Resistance To The Newport Smelter

Resistance To The Newport Smelter

It is imperative that resistance to the proposed smelter hanging over the town of Newport, Washington be resisted immediately. Now is the best chance cleanse Newport and Pend Oreille County of this toxic industry before it even begins.

Failure to resist will result in this town being ruined, with thousands of lives affected for over 100 years. The smelter is expected to have a operational lifespan of 50 years which means that this will effect at a minimum 6 generations of people numbering in the tens of thousands (3 living generations now, and at least 3 more in the next 50 years).

This is not hyperbole and may well be a low estimate. Smelting operations leave long-term lasting effects on every community they’ve been operated in, lasting many decades after ceasing operations. Cleanup generally never happens either, because of its impossibilities and exorbitant costs.

If we fail to protect the lives of tens of thousands of people, it will be our fault. This is no exaggeration; smelting operations have immediate and lasting effects that will remain in the community and surrounding areas for a very long time.

It falls upon us, who are here and now to put a stop to this, just like every other generation before that has had to lay aside their daily lives and stop evil.

This November 7th – vote the smelter supporters out of office: (updated)

Shelly Short - smelter supporter
Shirley Sands - smelter supporter
Ken Smith - smelter supporter (which means no Newport mayor candidate on the November 7th ballot will protect the community).

Mike Manus - needs to go too – but he’s not up for reelection (so recall).

Go to the Pend Oreille County Courthouse and pick up a Voters Pamphlet (I found one in the DMV registration office). Most candidates have email addresses and a few offer phone numbers – inquire on their position on the smelter for Pend Oreille County. Ask about their track record on this. Tell them failure to timely respond means you will vote against them.

Many elected officials consider the public unworthy of their time, alleging they “already represent us” which is a gross misunderstanding of what we expect and need. Being elected does not mean they grasp the basic fundamentals of public office as their records show.

Newport residents and Pend Oreille / Bonner County need to be protected against toxic industries. This needs to be their Priority #1.

Their published comments, presentations and attitudes to date have heavily emphasized the alleged “jobs” to come to Newport as their claimed priority. It is extremely clear that they have already failed the public trust, not understanding or not caring about the real priority of maintaining or even improving public health and a safe livable environment here or in the surrounding areas.

The alleged “jobs” to come to Newport is a toxic smoke-screen. The information available on smelting plant construction, out-of-area contractors being used, worker complaints from other smelting operations and the toxic health effects lasting decades clearly demonstrates that jobs are the least positives experienced, heavily outweighed by the long-term regional effects to a community.

Many smelter workers hate their jobs, wages are not adequate or as-promised, they are burned or sick, and the favored management and technology / processing positions with higher pay are all given to non-locals who lack the skills and experience required.

In effect – locals get the dirty, nasty, dangerous grunt jobs because that’s exactly how they see this entire community. We’re expendable. You're expendable. And so is the town. That’s why they won’t build this smeltering plant in their own backyard in Canada, they chose our towns because they well know the toxic effects of building this noisy monstrosity where they live.

This is how they always do it too – smelters are always built where they can sell their idea to a desperate and economically depressed town.

The towns of Becancour, Quebec, Niagara Falls NY, Beverely OH, Alloy WV, Mt Meigs AL, Selma AL, Burnsville MS where other silicon smelters of this type are located, all have one thing in common - low income families. The majority are very small towns like Newport.

They are also the locations of other toxic industries - heavy industry, aluminum, magnesium and metal processing, ferroalloy, pulp and paper operations, manufacturing, steel processing and even prison operations.

Is THIS what they have planned for Newport? Turn our pristine community of recreation and tourism into industrial operations? ARE THEY NUTS?

Lay the blame on our current economic situation in Newport where it belongs - on the people who refused to fix it.

The noise, dust, traffic and congestion that will come to the region from just one smelter includes heavy trucks, trains, off-loading, and loading of waste production will have a huge impact upon our quiet community.

Every town, from Canada down the Pend Oreille river corridor will be affected. The Idaho communities of Old Town, Blanchard, Spirit Lake, Athol and even Sandpoint will also be impacted.

Emissions, dust and transportation of materials to and from the plant could literally go anywhere.

This is not an industrial community and never will be. Nobody lives in Newport or any of the surrounding towns and areas with the notion that we want to change from a safe, healthy clean environment that emphasizes recreation, tourism, fishing and hunting and outdoor activities to an industrial zone. The very notion is categorically insane.

Our community has stupendous opportunity for managed and healthy growth, but this industry is counter-productive to this goal, and once here, we will be forever effectively shackled to the plant and its lasting effects. It will also open the door for other toxic industries in this region (including Old Town).

I cannot accept that, nor can the vast majority of residents in Idaho and Washington. But our local representatives, our State representatives are not listening to us.

Therefore, we must organize multiple-resistance operations immediately.

Step 1

Vote the bums out on November 7th. So far, they’ve proven themselves to be absolutely useless and working against the well-being of the people. More names need to be added to the list – so send them to me and I will update the list.

Organize a steering committee. 5 to 7 people are recommended with a Chairperson. Additional volunteers of up to 20 or more people will be needed to perform research, notification tasks, and to attend meetings. You’re up against a billion dollar industry – so you must think big and act quickly.

Appoint a Treasurer and take up donations from around the community. A local office space would be extremely helpful for the public to pick up information and meet and greet. A point of contact (public relations), telephone number and email will be essential.

A comprehensive website needs to be developed asap (not Facebook, it far too difficult to stay effectively informed with this format). A real website with easy navigation for schedules and meetings, upcoming events, public actions, downloadable handouts and flyers and information everyone in the entire region needs to know. This site will need to be well-managed with fast communication responses (email).

There are a large number of specific issues to research, verify and publish. Recruit participants and do not forget Idaho residents – they have just as much to lose as do Washington residents.

Immediately publish public notices, full page ads in the newspaper and produce flyers, handouts, information sheets and meeting schedules. The Newport Miner is pro-smelter (pay particular attention to the articles and how they refuse to mention the palpable anger in the community and at the meetings).

Organize community meetings asap – you will need a LARGE venue and multiple meetings, in accordance with expected attendance and community size. Be ready with take-home materials and action lists, recruit participants and volunteers and take up donations. Expenditures will be significant, culminating in legal actions against local officials (who are accountable), PUD, Pend Oreille County, HiTest, Inc., and the State of Washington.

Recruit legal representation. Many groups have experience, resources and connections to fight these sorts of developments; their experience will be invaluable. The steering committee will need to prioritize action items, research, and delegation of tasks with accountability.

All this is just Step 1. Do not underestimate this fight. There is much more to come.

Multiple-resistance operations requires multiple efforts coming at the traitors in our midst from all angles. It will not be enough to engage in just one single effort. I’ve already told you this and will say it again – they will defeat you, infiltrate your efforts and undermine your ability to succeed. Act on this fact accordingly.

I’ve also made other actionable suggestions here earlier – please read.

Step 2

Once organized resistance begins, it will be much easier to obtain the essential focus on specific issues that must be dealt with. This is the job of the steering committee and legal representation. Dissemination of need-to-know facts, action items and activities. Public awareness of the smelter must be rapidly escalated and their intentions for Newport exposed.

Once that is accomplished, the committee must prioritize the means and methods of effective resistance on all fronts. Please note – meetings, public information and comments ARE NOT RESISTANCE. Do not fall for this deception! These are only the first baby steps required. They are essential, but they are not resistance.

Extremely Important!!!

It will not be enough to just share information and assume we’ve done our jobs. That would be a huge, fatal mistake. Waving our hands about or engaging on Facebook is nearly useless as an activity (except information sharing). Information must be acted on – otherwise all this “sharing” will accomplish absolutely nothing. People will need to show up and get the real work done.

Right now, they are not afraid of us. That needs to change immediately. They have underhandedly sprung this monstrosity upon the entire surrounding community with the collusion and cooperation of public and private officials. They have all forgotten that it is the people who make up this community who are in the drivers seat. So it is up to us to change the course and direction.

An alternative direction for the Newport region should not be overlooked. We do need growth and jobs – and we need responsible, caring, competent leadership that will advocate safe, healthy, reasonable growth. If we are going to yank the rug out from under this toxic industry – we should be planning for something else for the community.

It is already evident what it should be (in my opinion), capitalizing upon what this area already has to offer. There is huge potential here – without the risk of what a toxic industry presents. So, another committee should be created that will focus on these concepts and ideas for healthy development, to eventually culminate in a recommendation to public and private officials, businesses and stakeholders throughout the area. This will be a long-term effort all by itself. We MUST take an interest in what we want for our town and the surrounding communities.

In order to stay focused – and not overwhelm either effort, it will be important to delegate the responsibilities and activities expected of each effort. Anybody can contribute, but a steering committee should be tasked with enforcing the direction and efforts to be tackled.

I’m not done – but it’s very hard to get people to actually read anything, so I will end my suggestions for now here. I’ve spent the past year on this issue and unfortunately, the community remained fast asleep while they snuck this in. It’s time to get to work and save our town.