PSB Hearing on Proposed North Springfield Biomass Plant (Part One - 01:20:06)
Host: Public Service Board attorney Ed McNamara
Speakers, in order of their appearance, with area of special concern:
00:08:30 - Michael Todd, member Weathersfield Planning Commission - water table, air quality
00:11:38 - Steve Sysko, Springfield - water
00:14:04 - Fred Burns, North Springfield - County Road truck traffic
00:14:52 - Jean Willard, North Springfield, former Select Board member - water & air pollution
00:21:30 - Rep. Cynthia Martin, North Springfield - visual aesthetics
00:24:52 - Julie Jones, North Springfield - County Road/Main Street truck traffic & exhaust
00:30:22 - Angela Kelly, North Springfield - air pollution & public health
00:34:02 - Cody, an 11 year old North Springfield resident - air pollution
00:34:50 - Harry Henderson, North Springfield, Town Public Works Director - water & nearby homeowner wells
00:36:14 - Margaret Kelly, North Springfield - air pollution & respiratory illness
00:41:38 - Richard Hunter, North Springfield - noise, air pollution, health, traffic
00:44:56 - Palmer Goodrich, Chester - has logging-trucking business
00:46:36 - Janet Hunter, North Springfield - toured Springfield,NH biomass plant, it employs 22 but most of them not local.
00:49:22 - Henry Kraft, North Springfield - pollution, noise, he has background in chemistry & biology
00:56:18 - Fredda Kischko, North Springfield - water
00:58:42 - Tom Bishop, North Springfield - here on a fact finding mission, both sides
01:01:02 - Christine Chapman, North Springfield - lives 300 yards from site, sure her property value will go down but bets her taxes won't; traffic and noise
01:04:12 - Bill Gibson, Rochester, VT & Springfield, MA - Spfld. MA city council changed mind about biomass after studying facts and revoked permit
01:07:08 - Randall Sussman, professor at Stoney Brook School of Medicine - Has issue with site--Biomass does not belong in small residential neighborhoods.
01:11:10 - Tom Bock, Chester's Chairman of Planning Commission - truck traffic through Chester.
01:13:20 - Nancy Weiss, North Springfield - air pollution and ash residue, dishonest
01:16:42 - Michael Weiss, North Springfield - would release 3/4 ton per week of particulate matter into the air
PSB Hearing on Proposed North Springfield Biomass Plant (Part Two - 01:22:36)
01:19:56 - Bob Kischko, North Springfield - violates air quality standards in the Town Plan
01:25:22 - Chris Plumb, Andover - in lumber business
01:28:28 - Robbo Holleran, Chester, consulting forester - benefits to forest health & loggers
01:34:08 - Kalyn Rosenberg, Montpelier, with Toxic Action Committee - pollutants, public health
Others who spoke later in the hearing:
Walter Dodd, North Springfield - pollutants, view
Jan Zona, North Springfield
Peter Porter, Perkinsville - owns woodlot
Jim Goodrich, North Springfield - inadequacies of County Road for increased truck traffic, who will pay for road improvements?
Halley Whitcomb, Springfield - pollution, increasing demand for wood chips as mulch
Tom Tralton, Chester
Andrew Pennel, Rockingham, owns business in Springfield
Mary Ann Remolador
Katie Lajoi, Charlestown, a nurse - public health
Dustine Lombard, North Springfield
Sandy Davern, North Springfield
John Sexton, North Springfield
Bob Flint, Springfield, Springfield Regional Development Corporation
Tyler Wade, Baltimore
Chris Coughlin, Springfield - what if hundreds of wells go dry, will developer pay damages?
Chris Matera, founder of Massachusetts Forest Watch, a citizen watchdog group formed to defend Massachusetts state forests against commercial exploitation. (See: Biomass Plants Are Not The Solution)
 |
| Robbo Holleran gesturin' not hollerin' |
Another New Video: North Springfield Biomass Site Visit
Video length 00:58:37
http://vimeo.com/37659799
You can catch this meeting in its entirety on SAPA TV. . If you do not receive SAPA TV you can order copies of the meeting for the price of $15. Check www.sapatv.com for weekly schedules or to order a copy.
ReplyDeleteExcellent full length coverage by SAPA TV. Caught every word spoken more clearly than actually being there.
DeleteSo this company gets to sell power into the grid for profit at the expense of drawing down the water table, lowering the property values and image of the town, fouling the air, steam plumes and also burning up the mature growth of the surrounding area. That's quite a business model.
ReplyDeleteThere is plenty of data world-wide on the effects of drawing down water tables. None of it is good. Fresh water and trees are not an infinite resource. At this point a lawsuit is about the only thing that will bring town authorities to their senses.
You may want to see a forester before you spout off. Most are in agreement that our forests are overly mature leading to less growth, blow down and leaving forests more susceptible to disease.
DeleteInstead of wasting time sueing the town which has no say so in the decision of this take your argument to the state Public Service Board they have the final say. As for the town goverment and selectboard having personal opinions of course they do and have quietly held those in check like they should in a demcratic learning process.
DeleteAgree 100% with Mark Anthony!! And Anonymous who commented should also do some research before spouting off. A lawsuit IS in fact an option here... it has been done in many towns already, and Springfield residents have already begun the process in case it comes down to this. Also, the bit about forestry may be true, but I opt to save HUMAN BEINGS before placing concern on how effective our forestry practices are.
DeleteMark A. I could not have said it better!!! The town managers/government/selectmen are willing to sell their shirt for money--throw the citizens of North Springfield (and themselves) to the dogs. What kind of people is this town government made of?--clearly they do support this Biomass Plant and for the selectmen who have decline to speak--they too are for it. Time for a new crew that are truly concerned for the citizens of this town. We could promote this town far better than we do. SOM needs to go to--they support this. How about some independent thinkers?
ReplyDeletePlease join the North Springfield Action Group! Visit them on the web at www.nosagvt.org for more information, and like the Facebook page to stay up-to-date on happenings with the proposed plant.
DeleteBob Flint is a pro Bio man who is a S.O.M. member.
ReplyDeleteHe has his hands on most of the Grant Money Sent to Springfield to help.
He keeps it with himself and his own friends in a Springfield Regional Development Corp account. Tax free and wrapped up with the town.
BUT CARYING OUT THEIR OWN AGENDS and doing things for their own goals.
Not yours
OK..lets all put 325 foot windturbines on hawk mountain, load up the industrial park with solar cells, and dam up all are rivers for hydro. Be prepared to pay all the required taxes through your residential property tax, as the town will not have any business to offset whats needed to run this town. I see everyone against the idea, but anyone have businesses lined up to fill the void.
DeleteI was thinking a nice Strip Club. It would fit in well with the Magic Mushroom.
Deletec'mon WAKE UP!!! the Magic Mushroom is a Bong Shop in a town that can't stop complaining about the HUGE DRUG PROBLEM....
DeleteThey Got It Made !!!
To bad the whackos in The Town didn't vote in a drug detective. He could have just parked in front of the Magic Mushroom ( or the new strip club ).
OK, my biggest issue with the original comment from Mark Anthony was when he said the project would lower the image of Springfield. I'd like to know what image he's talking about....is it the one with vacant run down buildings downtown or is it the run down crack houses in the residential areas? Hate to tell ya', people that move here are NOT picking Springfield because it's so beautiful and jobs are plentiful. Don't flatter yourself. Look at Springfield as it really is....a depressed little town that has seen WAAAY better times and nobody bothered to clean it up after everyone left. And by the way, SOM is the only ones doing anything about it.
DeleteThe plant will go into a residential neighborhood in North Springfield. This town isn't JUST the Main Street! There are many historical sites, beautiful homes, landmarks, hiking trails, gardens, rivers, and precious natural resources here. The only thing that a negative person will ever do for this town is complain with closed eyes and a closed mind... but refuse to step up to the plate and be part of the solution. That is what makes this town depressed!!
DeleteThen I guess you should open your mind. And to those who have homes and are concerned about this, that & the other.....YOU bought your home near an INDUSTRIAL PARK. What do you think that means?
DeleteAnyone with concerns or questions should visit the North Springfield Action Group website at www.nosagvt.org. You can also like the Facebook page to stay up-to-date on happenings with the proposed plant. Become a member if you want to help put a stop to placing this unhealthy power plant in our town!
ReplyDelete