WARNING!!! - Newport WA Now Being Considered As The New Location of Toxic Silicon Smelter!
Be advised that Newport, Washington is now being seriously considered as the new location for the toxic silicon smelter - exposing residents, workers, families and children to the horrifying effects of silicon smelting operations (already covered here, see previous posts).
According to the published story in the Newport Miner, Mike Manus, county commissioner for Pend Oreille County has once again, betrayed his constituents. So has HiTest, Inc., who has "been considering several sites all along". This multi-headed hydra is back!
Why? Because the same smelter proposal was REJECTED first by the citizens of Golden, B.C., and then next by the Kalispel Tribe and residents of Usk, Washington, and the latest rejection was from Addy, Washington!
That THREE STRIKES people. NOBODY wants this nasty operation polluting our environment, elevating health risks and making our homes and our work places unsafe. PLEASE take the time to read the research published right here on what a silicon smelter really is and what it is going to mean to our community, our water, especially our air and the wildlife!
Also be aware the PUD has YET to refuse the request from HiTest, Inc. to provide power for a proposed site. As you might expect, $$$ rules the day among these companies and the figures you will read about in the paper are meant to impress local residents that this might be a good thing for us.
NOT SO. Silicon smelting operations carry risks of contaminants, accidental release and toxic by-products (24/7) - VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ. Now, there is potentially ADDITIONAL risks to Newport residents because of the railroad tracks that pass right through town. These tracks will be expected to carry both raw materials and toxic chemicals (along with semi-trucks on our highways) right THROUGH our community!
This is absolutely INSANE. This is a great example of refusal to protect local residents, the environment, watershed and even the tourist activity that this area brings to our community.
Be advised that the Pend Oreille Economic Development Council is supposedly going to be "heavily involved" in helping betray the local residents. You know who they are - get INVOLVED and put a stop to this utter madness.
In recent months, the Kalispel Tribe rejected the proposed Usk location being fully aware of the potential risks and downwind exposure from a smelting operation. The reality is there is simply no safe, healthy, risk-free location anywhere in Pend Oreille county where such an operation does not pose significant long-term risks to residents, wildlife and the environment.
Support the Clean Air Act Class 1 proposal by the Kalispel Tribe.
If Pend Oreille County officials continue to stupidly insist on trying to force this abomination upon local residents, demand that the Material Safety Data Sheets revealing the toxicity, safety, transportation, and risks assessments be published to all county residents BEFORE any decisions are reached, or land is sold or leased. This should have been done ALL ALONG but hasn't.
Demand a public vote on the proposed smelter in Pend Oreille County. So far, county officials have been inept, incompetent and withholding critical information regarding the safety and risks of the proposed smelter. This is why it has FAILED already in three other locations - the general public has woken up to the deceptive practices that have been uncovered so far.
A recall of Mike Manus is overdue already. Manus has to date, failed to keep residents informed of the intentions of proposed smelter, its long-term air and water quality risks, and the safety affecting Pend Oreille county residents. It is my opinion that the bumbling incompetence exhibit a clear mismanagement of the public trust. We should also take a hard look at any funds already spent too - Greg Dorhn is being paid a exorbitant amount of money as contractor "assisting" the project.
Burn up the phone lines to the PUD - or better yet, show up in person and demand the PUD stop betraying the local residents. This isn't a cash cow for the PUD - it is a gigantic toxic BURDEN with long-lasting effects (decades) upon residents. The same applies for Pend Oreille County who is anxious to raise revenue (and spend that grant money).
But their both going about this all the wrong way - this will drive away residents, wildlife and tourists while increasing medical care costs, clogging train tracks and impacting local roads and highways. The long-term effects are quite serious.
Pend Oreille county already has multiple health hazards the public may or may not be aware of. We do not need anymore (like cancer).
Smelting operations produce pollution. Do you REALLY want this stuff hanging over your TOWN?
We need to stop this dead in its track, once and for all. It is very clear that HiTest fully intended to build the smelter here all along. Their unconscionable actions and failures to disclose their intentions, the long-term risks to residents makes it perfectly clear that this is not a company anyone can trust.
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE NEWPORT. ACT NOW. There is little time left (days). Keep our town safe! We do not need this smelting operation - ever!
Oh sure. Add it to the already high cancer rates from Hanford spill. greed is going to wipe us all out eventually.
ReplyDeleteThis is a crime that this people are trying to hurt the environment!!
ReplyDeletePUBLIC utility districts cannot legally refuse to provide the power service.
ReplyDeleteNewport, WA is a gorgeous area-it would be a crime to pollute the air, lands, rivers, stream - it's worth more to keep it pristine!
ReplyDeleteAs a resident of Bonner County in Idaho I’m not exactly excited about being down wind from the proposed smelter... and while conceptually I understand that their will be negative environmental impacts. Nothing in this article makes it clear what those impacts would be. Why not give us some facts? These seems like an unsubstantiated fearful NIMBY knee jerk reaction. I’m definitely no on board for any type of smelter up wind from me, but I want to be able to substantiate my arguments against it with facts, not emotional responses. You might want to back some of this up with some documentation. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteTake the time to actually read the blog (there is a navigation menu on the right side) - there are numerous articles published here (and elsewhere) that have listed the facts that you are seeking. It's been well documented.
ReplyDeleteThere are also embedded links in every article that also contain facts, direct quotations and evidence of what has been found that should also be read. Not every single article is going to reiterate what has already been published several times, there is no need for that.
Bonner County will be enormously affected by the this. You're downwind. Air-borne emissions will travel up the two giant smokestacks (for now, there will be 4) downwind - and we've recently learned that they will not be capturing these emissions from the stacks either.
There will also be an huge number of trucks traveling through Bonner county hauling silicon sand. The problem is far greater then traffic and road conditions - it's a silicon dust issue too that will be coming from these trucks, and from the plant. During loading and unloading, there are large amounts of air-borne dust (the same kind that causes silicosis) in the air.
Wind, rain, snow will mix the emissions from the plant, from the trucks, from the trains into our atmosphere, soil and water. The sulphur dioxide alone will create a nasty smell and effect human health, plants (trees) and wildlife. Nitrous oxide will be another emission (tons) and is also environmentally hazardous.
These are not "knee jerk reactions", these are facts that you seek - so read the rest of the published material to learn more. These smelters have nothing but complaints from residents that are impacted - all over the world.
Silicon smelting IS toxic to humans, health and the environment. That is the fact that they are dancing around and trying to cover up. They have categorically refused to address the hazardous effects that are well known. Town's that are unfortunate enough to experience one of these monstrosities are poisoned.
There is already a large exodus of people who have absorbed the facts - and are leaving the area. They totally failed to consider this when they dumped this project on this town. Economically, this is a absolute disaster for this entire region - unless you just happen to be HiTest, which stands to make a billion dollars by destroying this area.
Screw that - get educated, get mad and get busy HELPING STOP THIS UNFOLDING DISASTER.