On Phantom permit baffles commission
Posted on October 3 at 9:41 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
facts101,
You're Right. Tom Chesmore attended those ethanol hearings as an elected City Council person, not as the Mayor. I guess that allows him to not remember the discussions or closed door sessions he attended? From the City of Milton Website:
Years on City Council: 2006 - 2009, Elected Mayor 2009
Term Expires: April 2011
On This Stinks
Posted on September 29 at 9:08 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Nancy,
Well, I guess I really stepped into a cow patty there! Thanks for all the clarifying links. I'll take your Yankee advice to heart and read up, I'd hate to be known on the JG illiterati boards as a nattering nabob of negativism.
My inarticulate point, was simply this: ethanol emissions contain high levels of known carcinogens. Discussions of whether the smell of these carcinogens are reminiscent of yeast, bread, etc., diminishes the danger of breathing in toxic chemicals. Or maybe that's fanatic talk?
I'm generally against any pollution, whether created by Bovines or Fat Cats. I agree with your concern over noxious lakes of agricultural sewage; perhaps we can agree that there are numerous issues that our elected officials and attentive committee members need to act on?
Anyway, I'm off for a spot of the Queen's best and a few cucumber sandwiches. Cheerio!
On This Stinks
Posted on September 28 at 8:24 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Lyke's article is a pretty watered down folksy take on a serious issue. Considering he was in the thick of the decision making process, its pretty amazing that he can be so cavalier in passing blame off. Elected city reps and committee members are there to protect and preserve the living conditions of their community. Lyke obviously didn’t take much stock in paying attention during, or after this shambles.
Why can't Lyke and JG posters realize that the people aren't complaining about the smell? They are complaining about the cancer causing VOCs that are present in the emission clouds, which often happen to stink? Ethanol is not beer, yeast, or your fifteen year old crushes strawberry shortcake shampoo. It is made of many nasty, Volatile Organic Compounds, many of which are known carcinogens. Manure, while not altogether unpleasant to those who grew up in WI, is just a smell. No one gets cancer from smelling it. But, ethanol emissions, are cancer causing. Do you see the difference?
The DNR has yet to release just what sort of monitoring they are conducting to assess the level of VOCs being released from the plant. Instead of rushing out when it smells bad (which is no indication of pollution - many VOCs aren't detectable by the nose alone).
The DNR needs to state: 1. How they are monitoring the daily air quality from the plant. 2. If UE is self-monitoring, considering their past disregard for the rule of law, real monitoring efforts need to be put into place. 3. If the UE monitoring is only being done by calculations (they just plug in their #'s for operational capacity and use a formula to estimate rather than truly measuring the actual output) real, tamper proof monitors need to be installed. 4. Community members who are concerned, should be provided with information on how they can implement citizen monitoring techniques; preferably with DNR provided air sensors. Real numbers as to the type and volume of VOCs and all pollutants need to be shared with the community.
The DNR has obviously failed in their leadership to protect Milton and Janesville residents from enforcing the Clean Air Act. Plants in Jefferson, and Monroe have also caused citizen complaints that have gone mostly unreported and not addressed by the DNR. Citizens should forward complaints to the DNR and the Regional EPA air quality officer:
800-621-8431. 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Central time (312-886-2395 for callers outside IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI)
United Ethanol, city officials, and erudite Gazette posters have dismissed the number of citizen complaints. Let your voice be heard. If you smell it; call the plant, leave the time, date, place where you smelled it. The DNR is not interested; contact the EPA directly. They've already fined and forced 12 ethanol plants in Minnesota into compliance. Let's not be 2nd fiddle to our neighbors to the West.
On Milton ethanol plant doesn’t have permit to revoke
Posted on September 28 at 1:18 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
America,
Thanks for the thoughtful response. You're thinking is nicely described, but ultimately flawed.
1. You refer to www.ethanolrfa.org as a creditable source; Sir, that organization is a registered lobby group for the Ethanol industry, with their board bios note that they all work for ethanol producers. If you give them credence, your objectivity is certainly questionable.
2. E85 as a Fad. You quote production numbers, and hint at the last bluff of the Ethanol industry to push for EPA ok for E85. Perhaps you could read a few scientific sources, that instead of dealing with the marketability, IE hope of business to profit from Ethanol, they've looked at the facts, and realized that Ethanol is a, ahem, pipe dream:
Even the right standard bearer, the Wall Street Journal noted that the biofuels trade is going bust: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12513357... And, strange that you didn't note the declining price of United Ethanol stocks; lots still available if you're interested....
3. Conditional Permits; The fair city of Milton may not have the proper permitting structure in place, but perhaps you've heard of the Clean Air Act? If UE has been breaking the law, regardless of the permit structure of the local government, they should be taken to account.
4. Nice Red Herring; comparing one industry to another failed industry - we're you trying to make a reference that UE will fail like GM due to their disregard for the environment, and their employees? If not, I surely don't get your point.
5. Chemicals; all chemicals can be deadly at a concentrated rate. You note Acetaldehyde; here's what the science says: U.S. EPA classification of acetaldehyde (EPA Group B2) as a probable human carcinogen. The U.S. EPA bases this on "adequate evidence for carcinogenicity in animals and adequate evidence in humans."
And, if you are still happy with this chemical, consider:
"Acetaldehyde, an inhibitor of mitochondrial function, has been widely used as a neurotoxin because it elicits a severe Parkinson's disease-like syndrome with elevation of the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and apoptosis"
www.sciencedirect.com
6. Yes, the poor American Lung Association. They seem to have succumbed to the Siren or Cash call of embracing ethanol. Green washing is common in the Environmental world, and now it looks like ALA is selling out to a few donors, lobbyists, or board members. No respectable non-profit would ever so blatantly step into a political issue.
On Phantom permit baffles commission
Posted on September 26 at 12:03 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
OPTION 6:
Truth in reporting of emissions. The DNR has yet to release just what sort of monitoring they are conducting to assess the level of VOCs being released from the plant. Instead of rushing out when it smells bad (which is no indication of pollution - many VOCs aren't detectable by the nose alone).
The DNR needs to state: 1. How they are monitoring the daily air quality from the plant. 2. If UE is self-monitoring, considering their past disregard for the rule of law, real monitoring efforts need to be put into place. 3. If the UE monitoring is only being done by calculations (they just plug in their #'s for operational capacity and use a formula to estimate rather than truly measuring the actual output) real, tamper proof monitors need to be installed. 4. Community members who are concerned, should be provided with information on how they can implement citizen monitoring techniques; preferably with DNR provided air sensors. Real numbers as to the type and volume of VOCs and all pollutants need to be shared with the community.
WE DON'T CARE IF IT SMELLS LIKE BEER::: JUST LET US KNOW THAT IT ISN'T CANCER CAUSING!
On Phantom permit baffles commission
Posted on September 25 at 10:50 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
OPTION 5:
Declare the WI Southern Rail line that goes through Milton unsafe for the transport of flammable materials. A recent tragedy in Freeport, IL, could easily happen in the decrepit tracks that pass by the Milton House, Milton Police Headquarters, and Milton East High School.
A derailment would equal a catastrophic explosion, within half a football field of the nerve center of Milton's Emergency Response and one of the cities largest schools.
Illinois just began enforcement against Canadian National. http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2009/...
Check out the damage that could happen to the Rock River watershed.
How long will Wisconsin & Southern find it within their insurance rates to haul this explosive freight on tracks that are failing?
On Phantom permit baffles commission
Posted on September 25 at 10:42 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
OPTION 4:
Don't buy Ethanol at the pump. If you live in Milton, go to Arndt's self serve. Outside of that, Caseys' General Stores usually also have a non ethanol choice.
On Phantom permit baffles commission
Posted on September 25 at 10:38 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Option 3:
Governor Doyle and the State Legislature are doling out millions to retrofit gas stations for E85 pumps; and awarding grants to build more ethanol plants.
Where is Kim Hixson? Why is he not attending Milton town halls and supporting his constituents?
Where is Steve Nass? Where is Debi Towns? (besides waiting to run again...) Where is Judy Robson (a prior big pusher for a WI 10% ethanol mandate!)? Where is Michael Sheridan? Where do they stand? Silently in the corner; don't let agribusiness win. Email them, and force them to state where they stand.
On Phantom permit baffles commission
Posted on September 25 at 10:25 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Option 2:
The DNR has obviously failed in their leadership to protect Milton and Janesville residents from enforcing the Clean Air Act. Plants in Jefferson, and Monroe have also caused citizen complaints that have gone mostly unreported and not addressed by the DNR. Citizens should forward complaints to the DNR and the Regional EPA air quality officer:
800-621-8431. 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Central time (312-886-2395 for callers outside IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI)
United Ethanol, city officianls, and erudite Gazette posters have dismissed the number of citizen complaints. Let your voice be heard. If you smell it; call the plant, leave the time, date, place where you smelled it. The DNR is not interested; contact the EPA directly. They've already fined and forced 12 ethanol plants in Minnesota into compliance. Let's not be 2nd fiddle to our neighbors to the West.
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On Milton's new 59 is a roundabout route
Posted on November 19 at 12:01 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hannah - excellent!
The naysayers should really calm down and broaden their horizons a bit. Roundabouts are being adopted because they've been proven to be safer; if you can relate safety measures to politics it's time to line your hat with aluminum foil. A careful reading of the article notes that this is just a small first step in a larger road project; there is no re-tearing of the current additions just continual piecing together of more, yet to be finished parts.
And Booch11 is completely misreading the Moorland report; the quote from the actual report and full link:
"Of the 44 reportable and nonreportable accidents at Rock Ridge/Moorland in a 15-month period from the end of 2007 through January 2009, only three were injury accidents, he said. That is far lower than the seven out of 13 accidents that were injury accidents at the Rock Ridge and Moorland intersection with traffic lights, Rieder said. Those 13 accidents happened over a period of seven years.
"That's quite a reduction in injury accidents," he said."
http://www.newberlinnow.com/news/5660706...
It's a brave new world people. Chill out.