|
Site Updates
|
Residents ban importation of sewer sludge into Imperial County. For more information: Rosie Nava-Bermudez,
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
|
OUR EDITORIAL: Jim Harvie, Niland |
|
|
|
|
Written by truth
|
|
Sunday, 31 December 2006 |
|
Voice: Progress is fine, sludge is not Thursday, December 28, 2006 10:45 AM PST Imperial Valley Residents for Health and Safety First is a growing group whose mission is to protect our air and water quality. We are not against progress fully supporting true renewable energy ventures such as solar and wind.
A project such as Liberty XX’s which pretends to be renewable energy is really an incinerator of dangerous sewage sludge with a small amount of energy produced relative to the energy consumed in the burning process. The energy produced provides political cover from incinerating material containing pathogens, carcinogens, toxins and heavy metals such as mercury and selenium. While the company claims to be able to remove a high percentage of these deadly substances, the resulting pollution is cumulative as mercury, for example, does not break down over time. Our Valley air, which already does not comply with EPA standards, will be adversely affected. Childhood diseases such as asthma will increase as air quality decreases. Imperial Valley already has the highest incidence of asthma in the nation. We cannot afford to be L.A.’s dumping ground.
Water quality will also be affected. The company proposes to discharge processed water into the Niland drain which empties into the Salton Sea. While the Farm Bureau is threatening fines to farmers who don’t reduce their discharge into the sea, this project uses vast amounts of water which will carry salt and toxins into the sea.
The company says “wait for the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) before acting.” The city councils of Calipatria and Westmorland did not wait; they passed resolutions condemning the project. We are afraid to trust a greedy county government to be objective in safeguarding our health. The company’s previous proposal in Imperial was rejected for unspecified reasons. Now, it resurfaces in the poorest part of the county, spearheaded by Supervisor Gary Wyatt. A cynic would suggest that money is an overriding concern to the county resident’s health.
Kern County has voted to stop taking Los Angeles sludge due to the horrendous odor they are experiencing. Liberty’s parent company is the importer of the sewer sludge. We would like to close with two simple questions: If it is such a great project why doesn’t L.A. County want it? Why pay to truck it all the way to Imperial Valley?
JIM HARVIE, Niland
Editor’s note: The Farm Bureau does not have the authority to fine farmers for the quality of runoff water. The state Regional Water Quality Control Board, which oversees the so-called total maximum daily load program, does.
Write Comment (0 Comments) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Articles