Published: November 21, 2008 01:29 am      

Emotions run high at TCEQ public meeting

About 160 people attended a Thursday night meeting hosted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality at Dawson Auditorium on the Navarro County campus to discuss the air permit for Pin Oak Creek Energy, the larger of two proposed power plants for southern Navarro County.

Both supporters and opponents of the plants were in attendance at the meeting, and both sides presented emotional arguments for their positions.

Supporters begged TCEQ to allow the plant, and thus help the economic viability of the county, while opponents pleaded for their health and the health of their children, some of whom were even brought up to speak.

Erik Hendrickson, who is analyzing the permit request for TCEQ, said the air modeling shows negligible affects from the power plant, if it is allowed to build.

In response to the question of how clean the plant would be, based on a scale of zero to 100, with 100 being the cleanest, Hendrickson said the plant would be a 95.

“It’s going to be clean, as far as burning fossil fuels,” he said.

The state took into account all sources of pollution within 52 kilometers, or about 31 miles, in analyzing the pollution in the area, Hendrickson said.

However, because this area has no air monitors, opponents repeatedly said the science is not specific enough to the county and site.

Local officials did request air monitoring, but the state said it was expensive and unnecessary.

“All of us, no matter what their position, wanted to see some sort of testing regarding what air quality is now,” said John Jackson, district judge.

Hendrickson said the TCEQ decided to use air modeling, and the air monitors in Italy and other areas to determine the background, or ambient air quality in Navarro.

“Italy is not in my backyard,” said Susan Loftis. “Pisgah Ridge is, and that’s what I wanted monitored.”

Residents near the site said they already feel ill effects from the pollution being emitted by the coal-burning power plants south of the county. Pin Oak Creek Energy would be a gas-fired plant.

Officials from LS Power, the parent company of Pin Oak Creek Energy, were also on hand to answer questions about the proposed plant.

In response to a question about violations, Scott Weis, the project engineer, said LS Power has no pollution violations in Texas, and none pending. The company has developed 11 large-scale power projects, according to Phil Klazynski, associate project manager.

The purpose of the meeting was to accept formal comments on the permit, and 50 people signed up to speak in that portion of the meeting.

Among those making comments were members of Citizens Opposing Power Plants for Clean Air, a group led by Vicky Prater and Eddie Pevehouse that primarily consists of residents near the power plant site. The organization recently filed to incorporate, and hired a lawyer to represent them in the battle against the power plants.

Speaking in support of the plants were members of Navarro County First, led by Ronny Willis, a group consisting primarily of business people in the community.

Tempers did flare during the meeting on several occasions, when comments were slung by either side at the others, and representatives from both sides admitted the issue has divided the community.

Jesse Mills argued that the modeling could be defective, then turned his ire on the plant’s supporters.

“You politicians out here, you want this so bad you want people to die... for 30 jobs, 30 jobs,” he said.

The accusations are ugly, said Frank Martinez, one of the last speakers of the evening.

“I think the accusation that we’re willing to sell out our neighbors’ health for a few bucks is about as ugly as it gets,” Martinez said. His comment was that if clean industry is unwelcome, then Navarro County could get the reputation that no industry is welcome.

The TCEQ will continue to take comments until 5 p.m. Dec. 15. Comments may be mailed or e-mailed to the TCEQ. At the end of the comment period, the staff will compile it all, and make written responses. Anyone on the mailing list will be sent a copy, according to Bridget Bohac, who moderated the meeting.

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Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jacobs@corsicanadailysun.com