From: “Michael G. Noll”Continue reading
To: Brad Lofton <blofton@industrialauthority.com>, “John S. Quarterman, Allan Ricketts, <aricketts@industrialauthority.com>
CC: “Susan R. Wehling”, “Mary B. Gooding”, Roy Copeland, Kay Harris
Subject: RE: Wiregrass Power, LLC
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2010 13:46:25 +0000Hello Mr. Lofton.
I can certainly admire your determination to sell our community your biomass project as “green” or “safe”. However, as WACE already pointed out, there is a difference between fiction and fact (see my guest column in the VDT on December 12, 2010).
In the last couple months, WACE has provided the Industrial Authority and the community with a plethora of scientific literature and statements made by medical organizations that unequivocally state that biomass is neither “green” nor “safe”. At the same time, neither you nor Mr. Ricketts have been able to provide up-to-date scientific proof to us to challenge the position that biomass is, in fact, dirtier than coal and bears significant health risks.
Anyone who cares enough for the community he or she lives in, must understand the responsibility to provide such proof. I have difficulties to imagine that you or Mr. Ricketts do not share such a sentiment, despite the disagreements we might have. Let’s cut to the chase in regard to your panel of experts:
Category Archives: VDT
Seth Gunning LTE in the VDT
Continue readingRecently on Thursday December 16th, State Judge Ronit Walker denied air quality permits for a proposed coal plant in Sandersville, Georgia. Judge Walker cited the Georgia Environmental Protection Divisions failure to properly review permits, and their lack of enforcement of basic Clean Air Act standards for several hazardous emissions.
Flashback to April 27th in Valdosta Georgia when Environmental Protection Division Air Branch Manager Eric Cornwell openly admitted to having NOT READ the air permit application for Wiregrass Biomass LLC’s proposal to build a hotly contested 40mw power plant&emdash; during a Valdosta EPD hearing meant to evaluate those permits.
Today, the Valdosta Industrial Authority is hazardously entrenched
jsq to Col. Ricketts about VLCIA
From: John S. QuartermanContinue reading
To: “Allan Ricketts” <aricketts@industrialauthority.com>
cc: “‘John S. Quarterman'”, “‘Michael Noll'”, “‘Susan Wehling'”, “‘Brad Lofton'” <blofton@industrialauthority.com>, “Mary B. Gooding”, Roy Copeland, Kay Harris
Subject: Re: Wiregrass Power, LLCCol. Ricketts,
It’s good to hear from you.
I wondered during your re-presentation of slides you’d already said the entire VLCIA board had seen at the recent VLCIA biomass event, whether you would provide copies to interested parties, such as those sitting in the room, but you did not at the time.
Considering the increasing amount of public interest in this topic, as evidenced by the attendance and questions at the VLCIA Rainwater Conference Center event, and by recent newspaper activity, probably the public would like to see those press releases directly from the VLCIA’s web site. However, LAKE is always happy to link to relevant material, so if you will please send me the URLs of those press releases as you found them on the web, LAKE will be happy to link to them.
Similarly, if Dr. Teaf’s information is as good as you indicated,
South Georgia GBI; Roundup of Blacks In Quitman
Continue readingAt 8:30 AM, I began receiving phone calls from Quitman, Georgia in the County of Brooks where the County Sheriffs Office was arresting citizens at random concerning the recent Absentee Ballot Problems.
These arrests reminded me of the alleged problems Black Voters/Citizens have had with the GBI harassing them during their investigation before and during the last run off election. This included alleged actions by the GBI Investigators that local citizens complained about intimidation before, during and after the election. However little or no Public Media Attention was given to alleged Black Voter intimidation by local media. Moreover, little to nothing was published in the FREE PRESS surrounding citizen’s fear from GBI Investigators. This was a major point of discussion when I along with a local Pastor from Valdosta, Georgia walked the streets to get a better understanding of what Brooks County Voters had to go through during the last election.
Today’s arrest will surely end up in the courts.
What’s the Industrial Authority’s Plan?
What is the Industrial Authority’s plan to bring in real clean jobs?
MAGE SOLAR is hiring for the first of 350 jobs in its photovoltaic (PV) solar manufacturing plant in Dublin, Georgia, with half the population of Valdosta, in Laurens County, with half the population of Lowndes County. They’ve parlayed their position between the Atlanta airport and the Savannah seaport for many new clean jobs.
Suniva of Norcross’s second PV plant with its 500 jobs went to Michigan. Saginaw Valley calls itself Solar Valley and collaborates with governments, academia, and industry, winning thousands of clean jobs in wind and solar manufacturing and generating plants.
VLCIA biomass event Q&A
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While officials continue to downplay local citizen anger about current projects, citizens are organizing in a variety of ways to affect change the next election cycle. When Sterling Chemical came to Lowndes County in the 1990s, citizens were told the project was a “done deal,” and so it was. Sterling is still here, but those in office at the time aren’t, and the director of the Industrial Authority at the time is no longer here either.Maybe the VDT is referring to this kind of response from the VLCIA panel on 6 Dec 2010:As has been shown worldwide, citizens are tired of being told what’s best for them, having no say so in how their tax dollars are spent, and having their concerns ignored.
Until officials understand that it is coming from all directions and not just led by a few malcontents, the swell will continue to grow. And those who continue to ignore the anger and frustration do so at their own peril.
“these things do prop up the local economy, period, end of discussion.”A previous questioner who had a job in Vietnam notes he was lied to about Agent Orange and asks “can you assure me that I won’t be affected by this?” Continue reading
VLCIA Biomass “Forum” Tonight: Do they have a plan?
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All citizens of Lowndes County and any other interested parties are encouraged to attend the Biomass Forum Monday night, hosted by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, at 7:30 at the Conference Center.Forum? As in people will get time to get real questions answered? And the VLCIA might be interested in real input?
The authority has invited a half-dozen individuals to speak, which will last approximately 60 to 90 minutes, followed by “ample” time for questions to be answered, at least 30 minutes, according to the Authority.Hm, 3 to 1 they speak we listen. Interesting definition of “forum”. Also, despite VLCIA’s many complaints that people didn’t get involved early enough in their previous public meetings about this plant, if this event is listed on VLCIA’s own website, I can’t find it. It’s not on the VLCIA’s facebook page, either.
Although on November 10th there are two VLCIA facebook posts saying:
The Industrial Authority stands behind its decision for the construction of Wiregrass Power LLC and feels like this green project will be a win/win for the community.So much for looking for input.
Anyway, back to the VDT:
The Times has presented several stories with facts concerning the $140 million project, which will generate 20 to 25 local jobs once the plant is up and running.20 to 25 local jobs.
Meanwhile, in other places that have a plan:
- MAGE SOLAR is already hiring in Dublin, Georgia for the first of 350 jobs in a photovoltaic (PV) solar manufacturing plant.
- Suniva of Norcross’s second PV plant with its 500 jobs went to Michigan, because nobody in Georgia tried very hard to keep it here.
- Solar Valley, Michigan, has a plan that has already brought in thousands of clean energy jobs, in addition to Suniva.
![](http://www.grist.org/phpThumb/phpThumb.php?src=http://www.grist.org/i/assets/infographics/green_jobs_chart.jpg&w=615)
- Where’s our major solar generating plant?
- Our solar academy?
- Our solar manufacturing plant?
- Our house retrofitting strategy?
- Our local agritourism map?
- Our reforestation plan, with twice as many jobs as biomass?
And I agree with the VDT on this:
And to the Industrial Authority and invited speakers, you are urged to not insult the intelligence of those attending. They understand what the plant will do. What they want to know is how this will affect them in terms of health issues, air quality and safety, burning sewage, the number of trucks on the highway so close to several schools, etc.More to the point, why is the VLCIA wasting its political capital (and our tax dollars) on this one polluting plant when it could be working to bring in real clean energy?The onus is on you, the Authority, to handle this in a much more professional manner than the last Sterling project.
Does the VLCIA have a plan to raise the local metro area out of the bottom 10 for wages? Or is this 20-25-job polluting plant the best the VLCIA can do?
If you can’t come to tonight’s “forum”, or even if you can, here is contact information for your elected and appointed officials, including the VLCIA board.
-jsq
VDT Elevates Biomass and Renewable Energy as Political Issues
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The VDT then featured biomass in its reporting on the AAUW Candidate Forum: Continue reading
Why is the VDT suddenly anti-biomass and pro-solar?
Continue readingA growing organization of concerned citizens are opposing the building of a biomass energy plant in Lowndes County.
Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy hope to promote clean and sustainable energies while also educating the public on how a biomass plant could be detrimental to community health.
The goal of the organization and the opposition to the plant is not to inhibit economic development but to promote a conversation on sustainable energy, Dr. Michael Noll, WACE president, said.
The new organization is not the only one in the community speaking out against the biomass plant.
VDT turns against VLCIA and its biomass plant
Biomass plant fuels questionsContinue readingby Johnna Pinholster
The Valdosta Daily TimesVALDOSTA — As the state and nation look to renewable energy solutions, locally, a proposed green energy plant is causing controversy and raising questions that remain unanswered.
The Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority and Wiregrass Power, LLC are in the beginning phases of developing property for a future biomass electric generating plant.
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Issues with lack of information