New version of Toledo Talk

Dispute over Oregon's coking plant - "As elected officials put their stamp of approval on the construction of a coke plant in Toledo in the name of jobs, some Oregon residents said the area has enough pollution. Many residents who spoke out against the plant — which would manufacture coke - an ingredient used to make steel — took issue with what they perceive to be relaxed pollution rules. The proposed $350 million plant would provide nearly 150 jobs. It is expected to produce 1.44 million tons of coke each year."

Some comments from a community meeting:

James Manning of Oregon said, "My wife happened to die last year from an asthma attack. We already have a serious problem here. Let’s face it, once this place gets up and running, any environmental infractions or concerns will be irrelevant."

"Oregon Mayor Marge Brown was one of many elected officials offering their support of the plant. “It’s a tough decision: jobs or what might harm the environment,” Brown said, noting most people have less concern about harmful pesticides they spray into their own yards."

Yes, I've never understood why homeowners launch chemical wars on their lawngrass, but that's another topic.

Toledo City Councilman Bob McCloskey said, "There is no pride in unemployment. To see what is going on in Toledo just breaks our hearts."

Paul Urbaniak, a member of the Northwest Ohio Building and Trades Council, said, "We want this work. Why on earth would this country want to depend on Red China for our most basic needs?"

"Residents [had] until the close of the business day June 22 to write or fax their comments to the Toledo Division of Environmental Service before the OEPA decides on the permit."


June 22 Blade story:

"A state appeals court is being asked for a restraining order that would stop Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Joe Koncelik from modifying the proposed FDS Coke Plant's permit until a dual appeals process is completed. If granted, the massive project could be in limbo again."

From the Ohio Citizen Action website:

World's top steel exporting countries, first quarter 2005:

1. Japan
2. China with a 480% increase versus Q1 2004
3. Russia
4. Ukraine
5. Germany
posted by jr to health at 12:53 P.M. EST     (6 Comments)

Comments ...

If Oregon doesn't want the plant, Port Clinton and Sandusky would gladly take it off your hands. Provided it doesn't cause the property value of the condos and cottages to go down, of course.
posted by anonymouscoward at 05:03 P.M. EST on Thu Jun 23, 2005     #

I think Oregon residents are concerned about the new coking plant because of the health issues experienced by some residents in Oregon over the years from the Sunoco refinery. The latest issue of Clamor Magazine contains a story about Oregon's Sunoco titled "Sun Oil: Ohio’s Fire-Breathing Dragon". Some Oregon residents have organized to get Sun Oil to:

"... upgrade equipment and maintenance in order to reduce its frequent accidents; cut sulfur dioxide emissions and other air pollution releases to as close to zero as possible; eliminate noxious odors; and work with the communit members to address public information and emergency response issues."

According to the Clamor article, "Citizen Action helped organize 72 local families into the Eastside-Oregon Environmental Group, which began a public campaign to force Sunoco's Toledo Refinery to become a 'good neighbor.'"

More from the Clamor article:

"Ms. Wolfe became involved in the campaign after an especially bad accident at the plant last March, but has made complaint calls to the local agencies for over 20 years. The majority of the citizen odor and toxicity complaints that are called into the local air agency come from within a two-mile radius around the refinery. Who lives in this area? Not Sunoco's top management. According to census statistics available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a hefty 21.3 percent of the 38,587 people who live within two miles of the plant have incomes below the official poverty line. That number is staggeringly high -- more than twice that of the state's 10.3 percent poverty rate."


From a June 17 Blade article:

"The federal government said that it will require Sunoco to invest $285 million at its four refineries, including the one on Woodville Road in Oregon, to settle outstanding Clean Air Act violations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Justice Department said the company also will pay a $3 million civil penalty and more than $3.9 million on projects that promote environmental stewardship."

"The refinery last year was fined $475,000 by the Ohio Attorney General's office for excessive sulfur dioxide emissions dating to 1988."

Wow, such a big fine for a 17-year violation.
posted by jr at 08:14 P.M. EST on Thu Jun 23, 2005     #

I can't help but think there are some druggies out there who are packing up their rags and headin' for Oregon pronto! Course, they're probably are thinking the state of Oregon, i.e., they're confused about a great many things! ;-)

swd
posted by swd at 08:53 P.M. EST on Thu Jun 23, 2005     #

Aren't there jobs we can bring to NW Ohio that are safe, clean, and healthy? How much pollution does a computer or an office make?

We as a community need to protect our resources - our drinking water supply and our citizens - from the health risks tied to this coking plant.

If we do not protect ourselves and let this plant be built, then we will ultimately pay for it later by having to build new filtration systems to deal with lake water tainted with mercury and other heavy metals. This filtration system would have to be paid by our taxes, not the owners of the coking plant. Or we will pay for it in the medical costs of those made sick by the plant. Mercury is a neurotoxin and having it in our water and air would affect the mental faculties of our children, robbing them of the opportunity for prosperity that comes with a good education.

The people who have proposed this plant haven't been honest with us either. The other coking plant built using the same technology over in the Chicage area releases far more mercury in its pollution that they led us to believe. In short, they have done nothing to earn our trust.

We need jobs here in NW Ohio, but the costs in this case are just too high.
posted by timault at 09:08 P.M. EST on Thu Jun 23, 2005     #

I just laugh, and find it most ironic that, every damned politico (and many citizens as well) were 100% behind inposing the smoker ban, but now are also completely FOR this. "Public Health" is now out the window for a handful of jobs. And that includes the rag..er, the Blade, as they were 100% for the coke plant in an editorial. What fun it is to live in Lucas County. :D
posted by Foolkiller at 11:57 P.M. EST on Thu Jun 23, 2005     #

The last coking plant built was built 5 years ago and the technology has changed dramatically since then - you can't judge the newest plant technology against 5-year old technology...just think of how cell phones have changed in the same time frame.
posted by intrepid at 08:18 P.M. EST on Fri Jun 24, 2005     #

<< Older Marina District Neighborhood Charette    |    Carty party Newer >>

This is an old topic and is no longer allowing comments.