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1/25/08
Hi,
This is to let you know that the presentation about TransGas by the Coalition
of Responsible Citizens at the Scriba Town Hall yesterday attracted enough
people to fill the town hall conference room, with several people even standing
by the doors.
Here are a few highlights:
"The overall carbon dioxide production due to this project is
underestimated by two-fold, the price of the project is significantly
underestimated (sequestration is not even included in the estimates), while
jobs are significantly overestimated.
An entire weight of the Empire
State Building
(336,000 tons) in coal would be used in reactions in 17 days.
An entire weight of the Statue of Liberty (254 tons)
in carbon dioxide would be produced in Scriba alone every 14 minutes.
Over
1,100 signatures collected of those opposing the proposed plant in
Scriba."
The lecture was placed on line at www.scribaCRC.org
for those who could not attend.
Kestas Bendinskas,
Spokesperson for the CRC
Dear
Neighbor,
There is a proposal to build a coal
gasification plant at the former Alpha Cement plant in
Jamesville ,
N.Y. The
property borders Clark Reservation, the Jamesville Elementary School
and numerous residences. The project manager is Jack Loveland, the
former town engineer. Adam Victor is the applicant for Empire Synfuel.
What we
know:
• The
process will generate synthetic natural gas using a Westinghouse
Plasma Gasification Reactor. It will also produce Mercury, Sulfuric
Acid and Carbon Dioxide.
• 10,000
tons per day of Appalachian coal will be brought to the
site
in unit trains of 110 cars, six days per week through the city of Syracuse
from the west. Idling train engines will emit noxious diesel fumes.
• Six train
cars of Sulfuric acid will leave the site per day and
travel back through the city.
• 4 million
gallons of water per day will be needed to cool the heated
coal.
•
The
4 million
gallons of waste water will be sent to the metro sewage treatment plant..
• 80
vehicular trips per hour is expected to and from the site.
• The
residue from this process will be buried on site (60,000 tons per
month).
• According to
some experts, for this type of plant, there must be a flare. Key issues
are visibility and noise. They are very loud, and normally very tall,
and very visible at night.
• Included in
this project are three offsite pipelines that are needed to bring
public water to the project site, to take substitute natural gas
(SNG) to the Tennessee
pipeline and a
third to be ready for Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in the future. The
water supply will come from the South Branch Pipeline of the
Metropolitan Water Board. A connection will be made to the pipeline
south of the Seneca Turnpike Pump Station in order to supply sufficient
pressure. The pipeline will follow the crest of the hill south of Rock
Cut Road to the bridge under Route 481. After crossing under the bridge
it will run along the northern boundary of the railroad to the site.
•
What the Post Standard Article, "Investor Sees Coal Turning
Into
Cash", doesn't mention is that North Dakota
already has coal mines and the population of the entire county where
the plant is
located is only 8,644!
Here
is what we don’t know:
• The Financial Feasibility of
plan-Does it make sense to haul coal
from W. Va and Pa.
then haul by-products out? If this project were to go
“belly-up”will
this leave the town and County taxpayers to clean up the mess?
• Experimental Technology
(plasma gasification)- Since there is no
other plant in this country using this technology, will it work?
• Public Safety and Health
- is it worth the risk? Are we prepared for
evacuation in case of explosion?
• Environmental impact-
What are the emissions from this plant? Will
the CO2 (a major global warming contributor) be vented or shipped to Texas?
Are there heavy metals in the wastewater? Where is the Mercury (a
potent neurotoxin) going? Is the residue truly inert? Is there historic
data to verify this?
What
We Believe:
• This property could
be a prime site for mixed
use housing (senior citizen apartments and condos for younger families)
to enjoy the adjacent playground and park.
• Local
farmers could
sell
produce and area crafters their products at a marketplace connected to
the Town Square
by
pedestrian bridge.
• From a
global warming
perspective, coal gasification
is not a sustainable energy source. Also, the energy wasted to ship and
make the methane is negated by the emissions of the train and
trucks.
Diesel exhaust poses a major health hazard, particularly to children
and the elderly.
For
more information, the application (EmpireSynfuels) is on line www.townofdewitt.com
Or contact:
Vicki Baker, JAM-PAC 469-5347, vbaker002@twcny.rr.com
Martha Loew, Sierra Club 492-4745, mloew@twcny.rr.com.
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Upcoming Events
June 17th - 7PM
Hamlet Zoning:
On June 17, 7pm
at the Jamesville Elementary
School, the Committee reviewing special Hamlet
Zoning for Jamesville, will present its recommendation to the Community. You
are urged to attend and offer comments before the
plan is implemented. The future of our community depends on you!
Jamesville Fire District
Current Project Status
Download a Copy of the
Jamesville Fire District Proposal
HERE
The Board of Fire Commissioners for the Jamesville Fire District is
proceeding with the development of a new approach in regards to the
construction of a new facility. They have heard the voters call
for a better plan, and have committed themselves to meeting those
demands while still achieving the very real and immediate needs of the
Fire Department. The revised plan includes leaving the community center
in its current location, while proceeding with new construction on Rt
173 . In the next 2 months it is their goal to address the following:
Provide complete and accurate information regarding cost of the project
Respond to all inaccurate information regarding potential options
Facilitate Public Informational Meetings seeking voter input
React to issues perceived to be concerns of non-supportive voters including
· Cost
· Location
· Diminishing The Hamlet of Jamesville
The first public meeting is
Dec. 4 at 7pm at the Firehouse. All district voters are encouraged to attend.
TOWN
BOARD UPDATE
11/29/07
Monday’s meeting regarding the Town of DeWitt zoning update was
very well attended. Most speakers favored the proposal, including
changing the zoning at the Alpha site from industrial to Hi-tech. We
still have reservations and have asked for clarification of the
definitions of public utility and manufacturing.
The owner of the property (John Murphy) argued that the land must stay
industrial to be worth anything. He also stated that the “coal
plant was dead” and the option on the property ended in August!
(Then why is the applicant writing letters in September stating he is
proceeding?)
The
next meeting will be held on December 10, 2007, 7:30 pm where it may be
voted on by the Board. Please mark your calendars-this is not over yet.
9/6/07
As you probably
already know, the DeWitt town Board (As suggested by Ed Michalenko last
June)
has unanimously passed a 6 month moratorium on zone changes to the
Alpha site
and the two inactive quarries along 481. It is now up to us to see that
proper
planning and zoning take place. To date, there are no meetings
scheduled. We
need to urge the town to seek expert advice (with the $8,000 grant
already
received) and input from the residents to shape our community. Please
let us
know if you have expertise in this area as we urge JAM-PAC
participation in
this process.
I want to thank all
of you for your support and participation over the summer when we all
could
have been doing other things!
We did good,
but
it’s not over yet.
Vicki
Baker
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"Secret"
letter from DEC
In The News
11-1-07
Developers
plan to go ahead on Syngas Plant
Links
To Other Important Sites
Sites within Evacuation Zone
(0-4.5 mile radius of proposed
site)
Schools
Jamesville–Dewitt
SchoolsSeveral
Syracuse City Schools
Holy
Cross School Dewitt
Christian
Brothers Academy
Manlius
Pebble Hill School
ESF
Le
Moyne College
Syracuse
University
Residential
Dewitt
Jamesville
Southwood
Syracuse
Brighton
Towers
Boulder
Heights
City
Lights
Crown
Point
The
Nottingham
Knob
Hill Apartments
Iroquois
Nursing Home
Jamesville
Penitentiary
Recreational
SU
Dome
Shoppingtown
Mall
Clark
Reservation State Park
Meadowbrook
Park playground
Jamesville
Beach County Park
Tecumseh
Golf Course
The
Links Golf Course
Drumlins
Golf Course
Westcott
Park
Thornden
Park
Butternut
Creek
Major
NYS Highways
690, 481, 81
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