Local Concerns
Since the announcement of the proposed energy center west of Goodland in July 2005, a number of events have occurred which have raised red flags in the following areas:
Rush to push items through city commission
Credibility of information from RER
The arrival of 25 year old parts
Lack of information for Goodland residents
Rush to Push Items Through City Commission
This plant was first announced to the public on July 5, 2005. On that very same day, and before many people were even aware of the proposed plant, there was already an item on the city commission agenda (a meeting to be held just hours later) to request the annexation of 90 acres west of town into the city. One week later (July 12) the county commission gave the approval to allow the land to be annexed into the city. About one week after that (July 18) the city passed an ordinance that the land be annexed.
The main question...what was the big rush? This question arises in light of the recent fact that on September 26, RER requested that the land be "de-annexed" from the city. Essentially this will undo everything done in haste two months prior. This request again was granted by the city. The developers now plan to begin construction in the county where no building codes exist. Meanwhile, they want the city to change it's "heavy industrial code" to accomodate the new plant. It could be that the existing heavy industrial code was written for a reason...not to allow such businesses to exist within city limits. Amazingly, the plan is for RER to once again go to the city and county commission and request to have the land "re-annexed".
Neither RER nor the city stopped to consider the ramifications of annexation but instead went ahead and rushed to annexation, only to find two months later that this was done in haste.
Another item causing concern involves the rush to have the city sign a ten-year power contract with RER. At the city commission meeting on July 18 (the same meeting that the first annexation was rushed through), the city was urged to sign a ten-year contract for power. Two commissioners voted no to allow time to review the contract. But apparently this request was so urgent (even though the power plant will not be in existence for over a year) it couldn't wait two weeks for the next regular meeting, so a special meeting "had to be held" three days later, where the two commissioners yielded to pressure to approve the contract.
Again, why the rush? Why, within just 16 days after the announcement of this plant, did the city feel it necessary to annex land and enter into a ten-year contract with a company, and developer, which literally came out of nowhere?
Credibility of Information From RER
At the August 1st city commission meeting, RER representatives stated they had acquired the three state/federal permits needed to begin construction of this plant: an air permit and two water permits. Yet interestingly, no one in Topeka at KDHE (Kansas Department of Health and Environment...the ones at the state level who enforce the federal EPA laws) even knew about this proposed plant. At the September 26 city commission meeting, RER representatives again stated they had acquired all three permits. When questioned how the air permit could have been issued without the required public hearing, RER backpedaled and stated "that's right, we do not have the air permit, but we have acquired the two water permits". Again, KDHE was consulted the following day, and here is an excerpt from their response via email:
From: JNash@kdhe.state.ks.us
To: CDuffy@kdhe.state.ks.us
Cc: MBowman@kdhe.state.ks.us
Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 1:33 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: Goodland Energy Center
> Clark,
>
> As of now:
> 1. No "Air" applications have even been made, let alone permits issued.
> 2. No "Waste Water" permits have even been applied for, let alone permits issued.
> 3. No "Storm Water" permits have even been applied for, let alone permits issued.
> 4. An NPDS Construction Permit has been issued. However this will only allow them to do siting, foundation, and grading work. No waste water preparation, no fresh water acquisition, no effluent treatment, no equipment construction, etc.
It is extremely troubling that not once but twice, at city commission meetings held in Goodland, statements made by RER about the acquisition of federal EPA permits have been, well, grossly inaccurate. After two such occurrences, prudence dictates that one must then take caution and question whether other information is also inaccurate.
The Arrival of 25 Year Old Parts
Another red flag involves the fact that this plant is deemed to be "state-of-the-art". Yet the parts for the ethanol portion have been obtained from Gopher State Ethanol in St Paul, MN, the plant shut down in 2004. Follow the links on this web page about the plant that was called "The Three Mile Island of the Ethanol Industry". The parts for the coal plant have been purchased from a plant in Moorhead, MN, which has been sitting dormant since 1980! To view some of these parts, click on the link entitled: "Pictures of arriving energy center parts".
Lack of Information for Goodland Residents
To date there has not been any type of public information forum where citizens can address their concerns. In most cases, years of planning take place before a power plant is built. This includes an array of public information forums where the entrepeneurs can explain exactly what type of industry is being brought to the local community, the expected benefits to the local area, as well as possible adverse impacts such as traffic, noise, pollution. No public forum has occurred thus far. In addition, none of the investors will reveal themselves. When the statement was made that this power plant was a grass roots effort by local citizens to help the local economy, one resident asked who the local investors were. The response was "please sit down and be quiet". Okay!
In Closing...
Recently, RER presented a list of impacts this plant will have on the local community. Amazingly, the construction of this coal, biodiesel and ethanol plant from old parts will have absolutely NO adverse effects on Sherman county residents. No pollution, no increased health risks, no noise or traffic problems, no coal dust from the 400 tons of coal arriving each day, no concerns for possible problems such as fire or explosion. The new plant will simply exist "in harmony" with the surrounding countryside! There will be hundreds of new jobs paying $10-12 per hour, cheap power for the city for years to come, local farmers will see higher grain prices, and the local economy will be revitalized. We sure hope all of this comes true! Unfortunately, we have already removed our rose-colored glasses.
These are just a few of the local concerns, none of which even touch on the human health and environmental aspects of the plant, including possible effects on local infrastructure such as increased highway maintenance for the 160 one-way truck loads each day.
Our goal is to increase public awareness. Hopefully those reading this web page will find the information informative.