me2 wrote on Nov 14, 2007 9:18 AM:
" I agree with "vzinternet". We have sunshine 360 out of 365 days a year. Instead of drilling here and there. Why not place solar panels? Check out Google's corporate offices, their rooftops are covered with solar panels, even their parking sheds have them; this allows hybrid drivers to plug in their cars while they work. "
Monique wrote on Nov 13, 2007 3:01 PM:
" I agree crime and hunger are very serious issues which need to be given priority. Crime and hunger are systemic problems of poverty and lack of educational opportunities. These systemic problems in a region is precisely what predatory companies look for in order to set up shop because they know that most of the time in these regions people don’t have the resources or know how to combat their pollution proposals. Moreover, they are able to use the rhetoric of “more jobs and economic opportunities” to garner support from the population in which they rely on remaining silent. So yes, hunger and crime need to be priority in political agendas because if a region was not plagued by these things the people would not live in poverty and be easily sold poop proposals and will be educated enough to know the harm and hidden agenda of these predatory companies. Therefore, these problems cannot be resolved with pollution proposals because these companies thrive off of the ignorance, desperate impoverishment, and apathy of these types of regions with systemic problems. "
myfamilytreehouse wrote on Nov 13, 2007 8:41 AM:
" The previous perspective, while understandable yet somewhat myopic, lends itself to our present day global peril. Side effects not only include deterioration of the air which our children breathe but side-effects like policies that encourage wide-spread overutilization of resources that could be better maximized for long-term sustainability. I suppose more jobs will be needed like respiratory therapists, special ed teachers, neonatologists, developmental pediatricians, and pharmaceutical peddlers, none of which are middle income careers. If we can figure our waste problem, then why has Los Angeles and others chosen to truck their trash and sewer waste about 400 miles roundtrip to the what is being called the largest (MEGA) dump in the country-Imperial County? Furthermore, that's why nuclear energy hasn't advanced thus far because no one knows what to do with the waste; ask Nevada. Maybe they can put it in the Clean Harbors dump in our Westmorland backyard, since it takes hazardous waste from all over the world already. The bottom line is NOT about progress or growth because cancer, too, is growth. It can be more simply stated, "when you can't breathe, nothing else matters; not hunger, not crime, nor that gargantuan Hummer in the driveway." "
georgerogers wrote on Nov 12, 2007 11:46 AM:
" why are people so scared of sludge? and in that case, nuclear energy? I think energy is great, dirty energies are old technologies and cleaner energies are the future but people need to focus on moving our economies forward. That's the bottom line, progress. The cleaner and safer the energy the better but they have to provide cheap powerful energy, creating more jobs is more important then waste. Waste we can figure out, we can't figure out how to stop crime and hunger. Well it would help the Valley a lot to have more middle income jobs. It's not just the plants that provide jobs it's the side effects they have on the local economy too. "
bermudezfamily wrote on Nov 12, 2007 10:15 AM:
" The EIR should be evaluating an "incinerator" not a "biomass power plant" as stated on the application. LIES, LIES, LIES is all this project is about. And if the county knowingly permits it, then it will be deceiving us also. Lie #1-There is a plant already operating in Hamilton, Ontario. WRONG! They tried to tell the Canandians that it was a "power plant" too, but the Canadians saw right through the deception and required an evaluation based on the TRUE nature of the project. There is no plant in Hamilton or California for that matter. Lie #2-It is an air filtration system for Imperial County to remove mercury from the environment LOL! It is a waste disposal operation! Lie #3 Filtration system removes 99% of the contaminants. FALSE. Research shows it removes 65% at best. Lie#4 It's safe! Oh, my bad, they've never said that! Lie#5 The tons of ash will NOT go to a Imperial County landfill. Oh, my bad again, it won't got to a "county-owned" landfill. Guess Mesquite is ok! Lie #6 Biomass=Biosolids?NOT!! Lie#7-Good stewards? Scapegoats more likely. Lie#8-Regulated by EPA? Food is regulated by FDA and people still die from contaminated food. "
banewulf wrote on Nov 12, 2007 9:49 AM:
" Staff Writer Jonathan Dale — Folks, I appreciate all of your comments, but I wanted to make something clear. This Sunday Package was NOT about supporting the sludge plant; it was about the variety of renewable energy available in the Imperial Valley. I truly am sorry if the small part of the main story which contained Larry Grogan's viewpoint on the sludge-to-energy plant made anyone think that the story was trying to gain support....I report and write with as little as bias as I can muster. If you read the rest of the package, you'll see that the overall story is on the wealth of geothermal and solar power available here in the Imperial Valley. But I had to include the sludge plant because it IS a proposed form of renewable energy. Thank you and remember to thank all veterans today! =) Jonathan "
vzinternet wrote on Nov 12, 2007 9:30 AM:
" Let's don't forget the most basic form of renewal energy that we have more than enough of here: SOLAR ENERGY. Check out this information:
http://www.sandia.gov/media/NewsRel/NR2000/solar.htm Maria Elena Nava wrote on Nov 12, 2007 9:00 AM:
" This story was put on the wrong page of the newspaper. It should have been placed under “OUR OPINION”, instead of on the front page. Had it been a real story, it would have included standards of journalism such as finding and reporting every side of a story possible, and reporting without bias, illustrating many aspects of a conflict rather than siding with one. Don’t let money and greed dictate what’s good for our county! STOP the sludge! VOTE YES ON MEASURE X! "
brawley1980 wrote on Nov 11, 2007 10:38 PM:
" So the anti-sludge people are back on their soapbox. Instead of waiting for the EIR they want to scare everyone into thinking this is a bad thing without a modicum of proof. Now one writer is against geothermal? WTH? They've linked sludge to autism, asthma, allergies and probably bad-hair days. If so, where did all the victims of these medical conditions contract them if the plant isn't even here yet? They need to look around the northend. Twelve new full-time jobs might not be much for El Centro, but it would be a blessing in the northend from what I can tell. Plus, this plant is going to be regulated by the EPA. What more safeguards are needed? What's their solution for the sludge we generate in the IV when Arizona adopts California's attitude and stops the importation of our locally-generated sludge? I submit that by placing the plant here in the IV, we're being good stewarts since by safely disposing of the end product of the food we exported to begin with. You don't recommend we stop exporting beef, lamb, fruits and vegetables, do you? If it can be disposed safely according to the EIR and EPA, then do it. "
0207 wrote on Nov 11, 2007 8:21 PM:
" I think Johnathan Dale is the IV Press' best reporter, but he fell off the boat by not presenting the dissenting view. Shame on the editor--or wanna-be editor for letting this story go to press only with quotes from the polluter cheerleaders. "
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wrote on Nov 11, 2007 2:57 PM:
" First, Grogan’s comment about land application of sewage sludge and it causing a disaster for the Valley misleads the public to believe that such practices are allowed here in the Imperial Valley. This is disingenuous and makes it seem like incineration in Imperial County is the answer. However, a county wide ordinance was passed approximately 10 years ago to stop such practices in order to protect public health and the local agricultural economy. Ironically, the same company, Liberty Energy, which would like to import tons and tons of sewage sludge from outside the county to burn in our Valley, attempted importation of sewage sludge approximately 10 years ago with the intent to land apply it to our agricultural land. However, the importation of sewage sludge from other counties was stopped because the county had passed an ordinance to not allow the practice of land application. The importation of sewage sludge from other counties once again needs to be stopped. The current county supervisors did not want to pass such an ordinance to protect public health and our local economy, so a small local grassroots group has drafted a ballot initiative which would stop the importation of sewage sludge with the intent to dispose of it in Imperial County. Registered voters in the Valley will have an opportunity to vote yes on Measure X in February to stop the sludge. Second, when did the amount of “jobs” the sludge company has promised to provide double to 250? About a year ago on Liberty Energy’s propaganda it showed that there would be approximately 120. Moreover, upon closer examination and speaking directly to the CEO of the company, Wilson Nolan, he stated that only approximately 12 would be local jobs and the rest would be out of town truck drivers. The only conclusion that I came to when seeing this spike of “promised” employment by the poop plant is now the company is factoring the amount of people they will hire on their public relation’s (propagandist) team in order to put up red signs across the valley and convince the people that sludge is good for them. Third, whenever I have questions as to why exactly a politician admittedly supports certain ideas, companies, organizations, or policies I always look at their campaign contributions. When I do, things start to make sense. In Grogan’s campaign contributions records it shows his favorable relationship with the geothermal industry. [Campaign contributions are public record and anyone can view them at the county administration building on Main St. in El Centro.] Moreover, his personal employment history with the energy industry is another indicator of his position. Grogan can’t “see no other opportunity” better than “renewable energy” in the form of geothermal and a sludge plant for the Valley. I am quickly reminded of what Upton Sinclair wrote; “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding of it.” Let’s think outside pollution sources and promote CLEAN renewable energy like wind and solar. There are two things we are blessed with in the Valley [wind and sun]. Lastly, “it doesn’t matter if you’re pro-environment or you just don’t care,” environmental health hazards will pose a real risk for everyone in the Valley. "
bermudezfamily wrote on Nov 11, 2007 9:46 AM:
" It is important to remember that sewer sludge is not recognized by the National Renewable Energy Lab as a "renewable" resource. Sludge incineration is one of those "dirty" technologies that merely separates sludge. All that ash and waste water have to go somewhere afterwards-just like the brine of the geothermal plants that get "pumped" back into the ground. Just because you don't see it afterwards doesn't mean it won't come back to haunt you. Sludge plants and others require more energy (gas and water) than they actually recover. It's just energy laundering and using govt. subsidies to earn emission credits; credits that are sold, bought, and traded. Also, making a case for burning all of California's sludge (and then some)in Imperial County is disingenuous at best. To truck in a sludge truck every 3 minutes into Niland and burn it 24 hours a day for 10 years is a public health nightmare; Furthermore, we do not apply sludge in Imperial County and other counties have adopted ordinances to do the same. Recently, Ventura County adopted an ordinance to ban the exportation of sludge. Imperial County, let's do our homework, our future depends on it. energyjustice.net "
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