Tag Archives: Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority

Brad Lofton asks for your ideas

In a generally congenial and well-received speech to the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCoC), Industrial Authority (VLCIA) executive director Brad Lofton gave an update on various projects and concluded by asking for input. “Economic development is a team sport,” he said, and “Give us ideas” and “There’s one of us and hundreds of you.”

Lofton was introduced by LPCoC chairman Dan Bremer who said that Lofton and VLCIA brought a plant to Lake Park with 400 workers.

In his speech, Lofton lauded the LPCoC as a great incubator of local businesses.

It’s going to come from all of you.
He talked about expanding local industries, especially PCA at length, asking David Carmon of PCA to stand up, saying PCA made a $230 million expansion in 2010, and noting “We had to compete for the PCA project.” Continue reading →

Stopping a ‘done deal’ -Jim Parker

This LTE appeared in the VDT today. -jsq
I’m just an older, working man that lives in our fair city of Valdosta. I have children and grandchildren that live, work and go to school in Lowndes County. After looking at the information available, and doing some research in my limited spare time, I’ve come to the conclusion that this proposed biomass facility that the Industrial Authority is trying to push through is a really bad idea. The pollution that will continuously pour from the plant will create cancers, heart and respiratory disease, as well as seriously aggravating chronic conditions such as asthma. Children are especially at risk, and there are two schools within a mile of the plant site, not to mention all the homes.

As a cancer survivor

Continue reading →

“Using words like green, renewable, etc. does not magically make it so.” –Russ Anderson

Following up on his previous correspondence. -jsq

From: Russ Anderson
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:20:24 -0500
Subject: Re: Attn: Clarifications on my comments
To: blofton@industrialauthority.com, info@sterlingplanet.com, bmaddox@sterlingplanet.com

Brad,

I’m not saying the project is good, responsible, that it will actually happen, and def. not that you are in any way right in your opinions of “green” and “renewable”.

Furthermore, I really wish you could get beyond the talking point of “the agencies and groups endorsing similar projects”, because again that is a highly contestable and skewed figure as many local, regional, and national agencies, groups, and networks still voice heavy opposition to this issue and biomass incineration.

Using words like green, renewable, etc. does not magically make it so. I know all about framing language and tactics of those wishing to line their pockets and exploit subsidy and tax loopholes. The simple fact that you are so set in your opinion and mentality is quite alarming..

For example, I am more than willing to embrace control technologies and

Continue reading →

“An error was made” –Luana Goodwin

This LTE appeared in the VTD 23 Jan 2011. -jsq
I wonder if there is any way for the Industrial Authority, County Commission and City Council to now do the right thing for Lowndes County. How can they save face?

Reading the scientific data makes it clear that an error was made, and clearly this data wasn’t made available to those who have been charged with finding appropriate industry for us, industry that will raise the quality of life for the citizens of Lowndes County by providing good jobs. They can be excused for an industry that provides only a few jobs. Jobs are jobs, after all. But how can we help them apologize to all of us and thank those citizens who have spent so many hours of their own time gathering information and providing a forum to educate us? I wish it were possible.

Luana Goodwin
Valdosta

NAACP asks EPA for review of biomass plant permit

More from the NAACP about Wiregrass Power LLC’s proposed biomass plant. -jsq
From: Leigh Touchton
Subject: NAACP Georgia State Conference asks EPA for review of Wiregrass permit
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:39:26 -0500
To: [numerous parties]

Apparently some people have incorrect information about the Georgia State NAACP Conference position. Please see attached.

Attached was a PDF file. Here’s an excerpt. Continue reading →

Valdosta NAACP Claims Environmental Racism

Brad Lofton says “all of a sudden we haven’t heard anymore about environmental racism.” I guess he hasn’t looked at the local NAACP’s front page on the web.

Valdosta NAACP Claims Environmental Racism

The Valdosta-Lowndes branch of the NAACP unanimously passed a resolution of Environmental Racism concerning the siting of Sterling Planet’s Wiregrass Power, LLC, Biomass Incinerator, slated for construction in Valdosta, Georgia, next to the Mud Creek wastewater treatment plant. This incinerator is sited in a predominantly black community: within 2 miles of the incinerator are 2 predominantly black elementary schools, J.L. Lomax with 607 students and Southeast with 304 students, and one predominantly white elementary school, Moulton-Branch with over 500 students. The “Little Blue School” Head Start program serves over 165 children ages 3-5. There are 7 large black churches including Valdosta’s largest African-American church, New Life Ministries, pastored by Dr. Angela Manning, who has organized one Town Hall against the Biomass incinerator. Other churches include the Church at Pine Hill, Morning Star Baptist, Evangel Temple, Church of God of Prophecy, and others, with congregations numbering hundreds. In the area is Sands-Horizon assisted living facility which serves over 60 families, 2 large apartment complexes, Brittany Woods and Park Chase, as well as Valdosta’s largest and most affuent black residential community.

Executive Director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, Brad Lofton, rejects the claim of environmental racism, and at the September 27, 2010, Valdosta Board of Education meeting called Valdosta NAACP President Touchton “irresponsible” for making the public claim. He says there are seven times more white people who live around the proposed plant. He did not address the fact that school children and church members do not show up on census forms.

The incinerator will emit 87-89 tons per year of tiny particulate

Continue reading →

“some opposition that has crept up” –Brad Lofton

On 6 Jan 2011, Brad Lofton made a joke out of “some opposition that has crept up” that he claims called him an “environmental racist”. He says “we just provided the facts” and “all of a sudden we haven’t heard anymore about environmental racism.”

Lofton has been misquoting like this since September. Back then he was willing to name the chairman of the local NAACP. He doesn’t mention that Leigh Touchton responded to him back then:

I did not call the Industrial Authority an environmental racist. What I stated quite clearly was that the siting of the Biomass Incinerator in a predominantly black neighborhood constitutes environmental racism.
In her response, she went on to rebut Lofton’s alleged facts. He has never to my knowledge responded to the points Touchton raised in her rebuttal. Instead, he goes around making a joke out of the NAACP.

-jsq

“we are satisfied with the safety of this plant” –Brad Lofton

Giving up on answering Dr. Sammons latest, Brad Lofton resorts to the xenophobia card. -jsq
From: Brad Lofton
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:07:16 -0500
Cc: [Dr. Noll, Kay Harris, jsq, lhenderson, hopeforcleanwater]
To: “Bill” [Sammons, Leigh Touchton], aricketts@industrialauthority.com
Subject: Re: Background information on Dr. Christopher Teaf

Thanks again for your e-mail Dr. Sammons. As we have said multiple times now, we are satisfied with the safety of this plant, the numerous experts that have approved it, and the due diligence we have done. You can continue to send ten e-mails a day, yet our position remains the same. I hope the weather is nice today in Massachusetts.
BL
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

See also Col. Ricketts on “folks come into the community”. -jsq

Granting a permit is not evaluating safety –Dr. Sammons

Dr. Sammons responds to Brad Lofton’s email. -jsq
From: Bill [Sammons]
Cc: [Dr. Noll, Kay Harris, jsq, lhenderson, hopeforcleanwater]
To: blofton@industrialauthority.com, leigh.touchton@gmail.com, aricketts@industrialauthority.com, [Roy Copeland, Mary Gooding]
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2011 14:44:54 -0500
Subject: Re: Background information on Dr. Christopher Teaf

Dear Mr. Lofton:

Having talked with many different people in different departments in multiple state governments I do not think that any of them would suggest that granting a permit is the same as “do nothing but evaluate the safety of these projects”. When asked they all say the are following the guidelines set out by EPA/state regulations– they are not evaluating the safety of each project. Many will admit in private that the regulations/guidelines are not up to date with science, but the people in the permitting agencies do not have the authority to grant the permit based on the best available science/data. It’s not dissimilar to discussions of BACT– depending on the size of the stationary source not all BACT is the same.

As an example if you look at the EPA regulations on PM 2.5

Continue reading →

“literally countless … no doubt … the issue has long been resolved” –Brad Lofton

Sidestepping Leigh Touchton’s email, Brad Lofton backs off on Dr. Teaf and forgets how to count. -jsq
From: blofton@industrialauthority.com
To: Leigh Touchton, aricketts@industrialauthority.com, Copeland, Roy, [Mary Gooding] Cc: Bill [Sammmons, Dr. Noll, Kay Harris, jsq, lhenderson, hopeforcleanwater]
Date: Sun, Jan 23, 2011 9:03 am
Subject: Re: Background information on Dr. Christopher Teaf

Thank you for your e-mail Ms. Touchton. Dr. Teaf’s credentials clearly speak for themselves, but as you know, he is only one expert that has provided guidance. His expert opinion is in the overwhelming majority. The state EPD also employs toxicologists and experts that do nothing but evaluate the safety of these projects. The federal EPA does the same. Both groups support biomass and have provided their blessing. This project was also reviewed by experts from VSU, GA Tech, and UGA. It also has been reviewed and blessed by the Obama administration, federal agencies that employ hundreds of experts, the state of GA, Lowndes County, and literally countless environmental groups and experts. There is no doubt about the safety of the three existing biomass plants in Lowndes nor another one. This issue has long since been resolved and the permits have all been approved and are in place at this time.

Have a nice day,

BL

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone