Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Tire plant opponents storm Capitol
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Nothing stirs a hornet's nest like a poke with a stick.
Opponents of the proposed tire burning plant in Preston, Minn., feel as though they've been poked in the eye by their elected representatives.
Specifically, their belief in a system of checks and balances, fair play and a government acting as their protector has been shaken.
"We feel we have no representation on this issue," said Nadine Wise of Citizens Against Pollution. "We have 7,000 signatures on a petition and we decided to come up and deliver them whether he (the governor) meets with us or not."
Gov. Tim Pawlenty wasn't in his office Monday to receive the petition calling for an Environmental Impact Statement for the plant that will burn 10 million tires a year within Preston's city limits. Just as he hasn't acknowledged the letters, certified letters and calls from members of CAP and Southeastern Minnesotans for Environmental Protection, Wise and others said.
They were told an aide would contact them, but he didn't. Finally, they were told "The governor will not be able to meet with you."
According to Wise, the petitioners' representative in the Legislature, Rep. Greg Davids, is the son-in-law of the project developer, and state Sen. Robert Kierlin has offered no help, saying "Let's wait and see."
About 20 of the plant opponents made the trip to the Capitol to
deliver the petition to the governor, attorney general and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The Sierra Club and Clean Water Action Group were there to offer support.
The Sierra Club's Christopher Childs said the tire burner will be the largest in the nation, and "a facility of this kind, burning 100 percent tires in a fluidized bed boiler, has never been built."
"This should be fact enough to encourage the state of Minnesota to take a hard look by requiring an Environmental Impact Statement," he said, adding that he is concerned about potential mercury and PCB pollution of the Root River and downwind area.
"The more you learn, the more you fear the outcome," said Inez Strahl who has been involved with SEMEP since it was formed to oppose the plant two years ago. She worries about pollutants affecting children and senior citizens who live within one-half mile of the plant.
"I'm also concerned about the organic farmers in the area and the tourism industry," she said, because tourism and farming have equal economic impact on the area.
Two lawsuits filed by SEMEP have put the plant construction on hold, and district court judge Joseph Wieners found flaws in the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's methodology and analysis and told them to take a closer look at the issue.
The MPCA had claimed, based on data provided by the plant developers, that no Environmental Impact Study was necessary. Now it will have to reassess its position, consider the petitions from 7,000 citizens and, if it comes, take direction from the governor's office.
Contact reporter David Krotz at dkrotz@winonadailynews.com or call (507) 453-3524.
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