YORK IS GETTING A BIO DIESEL PLANT
Last night at the York Legion Hall there was a town meeting because one of the richer folks from town got the go-ahead to build a bio diesel plant and a bunch of people had questions about it.
Now at first, I thought this was going to be pretty cool. A new business promoting new jobs for people in the community and maybe even Darren could work there and then he would be home each evening. The farmers would benefit too because they use canola and crushed soy beans to make the diesel.
At the meeting though, they guy didn't give us a whole lot and seemed like he didn't want us to know a whole lot about it.
The guy is putting the plant on the east side of the hunting lodge on the south side of the rail road tracks. That's right across from my house. When people asked him where each building, the methanol tank, and the 10,000 gallon diesel tank were going to be place the guy said that he really didn't know for sure. Well, I think that's bogus because he told us he's breaking ground in May and if he is doing that in two months then he has got to have an idea where everything was going to be placed. The guy wouldn't even draw out a sketch guessing where things could be placed.
My concern was the methanol tank since it's flammable and it's heavier than air. If there was a leak and the methanol traveled through the air a simple spark, say from the trains or the red ash from someone burning, could set it off. The only thing he had to make sure of is that the tank is 15 feet from any building.....15 FEET!! And that tank is across the street from my house and my children. When I asked the guy about the safety of my family and the other families and children in town he was so sure that this this will be 100% safe he said that he wasn't concerned. When I asked him what would town procedure be if there was a fire or a spill to keep people safe he said that he wasn't concerned by it and wasn't going to worry about it. That made me a little mad because it's not IF something will happen, it's WHEN and how BAD and his plant could hurt someone. He didn't even have any safety plans in case of spills, leaks, fire.....nothing. Another thing is if he uses crushed soy beans he will have to make a place to have the soy crushed and there is an odor from crushed soy. He couldn't tell us how bad, or if, we would smell it.
The only paperwork the guy provided for us to look at during the meeting was his resume and a little pamphlet about how clean bio diesel is. Sorry, but the resume didn't prove anything for me. He said that this is still so new that there really isn't any laws he has to go by so he doesn't have to provide us with anything....he didn't even have to be at that meeting last night. He has called every office imaginable and has spoke to them, but he really wouldn't say what they told him or what he told them. He's been very quiet about the whole thing, maybe even a little misleading. He did say that he would be inspected by the EPA and a few others but he couldn't say how often he would be inspected and what the would be looking for specifically.
Now after the meeting, and how questionable the guy was on everything, I don't think I want it. I think it's all for himself not the community and he is going to do whatever it takes to get it in...even if we all oppose it.
As long as he can prove in black and white that he is going to keep the people safe and there is a safety plan I am all for it and I hope he makes millions but I don't understand why he can't do it outside of town instead of in town. I think this is going to get very interesting.
Now at first, I thought this was going to be pretty cool. A new business promoting new jobs for people in the community and maybe even Darren could work there and then he would be home each evening. The farmers would benefit too because they use canola and crushed soy beans to make the diesel.
At the meeting though, they guy didn't give us a whole lot and seemed like he didn't want us to know a whole lot about it.
The guy is putting the plant on the east side of the hunting lodge on the south side of the rail road tracks. That's right across from my house. When people asked him where each building, the methanol tank, and the 10,000 gallon diesel tank were going to be place the guy said that he really didn't know for sure. Well, I think that's bogus because he told us he's breaking ground in May and if he is doing that in two months then he has got to have an idea where everything was going to be placed. The guy wouldn't even draw out a sketch guessing where things could be placed.
My concern was the methanol tank since it's flammable and it's heavier than air. If there was a leak and the methanol traveled through the air a simple spark, say from the trains or the red ash from someone burning, could set it off. The only thing he had to make sure of is that the tank is 15 feet from any building.....15 FEET!! And that tank is across the street from my house and my children. When I asked the guy about the safety of my family and the other families and children in town he was so sure that this this will be 100% safe he said that he wasn't concerned. When I asked him what would town procedure be if there was a fire or a spill to keep people safe he said that he wasn't concerned by it and wasn't going to worry about it. That made me a little mad because it's not IF something will happen, it's WHEN and how BAD and his plant could hurt someone. He didn't even have any safety plans in case of spills, leaks, fire.....nothing. Another thing is if he uses crushed soy beans he will have to make a place to have the soy crushed and there is an odor from crushed soy. He couldn't tell us how bad, or if, we would smell it.
The only paperwork the guy provided for us to look at during the meeting was his resume and a little pamphlet about how clean bio diesel is. Sorry, but the resume didn't prove anything for me. He said that this is still so new that there really isn't any laws he has to go by so he doesn't have to provide us with anything....he didn't even have to be at that meeting last night. He has called every office imaginable and has spoke to them, but he really wouldn't say what they told him or what he told them. He's been very quiet about the whole thing, maybe even a little misleading. He did say that he would be inspected by the EPA and a few others but he couldn't say how often he would be inspected and what the would be looking for specifically.
Now after the meeting, and how questionable the guy was on everything, I don't think I want it. I think it's all for himself not the community and he is going to do whatever it takes to get it in...even if we all oppose it.
As long as he can prove in black and white that he is going to keep the people safe and there is a safety plan I am all for it and I hope he makes millions but I don't understand why he can't do it outside of town instead of in town. I think this is going to get very interesting.
posted by Janelle @ 11:16 AM
1 Comments:
At March 23, 2006 at 5:11 PM,
April said…
Sounds to me like that ass wasn't prepared to talk to the community, he didn't have his shit together, nor did he ever THINK of the questions you may ask so he could answer them honestly. He should have at least thought that the community would be concerned with emergency procedures and smell... why else would you have a meeting? You may just be the next Erin Brochovitch!?
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