The Proposed Coal-Fired Power Plant in Rogers City, MI Part 9

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Death by a thousand paper cuts

Local prosecutor Rick Steiger  investigated the charge that Byron DeLong’s presence on the Planning Commission Board while simultaneously being a member of a group trying to stop the plant  found no legal reason why “having his name on the lawsuit qualified DeLong as having a legal conflict of interest.”  In rebuttal to the investigation initiated by Noffze, DeLong wrote an editorial wondering publicly why Noffze and, in his mind, Wolverine wanted to eject him from the planning commission. As I stated in Part 6 of this series, the group of people who called themselves the “Wolverine Clean Energy Support Group,” were private citizens who formed to show support for the coal plant.   The fact that DeLong equates the company with the group is unfair.  The reason for the investigation was because DeLong served on a planning commission for the plant, but was actively trying to put obstacles in it’s way.  He also discussed his interest in the state regulating CO2 so that “our air be clean.”

In the September 11, 2008 issue of the Advance the town of  Rogers City was notified that there were to be public hearings conducted by the DEQ in October.  The Advance thoroughly discusses the process for the hearings here.  Notice the sentence, “The Holland project lists a combination of coal, coke, sewage sludge, tires and wood waste.”   It seemed odd to me that all the arguing that ensued here in Rogers City over biomass lent to the worry and fear that the plant would burn tires.  But tire burning is actually being proposed in the Holland plant.

In the same issue of the Advance, Ken Bradstreet, the Director of Community and Governmental Affairs for Wolverine responded to DeLong’s letter.   Bradstreet sought to clear up some factual errors in DeLong’s letter and point out that Wolverine has been more than forthcoming and open.

In anticipation of the public hearings, Bradstreet held a meeting with about 60 community leaders in attendance to discuss what he predicted would happen in Rogers City as a result of his many years of dealing with energy and the government and environmental groups.  He pointed out in that meeting that the environmental groups use three methods of killing coal plants.  One, by raising issues designed to create fear.  Second, by creating confusion on the issues aimed at the legislature.  Finally the third tactic used is delay, knowing that citizens are usually not interested in long fights.   He also pointed out that on sulfur oxide the proposed project, compared to currently operating plants in Michigan is “about 20 times cleaner than the state average,” on nitrogen oxide, “more than five times cleaner,” and mercury, “about seven times cleaner.”  The Sierra Club is openly discussing it’s plans to kill this coal plant on their website.

Shortly thereafter, both Wolverine and representatives of the opposition attended a planning commission meeting.  Wolverine, to resolve the pet coke issue raised by DeLong in Part 8 of this series, and two men from the other side of the state,  Jim Dulzo and Tom Karas.   I’ve written in this series about Karas, but Dulzo is the head of the Michigan Land Institute. (See Part 6)

I have to take a break from the forward thrust of this story to tell the reader about how the environmentalists deceive the public.  All of the names like Michigan Land Institute, Michigan Environmental Council, and Michigan Energy Alternatives sound very official and professional, but in reality, they could have members of just two or three activists.  That is all they are–activists–most are paid by larger groups like the Sierra Club or Green Peace who take money from people all over the world.  Of course, it is difficult to get people to give you money if there is no crisis, so the people involved in these environmental “institutes” and “councils” are in a constant state of panic,  negativity and paranoia.

Anyway, back to the planning commission meeting, Dulzo and Karas tried to get the planning commission to not accept pet coke as a fuel for the plant by pointing out that pet coke is dusty, and will cause problems when “fugitive dust” floats around the area.   When I read that I laughed.  The fellows have obviously not been to Calcite.  If the problem with petroleum coke is that it is dusty, believe me, that’s not a problem.  Anyone who has ever tried to keep their car clean or in working condition after driving it to and from Calcite for any amount of time, knows a thing or two about dust.  Lime dust cakes underneath the vehicle, in the doors, everywhere.  People who work at Calcite drive beaters so they don’t ruin their family vehicles.   Dulzo said, “since burning pet coke emits five to eight percent more carbon, the savings from burning this dirtier, cheaper fuel could be cancelled out by the carbon tax that the federal government will soon impose on such emissions.”

The two men, arguing that since there was no language in the earlier permit for Wolverine to burn pet coke, that they must amend the standing permit which would require more delays finally upset the commission members.  Jerry Counterman said, “At the last meeting I made a motion that we have Wolverine make an amendment to their permit to include anything and everything that they might think of being used and the reason I make that motion is because I am tired of this nit-picking.  Every time we come to a meeting  it’s the same thing over and over again, if somebody says a toothpick then somebody says a tree.  To me this is a waste of time, and that’s why I made that motion.  Get it all on board and stop this nit-picking at every meeting, we have wasted hours and hours.”   Richard Wright said, “My comments have been used over and over again in regards to emphatically stating that this was coal only.  I need to make it very clear, what I am saying is being taken out of context, (by the opposition to the plant) I was not emphatic to only coal, I was concerned about the possibility of burning animal waste, medical waste, tires, etc.  I was absolutely against that for sure and did not mean coal only.”  Byron DeLong pushed again that Wolverine should ask for an amendment for pet coke, which raised the hackles of Julian Pilarski, another commission member.  Pilarski responded, “Are you suggesting then, that they have to ask for another permit to burn limestone?  What about the mixed limestone?  Will that be another issue?  My understanding is that we approved the coal-fired process, which included fuel oil, natural gas, limestone, pet coke and coal.  I just thought we approved that whole process.  You are saying nothing about limestone, how come you aren’t singling limestone out?  Next you will choose that to be an issue.”  The Commission took no action at that meeting.

That week a story ran in Reuters news service titled, ‘Gore urges civil disobedience to stop coal plants.’ The story says that Al Gore let it be known to all his flock that they must break laws as a sacrifice to stop coal plants who do not have a plan for carbon sequestration.  Putting aside the obvious illegality and ethics violations that a former Vice President of these United States suggest citizens disobey the law, I investigated carbon sequestration and I will report about it later in the series.

To be continued…

click here to view Part 10

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