Brad Lofton and Leigh Touchtom; I copied the VDT and the usual list.

-jsq

From: “John S. Quarterman”
To: blofton@industrialauthority.com
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2010 08:06:31 -0400

Brad,

So you can’t provide a journal citation, thus your assertion that the stack of slides about CO2 was peer-reviewed is false.

Your assertions of environmental group support are equally dubious, as Leigh Touchton has demonstrated. Meanwhile, you ignore plain statements of opposition from medical groups such as the American Lung Association.

Dr. Tom Manning is a chemist whose specialities have little to do with renewable energy. At least three times as many VSU faculty oppose the biomass plant, as you know from reading their LTEs in the VDT.

You say you want people helping you. OK, what are these “other renewable energy projects”? You complain that people don’t get involved until late, so please tell us now, so we can get involved early.

Continue reading →

“We’ve read this a hundred times, and we understand it perfectly.”

Sunday correspondence between Leigh Touchton and Brad Lofton about Sierra Club support for the biomass plant. They copied the VDT and the same people as the previous messages.
From: Leigh Touchton
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:50:57 -0400
To: blofton@industrialauthority.com

Sierra Club: [quotes Sierra Club passage from Brad Lofton’s previous message.]

I wish someone on the Industrial Authority would actually read the entire Sierra Club position statement instead of cherry picking snippets they think supports their incinerator.
http://www.sierraclub.org/policy/conservation/biomass.aspx

From: “Brad Lofton”
To: “Leigh Touchton”
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2010 20:08:46 +0000

We’ve read it ma’am and appreciate their support.
BL

Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Verizon

Continue reading →

“we have other renewable energy projects”

The Executive Director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA) responds to my request of 26 Sep 2010 for some real clean energy jobs, and a renewable energy strategy for Georgia; he copied the VDT and the same people as the previous messages.
From: “Brad Lofton”
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:25:36 +0000

Hey John!

Thanks again for your e-mail. I refer you to my previous response, the large amount of data my staff has provided you, and all of the government (fed, local, and state) and environmental group support we enjoy. We have all permits in place, and we are moving forward enthusiastically to create green jobs in this economy! That’s good news. You’ll be pleased to know that we have other renewable energy projects we’re pursing as well in addition to our solar array (it may be small to you, but we’re being told that it’s currently the largest array in Georgia-not bad if you ask me). I wish people would spend half the energy assisting us recruit jobs than what they spend fighting economic development projects that will provide good jobs for this community. I want to apologize for providing you the wrong name for the VSU professor last week. Dr. Tom Manning is his name, and he is very much an active member of the VSU faculty. We also receive 1 mill of tax, not 1.5.

Have a nice day,

BL

P.S. Below is the direct quote from www.sierraclub.org not only

Continue reading →