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Source: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15937133&BRD=2626&PAG=461&dept_id=536271&rfi=8
Proponents of new plant, not critics, weak on facts To the Editor: Thursday's editorial regarding the hearings on the proposed coal-to-oil refinery claims that opponents to the refinery based their concerns on few, if any facts. Ironically, it was the proponents of the refinery who were weak in the fact department. At the Jan. 10 hearing, the proponents cited the jobs that would be created. Little concern for the potential negative long-term environmental impact on Schuylkill County and surrounding areas was expressed, and no proven facts were presented upon which to base their assumed safety of the project. It's untrue that the opponents are "long on claims but short on actual scientific evidence." There is a massive amount of evidence to back the claims laid out on Schuylkill Taxpayers Opposed to Pollutions' (STOP) Web site: www.UltraDirtyFuels.com. Nearly all of that information came from company documents, state or federal agencies or the news articles from the company's own Web site. Opponents have not exaggerated air pollution claims. They've consistently said that the state air permit allows "up to" certain amounts of pollution. STOP's fact sheets show that most of the expected emissions are close to the permit limits and that most of the pollution won't be monitored in real-time, so there's no guarantee that anyone will know if the refinery is within permit limits. It's short-sighted and provincial to criticize Michael Ewall and ActionPA of Philadelphia, a volunteer organization, for their concern over the refinery. Pollution knows no political boundaries! This shouldn't be an "us" and "them" matter . Since more than $100 million in federal tax dollars will fund the project, this matter should be of concern to citizens residing outside of Schuykill County. Our federal tax money would be better spent supporting more environmentally-sound alternatives to fuel sources than the coal-to-oil refinery.
Diane Feeser |
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