The False Narrative - How Pend Oreille County and Washington State Actually Operates

The False Narrative

We are all aware that HiTest Sands, Inc., will be seeking permits and approvals for operation of a silicon smelter above the town of Newport Washington, immediately adjacent to the Idaho state border and town of Oldtown.

Pend Oreille and Bonner County residents and businesses have been encouraged by officials to simply relax their significant concerns about silicon smelting over their town, and rely upon (and trust) this process and the expertise involved. We’ve also been assured by the same deceptive County individuals that this is going to present a fair outcome for all.

It probably won’t.

The implied assumptions within their statements is that the approval process actually works as it should, and will be just, fair, honest and accurate, through a series of methodical steps, with the outcome (results) determining whether or not the silicon smelter plant can operate in Pend Oreille County.

Although “safety” is also implied by every step of the approval process, it is by no means a guarantee for residents, since nobody can predict the future, accidents can and do happen at any time. Nothing is actually guaranteed as you will see.

The approval process itself is actually flawed, because by design, it is intended to grant permission provided enough information is submitted and promises are made. This includes the design, operation, safety, disposal and measurements which are supposed to be made, during the construction, operation and maintenance of the plant. We already know that this won't happen, because this very industry is plagued with problems.

In other words, with enough effort and input on paper, the silicon smelter is coming to town, by design. By intention. By the very "process" which we are supposed to trust to actually represent us and our interests and not some foreign corporation's interest or pet State official.

And it's coming to town by the unwavering illogical support of our elected officials even before the process receives formal approvals - and all this is being done without the approval or desire of the people that live here.

This is the “False Narrative”, the story by which HiTest will proceed through the permitting process at each step, with an outcome of most likely achieving permission and approval to operate the silicon smelter in Newport. It is the narrative they fully expect already as evidenced by the amount of money, time and effort they have already expended so far (and will expend much more).

It is also the very same narrative by which local Pend Oreille County officials operate and expect, which is why they have so willingly prostituted themselves to see HiTest succeed in this endeavor. And is is the narrative that Washington State officials are also operating under and expect.

But it is not the narrative we want or expect at all. In fact, it is a false and phony narrative, a story without a happy ending for any of us. We did not write it, we did not even expect it, but they have foisted this horror story on us all. We hardly dare turn the page to discover how it all ends, but we must now, because we have absolutely no choice. They did this to us. We have to deal with this horror.

I take issue with this false narrative, the story they have promoted and desired, because it presumes much more early on then it actually should.

We all know by now that County officials have not made a single objection to HiTest and their plans. It’s as if they are actually working for HiTest now, which does indeed appear to be the case. And we also know that several Washington State officials (at least) are also working arm-in-arm with HiTest to ensure their success too. Somehow, the Washington voters were completely left out of this narrative they crafted. The voters were given no voice, no opportunity, no rights-of-rejection and no vote to determine whether or not we the people wanted this smelter. Here or anywhere else in our state.

A fair and honest democracy dictates that governments at all levels, city, county and state, operate on the basic principle that they are serving the people in accordance with their desires, needs and wishes, which for those opposed to the smelter here, did not happen. It’s also not even being allowed to happen.

So if it is not already obvious - what kind of a government are we now living under?

So far, elected officials have heard our concerns and complaints, the risks to human and environmental health, how it will affect our lives, tourism, property prices and on and on, but they have steadfastly refused to give the people of Pend Oreille County and Washington State the democratic right to vote on the smelter. They’ve already decided that our voices do not matter.

They did the same to the good people of Bonner County, Idaho, who were not even notified about the smelter on their State line either. They too rightly demand a voice on whether or not this is desired by their local residents and they have unwaveringly said what we have said - hell no.

Like us, their voices are also being ignored. This is a multi-state monstrosity that will impact both Counties and both States. And wouldn’t you know - that was also by design in their false narrative. This is an intentional act on their part, because it provides for looser environmental restrictions and prohibitions on traffic, air quality and impacts in Idaho.

And we’re supposed to just sit here and accept that too.

This is not democracy. This is dictating what will and will not be done in our counties and our towns.

We are now being increasingly reminded that we should just accept the “process” by which County and State agencies will review the project, with the unspoken but implied assumption that we have to accept those results, meekly, quietly and without protests - when we were never given any voice! We’ve even been told to protest this now (already) is “misguided” when we already know more about the actual processes involved then they seem to know.

We know why we must first protest - not only because they are still not listening, but because we are fighting for our lives here and the future of our children.

No public official has even acknowledged the health and safety concerns that have been identified and raised. They continue as ever, to ignore evidence, facts, medical data and case history of existing silicon smelting plants. By all appearances, they already have their minds made up - and this very attitude exposes their false narrative and the predetermined outcome that they are insisting upon.

What kind of influence will these politicians and officials actually have on the actual permitting process? Are we to assume that fairness, honesty, transparency and accuracy will finally be followed - when it has NOT been followed to date? Why should anyone actually trust these people at this point, or their "recommendations", or their "appointees", or their "committees" when it is now so very clear that they have betrayed their oaths of office and the public trust? 

Where is the Attorney General of Washington State on this matter and why hasn’t this come to their attention?

If you are like me, you will swiftly realize that there is a major false narrative in play here - a story by which we are supposed to be lulled asleep and meekly accept the results they clearly want.

That’s part of it - but there’s more, so please read. You, I and everyone else is also expected to play by their rules within this false narrative as dutiful good citizens. That too is the democracy that we live in, everybody is expected to play by the same rules. But what if they don’t and haven’t? What if they have already cheated as it were on those rules? Would that then negate the expectations and allowance of citizens to also re-examine the rules by which we are all bound?

This has already happened. We are uncovering more, but their Preliminary Air Quality Report shows that they are cheating on the air quality data. The County officials are also cheating by directly opposing the Kalispel Tribe Class 1 Air Quality request, a sovereign nation and which by my estimation, they have absolutely no right whatsoever to do (legality needs to be examined).

They’re doing this because the Tribe poses a real threat to their industrialization plans for this area - and so far, has been the only real threat to these horrible people.

This has been clearly document here. It is a fact.

There will be more uncovered - there always is in cases like this. We need to follow the money. We need to find out just who has sold us out and why. I found something of interest that I will quickly pass on - Secure Rural Schools funding that may be applicable (or not). The County and State officials intend to increase commercial receipt revenue significantly, part of which is allegedly supposed to fund the defunct federal SRS program.

It is highly doubtful that Washington State and County officials even realize the hornets nest they have kicked over in their stupid stumbling about and gross dereliction of duty. Angry hornets aren’t anything to mess with. They fight back.

We need to writing our own story and our own history on how this will play out. They have already rigged the game against us. But the ending to this story isn’t fact yet, and it is entirely up to us to change it.

As you think about this false narrative that they have fabricated for us all, start thinking outside of the box and how we may need to function as a political body, as independent but concerned citizens, as fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, as active citizens against this tyranny being imposed upon our community by traitors of the public trust.

We are fighting for our lives here and the life of our town and the surrounding community. If we allow HiTest to industrialize this town, it will be forever ruined and destroyed as a good, safe place to live. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE will be affected. We simply cannot let this happen, under any circumstances.

Write your own story - get involved. Stand up. Fight back. Do it now.