Silicon Smelter Project In Newport, Washington

If you are interested in sharing a public notice / notification type of letter regarding the silicon smelter proposed for Newport, WA - here is something you may freely copy and use. Share with family, friends, newspapers, reporters, television stations - anyone who will listen.

Silicon Smelter Project In Newport, Washington

Please be informed that Newport, Washington is expecting to have the largest silicon smelter in the United States built here on the State line, bordering Newport, WA and Old Town, ID, producing  60,000 tons of metallurgical silicon, requiring millions of tons of silica sand to be transported through Idaho from Canada by heavy truck.

This will impact the Port of Entry, Bonners Ferry, Sandpoint, Laclede, Priest River and Old Town. Every town in Pend Oreille and Bonner County will be affected by the environmental footprint and air dispersion patterns.

In addition to silica sand, enormous amounts of coal will be brought in (allegedly from Kentucky) and wood chips, all burned in a sub-arc furnace process consuming enormous quantities of electricity to turn silica sand into metallurgical grade silicon.

Emissions from the plant will include carbon, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, fugitive gasses and silica dust, posing a daily hazard to every resident and child within a 350 mile radius due to wind patterns, acid rain and inversions. Noise, light, water and air pollution will be essentially non-stop. The plant is expected to last 50 years.

The tremendous impact upon hydroelectric power production and the need for huge power lines and transformer stations may even affect water levels in Pend Oreille lake, increasing river discharge and causing more then normal fluctuations.

Washington State, Pend Oreille County officials, and the Public Utility District (PUD) have supported this project against the wishes of the vast majority of informed local residents, with a great many other residents who still remain totally uniformed regarding the project, its impacts, environmental issues and the long term effects upon human health, wildlife and the local environment.

It is imperative that the residents throughout Pend Oreille, Bonner and Boundary counties be immediately informed of the intentions of the smelter owner, HiTest, Inc. of Edmonton, Canada and the selected location on the Newport / Old Town State line. The 192 acre property is immediately adjacent to the State line in Old Town, ID and only 3/4 of a mile by air from Newport (behind County dump on Highway 41). The land has already been purchased in a highly questionable deal from PUD.

Concerned residents are encouraged to lodge their protests in the strongest possible terms to their State and County representatives immediately. Governer Butch Otter (ID) was only just recently informed at last week's meeting in Sandpoint and had expressed complete surprise at the news, he had not been informed. It appears that nobody in Bonner County actually was.

We strongly oppose the industrialization of our community in the strongest possible terms, having found HiTest Inc., Pend Oreille County and Washington State officials seriously lacking in transparency, environmental stewardship and their intentions to place this hazardous activity less then 1 mile from Newport, affecting local schools, residents, businesses and tourism throughout the entire region. Nobody wants to live near a smelter, tourism will suffer and many homeowners are already promising to leave the area.

Silica is a known human carcinogen and causes silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney disease and scleroderma. There will also be environmental issues arising from acid rain, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other greenhouse gasses being released into the atmosphere.

We do not have any reason to "trust the process" or the claims of HiTest, they have virtually no experience with smelter operations and have already demonstrated a clear pattern of abusing the public trust, their shareholders and engaging in secretive negotiations with State and County officials who still refuse to fully cooperate with the public inquiry into this project.

The residents of Golden, B.C., rejected the smelter location because of environmental hazards, as did the Usk, WA Kalispel Tribe of Indians, and residents of Addy, WA.  It is now up to us in Pend Oreille and Bonner County to resist this toxic plant and all of its operations anywhere it may be proposed within the United States.

Please inform your readership as soon as possible of this existential threat - more information can be found at pendoreillehealth.blogspot.com and on Facebook - Citizens Against Newport Silica Smelter (CANSS). Local resistance committees to the project have been formed in Newport, but we need your help, so please get involved. This will affect everyone.

The Real Cost to Newport and the Surrounding Communities

The Real Cost to Newport and the Surrounding Communities
 
Those who are aware of the silicon smelter to be built in Newport are also probably aware of the claimed “jobs” benefits and the alleged “100 new homes will be built” promises from Pend Oreille County officials, State officials and HiTest Sand.

Sounds good, right? None of it is true. You should know why:

Most of the jobs will be sourced from outside of the area, including construction and plant operation. A general contractor has already been selected from outside of the region (Turner Clark), they have 6000 employees already.

The need for new housing assumes that the real estate market will require additional housing for outsiders (locals don’t need more housing, they already have places to live).

The number of people who will leave this community numbers in the hundreds already – which will place a glut of houses on the market. New housing will not be needed to home the outsiders that will come to Newport taking up the smelting jobs.

Nobody will want to move to Newport or live under the shadow of a smelting plant looming over the town. Vacancies for houses, businesses will increase as people flee this area, taking their spending, tax revenue and jobs with them.

Real estate prices will fall, convincing a buyer to buy a house within the community will become increasingly difficult. Nobody wants to live near a smelting operation or anywhere within its reach.

Pend Oreille County and the State of Washington appear to have not even considered these facts. They triumph the alleged jobs angle as the only claimed benefit for the community. Very few jobs will be given to local residents. Many of the plant operation jobs a nasty, dirty and dangerous – these will be the jobs locals may get hired for. Technical positions have already been spoken for and will go to outsiders.

The alleged jobs benefits and the housing construction are being misrepresented by HiTest, Pend Oreille County and Washington State officials. Smelter supporters have failed to think this all through.

The entire character of the town will also change because of the dust, noise, pollution and traffic this gigantic monstrosity will create. The location is only ¾ of a mile above the town by air. Two giant smokestacks will loom in the sky, notifying everyone passing through here that Newport is now focused on industrial development.

This is not what our town is known for. Recreation, tourism, small town values and atmosphere will be destroyed. Nobody will want to come to a town with belching smokestacks and pollution being dumped into the local environment.

There is considerable risk of acid rain, dust exposure and unacceptable emission levels from the smelting plant that will impact the entire surrounding region. That risk cannot be eliminated. The very presence of a smelting operation creates the risk. The towns of Old Town, Albeni Falls, Priest River, Laclede and even Sandpoint can experience emissions and dust. Blanchard and Spirit Lake are also within the wind patterns.

On the Washington side, every town north is at risk (Usk, Cusick, Metaline Falls, Ione) and the entire Pend Oreille river corridor, along with Diamond Lake and Elk. Dispersal distances can range up to hundreds of miles or even further depending upon weather.

The Newport area is well known for inversions which dramatically decrease the air quality during winter. This also now happens in summer as recent fires and heavy smoke will attest to. The smelting plant promises to increase the decline in air quality 24/7, making year-round air quality standards worse – not better.

Up to 4 of these smoke stacks are expected. HiTest already has smelting plant expansion intentions for our community.

Converting the town over to industrial processing will open the door for additional industrial capacity and processing as rails, roads, power generation and land space is cleared and improved for industry. That possibility is very real – and very scary for a pristine mountain community that was known for its recreation activities.

Metallurgical grade silicon receives additional, highly toxic processing into silicon chips for photo-voltaic panels and other technologies later on. Will Newport become the future hosting community for these other industries? What else do they have in mind for Newport?

Families will move away from Newport taking their children with them, depleting the schools with an unknown number of students and Federal funding. Nobody will want to have their children exposed to the smelter while in school or on the playing fields.

Local employees will also be considering leaving, even if they live outside of the immediate area. Pollution from the plant will be right over the town, exposing employees and workers on a daily basis.

New businesses will think more then twice about whether or not it would be a sound business decision to invest in this community and setup business here. Those that will come are what we do not want – more industry and more pollutive activities. They will try to come because the door for industrial opportunity here will be swung wide open. 

Roads will be built, modified and expanded for heavy truck traffic.  Loading and unloading of trucks and trains may require expansion of the existing railway and yards. There is limited space for these developments. Large new roads will also be built to accommodate plant traffic.

Traffic congestion promises to increase significantly, as trucks, trains and traffic increasingly clog up the roadways. This will place an enormous strain on the existing arteries and will require new construction of any bridges used and expansion and improvement of the roadways to accommodate heavy truck traffic.

Once all that is in place, the area will become even more attractive to additional industries because the infrastructure will now exist. This is the pattern exhibited in other smelting towns.

The town will change – forever. These improvements are for the most part, non-beneficial for local businesses, residents, families and local employees, which will have to endure these changes whether they like it or not.

The financial cost upon the City of Newport will be enormous, resulting in levies and tax increases expected of property owners. Property taxes are already exorbitant and will keep going up.

New Fire District resources, funding and equipment will be also required in order to provide more capacity and safety for the area. We will have to pay for that too.

Additional Sheriff office staff, funding and equipment will also be required as the community attempts to accommodate the influx of traffic and people.

While growth for our community is needed – and some of these things are also needed, we must all keep in mind that we are not going to be the primary beneficiaries of this growth – a Canadian company will be. They don’t even live here and have already found ways to avoid paying taxes here. They are not 'investing in our town' - they are investing in their profits.

The impact upon us who live here will be enormous. What few benefits that the community may actually receive are heavily outweighed by the numerous negative impacts certain to happen – and I’ve deliberately refrained from mentioning the environmental impacts again which you should read.

We must all seriously contemplate the reality of what it means to have the nations largest silicon smelting operation located right next to our town (3/4 of a mile away by air) and what it will actually mean for all of us. There are exceedingly few “positives” and a great many “negatives”.  I can't list them all and there are indeed more. But we already know enough to know that resistance to the smelter is imperative.

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.

Silicon Smelters Ranked "Bad" to "Very Bad"

The most likely processing method for silicon smelting that will be chosen by HiTest is the Submerged Arc Furnace. This technique requires reducing agents "such as low ash coal, metallurgical coke, charcoal, char and also woodchips".

Most of these additional elements, also called "reductants" will need to be brought into Newport via truck and train shipments, adding additional hazards and dust to the routes taken. No amount of "wetting" to reduce dust emissions will actually stop the dust from being blown around.

So far, nobody has admitted to exactly "how" hundreds of thousands of tons of silica sand will be transported into and out of the proposed plant. Train transportation will be used to bring this down from Canada - but then what? There are no train tracks going to the proposed location. This means it may be off-loaded into truck far closer to town then everybody realizes.

The plant property is actually just 3/4 of mile in a straight line from the edge of town. On top of a hill, where the belching smoke stacks they've promised will have a nice, easy shot over the vast majority of the population that lives here.

Silica sand will also be brought into Newport by hundreds of thousands of tons. The projected lifetime operational capacity of the plant is expected to be 50 years, which will permit in total, millions of tons of silica to be shipped and processed here.

Additional elements such as quartz, wood, limestone, electrodes, wood chips, coal and consumables are also required, and must be transported in, generating their own waste and by-products.

Extremely high level of electrical consumption are required for the smelting operation, on the order of 10 to 12MWh/t. This will be an enormous strain upon power generation and excess available capacity and will likely prohibit other potential industries and businesses from considering Newport as a location in the future.

There is also the cost for electrical grid upgrades, transmission, roads and transformer station required. Despite the bland assurances that none of these costs (millions) will affect other PUD customers, I would be very cautious about accepting these claims.

Once smelting produces silicon, it must be processed again during a crushing / grinding operation which will produce hazardous silica dust. The batching / feeding operations also produce a dust hazard.

Environmental Reductions in Si and FeSi Furnaces

http://www.academia.edu/26781221/Environmental_reductions_in_Si_and_FeSi_furnaces

The following information was obtained from this article link above.

"The main problem related to the environmental emissions for that part of the process, actually is the dust generation during the receipt, discharge and screening of reductant (low ash coal, charcoal, char and/or coke), mainly for the producers who works with charcoal which generate a high level of dust during the raw material handling. One of the biggest concern of carbon source handling are related to health and safety because the screening and receive process of reductant needs to be made under enclosure areas, generating an ATEX (Atmosphere Explosive) zones"

"In the case of Silicon Ore (SiO2) handling, the screening process is the major dust generator. A common method used in some plants is the washing of the ore during the screening process, before feeding to the furnace. The utilization of a washing system eliminates the need of utilization of a dedusting system during the SiO2 screening. In this case the fines will be dried and disposed according to the regulations and the water will be reused. For plants that do not use the washing system, the environmental emission elimination can be done via a simple dedusting collection system containing hoppers, lid fans and a bag house to collect that dust. According to the installation design, the utilization of one of two dedusting systems for the raw materials will  be defined. Modern plants design normally considers the installation of one dedusting system for the receipt and discharge system and one for the raw material handling, batching and furnace feeding system."

HiTest has claimed that their proposed processing method will be a "closed-loop system" which is inaccurate. Raw material inputs, discharges, emissions, dust generation and waste products generated are all not a part of a "closed-loop" system. They will in fact, be subjected to a great many variables, including the critical issues of capture, storage, long-term containment, public exposure and transportation.

HiTest has additionally claimed that there will be no waste production. The Submerged Arc Furnace method will produce the following waste on a 3 arc furnace:

There was no mention of ash (fly ash) in the article - but if wood chips are used, then this is 100% likely.

The MicroSilica would have to be processed and shipped from Newport by truck transport, increasing congestion on local roads and highways. HiTest has not admitted to the other gases produced - or where they will go or how they will be handled or how long they intend to store them (if at all). Those smokestacks aren't going to be empty - they're going to filled.

There is significant risk during the processing that SiO can increase tremendously.

"SiO and CO gases that, will anyway find a path to get out from the furnace (even considering the obstruction of the tapping hole). Those gases will react immediately with the outside air (due to the lower thermodynamic stability at lower temperatures) which are exothermic reaction and will surely create heat that could be harmful and increase the gas volume via the SiO2 amorphous generation and CO2 as well. Those particles are environmental emissions that can pollute the plant environmental and give rise to diffusive emissions. Based on the same study mentioned previously, those particles normally are smaller than 2.5μm, making them respirable, and a fraction of these particles is also under 100 nm (Kero, Næss, and Tranell, 2013)."

Workers and residents are at-risk from fugitive emissions and particulates being released by the plant. They're small enough be breathed in and lodged into your lungs.

Pressure increases within the arc furnace fluctuate significantly. During the tapping operation (pouring of refined silicon into casting molds) -

"The tap hole process gases will immediately, as soon as it comes out from the furnace via tap hole, reacts with the outside oxygen from the atmospheric air and the main products generated will be SiO2 (g) and CO2 (g). Those are exothermic reactions and the temperature of the surround sharply increases when the gas volume increase. This is a significant internal pollution source and must be collected somehow, via secondary dedusting systems in the Silicon and Ferrosilicon plants".

The gas velocity could be extremely high - from 10 to 100 meters per second. "Although the main gassing outlet either in Silicon and Ferrosilicon processes happens in the top of the furnace, the tap hole process gassing presents a considerable volume, which represents safety and health risk for the operations, and also environmental emissions risks."

The casting operation contains additional risks and emissions (standard casting or continous casting), elevating dust with the plant. Dedusting designs and equipment are used, but this does not eliminate all of the known hazards (nothing does). Virtually all of the gasses, emission, dust, by-products and waste would need to be 100% contained, captured and transported - accident free, 100% of the time. That's not going to happen based upon current plant design and emission violations committed by this industry (all of them).

Please note as you read this document - the term "minimize" suggest to casual readers that these pollutive elements and gases have no real effect, which is untrue. Minimize simply means to reduce their hazards, it does not mean that they are eliminated at all.

During the Milling, Crushing, Grinding, Screening and Packaging Process "the safety and healthy risks are considerably big and is mandatory to install a protection system."

Workers are at-risk, and so is the surrounding region because the protection system is not fool-proof or all-inclusive. Various dedusting systems are utilized to attempt to capture micro-fine particles and dusts. Collected particulates must be stored and fully contained (indefinitely) either through storage or transportation off-site. The public exposure to these materials continues to escalate as the handling of these materials goes on day and night.

So what's going to happen when "indefinite" becomes "we're done here" (out of business or whatever)? Does anyone honestly think that we're going to get our region cleaned up? That never happens - anywhere, without Superfund status designation (which is what you may be looking at down the road here).

Now here is the kick-you-in-the-teeth you need to know: Taking into account the "equipment, technology, process, procedure, environmental, health, safety and quality risk assessment standpoint", silicon smelting operations rank "VERY BAD" to "BAD" based on the Operational Excellence Diagnostics for Silicon and Ferrosilicon production Viridis.IQ -

So why is Newport choosing to experiment with this technology - from a company that has no experience?

I know that answer and you will not necessary like it or agree with it, but it is the answer that is most likely true. Money - in the right hands, to the right people. They sold all of you out.

We know who "they" are, I'll have more names to add to the list already started here. They're already scurrying around like the rats they are, trying to cover up their tracks and eliminate the growing anger and opposition to this monstrosity. Keep records and keep pushing - it's just getting started.

Project Overview For Newport HiTest Silicon Smelter

HiTest Inc., has released a public Project Overview for the toxic silicon smelter to be located in Newport, Washington. The project promises to be the largest silicon smelting operation in the United States.

This document proves that our local officials are lying again about this smelting plant for the Newport area, claiming it is not a "done deal" (see lead article, Silicon Smelter Dominates Town Hall). It's clear that HiTest already knows it's a "done deal" (they've already spent over $20 million), so it's time to make this incredibly more expensive for them.

The Project Overview is a carefully curated document with the intentions of providing only the alleged positive impacts of smelting operations: 

http://pocedc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/HiTestSilicon-Presentation20171003LR.pdf

It's also highly inaccurate and deceptive. Dishonest claims about CO₂ emissions are never "safe" as claimed. The only way to arrive at these fabricated numbers is to ignore the emissions caused by mining, transportation, manufacturing, installation, repair and final disposal of solar panels. It's a tactic often used to hide the real CO₂ emissions created.

Coal, charcoal, wood chips and silica sand will be brought into Newport (truck and rail) with their "promise" to keep this all safe from residents in Idaho and Washington. Historically speaking, these are all deceptions with numerous accidents, problems, dust and emissions being dumped into the atmosphere, affecting air, water, soil and health. HiTest carefully omitted dealing with the known silicosis, lung disease and dust issues.

They're also flat-out lying about the alleged strong city, county and state support. Including our bought-and-paid for legislatures and local officials, there is almost NO support for this toxic industry that promises to ruin this entire area. But if you repeat a lie often enough - people will start to believe it. Or just give up.

Newport was chosen because of our ignorant and complicit officials and the proximity to cheap hydroelectric power (which they have not included in their CO₂ emissions claims). There is no such thing as "Certified zero-carbon energy" either. All energy production, except photosynthesis, creates emissions during its lifecycle (and they've not even bothered to mention methane).

The Project Overview is nothing more then a public deception intended to deceive local residents and State officials. Governor Jay Inslee sold us out - as has many other legislatures. HiTest claims that the "Governor also has the ability to authorize all permits required to complete and operate the plant" which is a clear claim to our town and territory by this foreign corporation that seeks to make a billion dollars at the expense of local residents and the environment.

I've no doubt at all that we can all make this incredibly expensive for HiTest and the State of Washington if we but try, but we will all need to try very, very hard.

The Project Overview also reveals their incessant lies about "jobs" - which have already been promised to non-locals, take a look on Page 12:

General Contractor - Clarks Turner
Non-process Engineering - Sacre-Davey
Process Engineering - tenova
Environmental - Ramboll
Legal - Faken Martineau

These are not local businesses and will not require hardly any local employees, ever. So the plant will be built with outsiders reaping the so-called "jobs" benefits.

Catching our local and State officials in their numerous lies is too easy. But it hasn't slowed them down, so don't get distracted with this. They need to be stopped.

Page 13 reveals the location of other smaller smelters, where Newport will dwarf their production capacity (and the life long environmental hazards).

These residents should also be contacted for their opinions and experiences with smelting operations. Again, using Google Earth, street names and addresses can be obtained (and contact their local post offices for this information).

HiTest has also provided us with a list of their Executive Management for the project:

Jayson Tymko - President, Director
John Carlson - Vice President, Director
James B. May - Chief Operating Officer
Michael Wilde - Chief Financial Officer
Wayne Buck - Chief Technical Officer

Board of Directors
John Carter - FCA ICD.D Chairman
Sunir Chandaria - Director
John Turner - Director

No Americans here that I know of, but that should be checked out further.

These are the people that intend to line their pockets at our expense and our health. Everyone in Pend Oreille and Bonner County (at a minimum) is now at-risk from these people and what they intend to do here.

Washington Tax Relief For Silicon Smelters & PUD

As local resistance to the toxic silicon smelter in Newport grows, it will be important to understand the overall context of who you are fighting against. It's far bigger then many may realize.

Every resistance group is eventually infiltrated by one or more individuals who will appear to be a supporter to the groups cause. Their real agenda is to learn about the efforts, tactics, meetings, members and activities of the group, so that they can be more effectively resisted.

As resistance grows, they will work to subvert, deflect and distract any effective resistance. Very often, they will rise to position of leadership within these groups, because they will appear to be some of the most ardent supporters of the group effort. I'll explain how to handle this.

Right now, Pend Oreille County, HiTest Inc., and State officials in both Washington and Idaho are scrambling to do exactly this. The Facebook group, Citizens Against Newport Silica Smelter (CANSS) is already being watched for postings and information that will help them overcome the rising resistance to the smelter.

Facebook permits a members list for any group created. Smart counter-activists (working against the resistance group) will either have fake Facebook profiles or not be on Facebook at all. So the membership list of CANSS won't be very accurate for identifying who the infiltrators are.

CANSS could emphasize the common ground for all residents in Washington and Idaho (the smelter is not a political issue). We all want a healthy, safe place to live no matter what political affiliation or party we may support. Public flyers, downloadable information and easy-to-find meetings and schedules could be posted online and in each town.

You will need to hand-pick known people to guide each resistance group. People that are both well known and trusted. This leadership should set the agenda - targeted resistance activities. Right now, there is a ton of information gathering, which is essential, but this should not distract from resistance activities which should begin immediately.

Not everything should be posted in a public forum because you are simply informing the opposition of your knowledge, intentions, meetings and plans. Those who have experience with lawsuits and litigation can help with this.

Do not rely on just one resistance group because they will then easily defeat you. Don't even make them all public. They should not all be the same either, but coordinate lightly where possible to prevent redundancy and overlapping activities and efforts. There are many, many things to be done.

You are in a fight for your lives. You must come to understand the level of opposition that you are against which extends to the highest levels in Washington (and in DC). It's been underway for quite some time while keeping local residents in the dark.

Washington State Tax Relief Bill For Silicon Smelters and Energy Providers

Washington State has proposed new legislation to provide tax relief for silicon smelters AND incentives for energy providers.  They've been planning this for a long time.

This is all the evidence you need to understand what is really at stake here. While they've been lying to us all about "jobs", they are giving a targeted handout to HiTest. This definitely appears to be illegal - they cannot lawfully give a tax incentive to a specific company, which appears to be their intentions. This needs to be rapidly investigated and brought before the State Legislature.

Bill History - http://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1403&Year=2017


These are the names of the individuals sponsoring this bill - and the committees they represent. Pay particular attention here.

URL: leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/default.aspx

Senator Shelly Short (R) - Sponsor Bill 1403

http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/House%20Bills/1403.htm

Representative Larry Springer (R)

Committees
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Appropriations
Finance
Rules

Representative Joel Kretz (R) - the only name that represents 7th District Pend Oreille County

Committees
Rules (Asst Ranking Minority Member)
Agriculture & Natural Resources

Representative J.T. Wilcox (R)

Committees
Appropriations
Finance
Rules

Representative Brian Blake (D)

Committees
Agriculture & Natural Resources (Chair)
Business & Financial Services
Commerce & Gaming

Representative Joe Schmick (R)

Committees
Health Care & Wellness (Ranking Minority Member)
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Appropriations

Representative Dick Muri (R)

Committees
Education (Asst Ranking Minority Member)
Judiciary (Asst Ranking Minority Member)
Early Learning & Human Services

Representative Kristine Lytton (D)

Committees
Finance (Chair)
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Appropriations

Representative Jeff Morris (D)

Committees
Technology & Economic Development (Chair)
Capital Budget
Transportation

It's plain as day that they've been working against us all for well over a year, getting this lined up. Their intentions have always been to bring in a smelting operation into Washington. They've covered Finance, Natural Resources, Judiciary, Transportation, Technology and Health.

This is how "lawful" actions against the citizens get passed into law. They've carefully selected the legislatures they require to push this monstrosity onto the population of Washington and Idaho (add Jeff Connolly of Bonner County Commissioner, Idaho to this growing list of supporters).

Bill 1403 HBA - http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/1403%20HBA%20TED%2017.pdf 

Summary of Bill:

Public Utility Tax and Business and Occupation Tax Credits

A utility that provides manufactured gas, natural gas, or electricity to a silicon smelter is eligible for a PUT credit equal to the gross income from the sale of the electricity or gas to the silicon smelter multiplied by the PUT rate, provided that the contract for the sale of electricity or gas to the silicon smelter specifies that the price charged will be reduced by an amount equal to the credit. "Silicon smelter" means a manufacturing facility that processes silicainto high-purity silicon used exclusively in components of photovoltaic solar energy systems. A utility that provides manufactured gas, natural gas, or electricity to a silicon smelter is eligible for a B&O tax credit equal to the gross income from the sale of the electricity or gas to the silicon smelter multiplied by the corresponding
B&O tax rate, provided that the contract for the sale of electricity or gas to the silicon smelter specifies that the price charged will be reduced by an amount equal to the credit.

The PUT and B&O tax credits available to a utility provider of gas or electricity to a silicon smelter do not apply to amounts received from the remarketing or resale of electricity originally obtained by contract for the smelting process.

We are all going to get easily distracted trying to find ways to share information. But even information sharing and public opposition will not be enough (being angry about this does not actually accomplish anything). It is not effective for real resistance.

These people will only respond to money, to lawsuits, to constant harassment and public embarrassment. They live here too - and can be reached by any of us. All of their activities that fit these requirements need to be exposed, and then brought before the courts.

Newport, WA Selected For Toxic Smelter Location

Newport, WA Selected For Toxic Smelter Location


Bad news for local residents and the entire region - the town of Newport has been ‘selected’ by HiTest for their toxic smelting operation.

The location chosen is just barely outside the Newport city limits (behind the county dump on the state line, on Highway 41), which means residents of Old Town, Diamond Lake, Blanchard, Albeni Falls, Priest River and the Pend Oreille river corridor will all be affected.

The land that has now been purchased is a questionable deal with PUD. The towering smokestacks they plan to erect will ensure that the city of Newport and the surrounding areas, right on down the Pend Oreille river corridor, will receive a nice, healthy daily dose of toxic chemicals and air pollution.

Please review this link for Newport weather patterns. The local inversion (air quality) in Newport is well known, especially in winter. With little to no real wind during critical winter months, the smelter promises to make the air quality much worse.

https://weatherspark.com/y/2028/Average-Weather-in-Newport-Washington-United-States-Year-Round

Wind patterns traditionally move north - right over the town from the smelter location, promising to blanket the town, schools and businesses here. For those of you that live here, this should be of serious concern.

The Newport area gets a lot of inversions where the air just sits and the air quality rapidly declines from local pollution and wood smoke. These inversions can least for weeks - and will be greatly worsened by having belching smoke stacks nearby.

Now for the good news… Well, I don’t have any. Betrayals at the county and state level continue. Several officials still mistakenly believe that promised "jobs" rule out the long-term health and the safety of local residents. I suggest that these idiots move next to the proposed smelter where they can then smell the Canadian profits they've enabled. There’s bound to be a lot of available homes to choose from as local residents flee the area.

More bad news - the chosen location in Newport will disrupt a lot of families in the region as members decide to move away from pollution. This included residents in Idaho since the smelter is directly positioned on the state line (right behind the dump on Highway 41). They could not have positioned this any closer to Idaho or the city of Newport.

The new growth in Old Town which we all welcomed will be affected as new businesses considering the area will need to think twice about setting up in Old Town.

The long term plans for local residents who already chose to live their lives here, raising their families here and working here, primarily because this was a safe, healthy and quiet place to live, is now in question. This has now all been tossed aside by HiTest which has not exhibited even the slightest sincere concern for the health and well-being of local residents. This is why their own countrymen in Golden, British Columbia rejected the proposed smelter there by this same company - they immediately recognized the threat to their livelihood, safety and environmental quality.

Families throughout this area will be broken up as parents or children now choose to move away from the area, finding the long-term health risks unacceptable. You can thank your current crop of local officials for ruining a good place to live and destroying the future for hundreds of families and neighbors you know for decades to come.

There are some public officials who mistakenly believe that smelting can be done safely. They’re wrong as records worldwide have shown, there are always significant problems with any kind of smelting operation (already published here on this blog). There are always negative health effects that may take years to appear, but appear they do.

They have done scant research into the issue and appear to believe only what they’ve been told. However, there is a great deal of public information readily available regarding the health hazards of smelting operations that cannot be ignored. So rather then acknowledge these facts, they are trying to get the public to focus on the promise of jobs. This is a red herring all by itself. The few jobs they will offer will not go to local residents for the most part (many are already spoken for by outsiders) and no job is worth long-term health effects anyway.

Why they are ignoring this is for you to decide. Several local officials in Newport are clearly already in the pockets of HiTest (Mike Manus, Shirley Sands and probably others). Greg Dorhn has made his allegiance, position and incompetence clear. His water estimates were so far off the mark as to defy common sense. Yet Pend Oreille County continues to use him as Project Manager (he should be fired).

Every “suggestion” he makes should be viewed with reasonable suspicion. It is his job to guide this proposed project through to completion - so he has a vested financial interest in a successful outcome and will make the recommendations for this to happen (he's been overpaid to ensure this happens).

This means that there are already people being selected within the agencies he’s now recommending to go forward on this project. There is also the “executive committee” which contains no members of the public and only one of the unnamed people in this group is worth my respect (Kalispel Tribe) at this time. The Tribe has already rejected the proposed smelter location in Usk, recognizing the real threat that it represents to their members and to the region. I’ll reserve my judgement on the rest of the people on this committee whom I do not know.

The State legislature seeks growth, development, industry and tax revenue as their primary objectives. They do not understand that the public health and safety of local resident is far more important, and should be the first priority above all else, or that the costs associated with long-term health effects and environmental cleanup must be factored in.

Most of these industries miserably fail to protect the public as their records show and even worse, refuse to mitigate or clean up the numerous and long term problems they create. Their track record is well-known for these issues and problems. Newport does not need to experiment with this to find out the horrible truth years later.

The corporations that are seeking profits over the public good have far more money, time and resources then the average citizen does. They’ve also got armies of lawyers at their disposal. Keep all this in mind as you consider how you are going to resist this.

Everyone needs to understand that you are in a fight for your very lives and your homes and for your children. This is no laughing matter and if you ignore this simple fact, you will come to deeply regret your apathy and indifference and even perhaps your own ignorance about what is at stake here. This is not about jobs, which they have constantly misrepresented as they have everything else. Very few local people will be employed. Wages will be significantly lower then promised. You only need to look for the promises made by others in this same industry - and what really happened for your proof.

HiTest has not been forthcoming about their plans. They’ve utilized a series of deflections (a tactic to distract people from what they are really doing). They’ve known for at least 8 months that Newport was their intended destination while lying to the public all along. They’ve also claimed that they do not know what type of processing technology they will use, and yet they already do. They’ve refused to address the safety, dust, chemical and waste issues by simply issuing blanket denials.

These are known tactics to promote a toxic industry upon a unsuspecting and naive populace - but honestly ask yourselves this question, how can a company that intends to ‘invest’ $300 million dollars NOT know these answers already? Either they are grossly incompetent or they are lying. What we do know is that they have no experience with these kinds of operations and they are in effect, asking us to simply trust them. That's beyond ridiculous at this stage, and it's dangerous for the town and surrounding areas.

The truth is, they do not want to have to answer the questions that are now coming up, because if the public knew the whole truth and what this means for residents, visitors and tourism, there would be widespread outrage, so they are carefully trying to defuse the situation bit by bit.

Therefore, they will delay, defuse, distract and deny for as long as possible to gain as much of a foothold over the town as they can. Which is exactly what they’ve done to date. They’ve now purchased the land right above the town of Newport, with proposed smokestacks that will dump their toxins right over the town. It's been reported that there will be at least 4 of these towering monstrosities to be developed, belching their fumes into the atmosphere.

The land purchase was underhanded from the beginning. The Public Utility District (PUD) was more then just complicit with this deal, they made it happen and are guilty themselves of breaking the public trust. It appears that the land was not made available to the public, which makes the sale of the property illegal. If this is indeed true, this needs to be challenged in the courts as soon as possible.

Law makers and local public officials seek tax revenues and growth and are only looking at this industry as a financial windfall for the town (and their revenue streams). They are failing to consider the long-term health effects and how this will ruin other revenue incomes such as tourism and the health and safety of the local residents, some or many who will simply move away now. Short-term profits are not worth long term effects and hazards.

Many local residents have stated that they will simply move away. There will be glut of homes put up for sale and local jobs being  abandoned. Outsiders will eventually move in. But the town will forever change with this toxic industry looming overhead day and night. Newport is already almost a ghost town with many shuttered and failed businesses. Does anyone honestly think this will improve with a gigantic hazardous industry right next to the town?

It’s quite appalling that HiTest and local officials have already agreed to go ahead with this proposed smelter. The meetings, discussions and public opportunities to voice your concerns are nothing more then a smoke screen. This is how it is always done - go through the motions and appearances of appeasing the public, and pretend to listen to their concerns, but don’t answer or respond to anything with specific or facts while the process continues towards completion. This is how it is always done - and why these toxic industries have succeeded in so many places. Don't be naive - you are in a fight for your very lives.

This is also the time for the people of Newport to put a stop to this. You need to list the supporters who are behind this and publish their home addresses and expose them. These people are the ones who have enabled HiTest to proceed this far. They cannot do it without them (or their replacements).

It is imperative that you understand the real context of what is happening here: What they have proposed is no different then a criminal entering your home and pouring poisons down your throat and that of your family while you helplessly watch their criminal actions. They’ll tell you it is  harmless and won't kill you right away, but there is already ample evidence that it is harmful, many of these chemicals emitted are carcinogenic and will build up in your body and in the environment, taking years to show their effects. Their actions are criminal, placing the public at-risk.

Do you really want your children to grow up in a town with a smokestack belching poisons over their heads, 24/7? Every day, while at home and in school? Is this the kind of air you wish to breath as you work in town and make your shopping trips at local businesses? Is this the kind of town you chose to live in? Perhaps you live far enough away to think that you will not be affected, but you'd be mistaken. The entire local environment is at-risk now (air, soil, water). Tourism will greatly suffer too, impacting critically needed revenue for local businesses.

I will simply move away, as will many others. The local environment will be forever changed and I don’t want to stay and watch it be ruined by outsiders or be poisoned by their industry. The flight of homeowners and their jobs from this area will have a large impact upon the local economy. Our representatives have utterly failed to consider this.

The proposed trip to Mississippi to ‘investigate’ the silicon smelter plant there is a red herring (waste of time, distraction). It will cost a small fortune from the county budget, no members of the public are being invited, and those that have been selected fully intend to return with a positive recommendation (that's why they were hand-picked). This is a boondoggle of the worst kind, a fabrication of pretense of ‘due diligence’, coming from the same people that are behind this project. Don't fall for this scam.

Some Suggestions On What Can Be Done

A) Using Google Earth and Google Maps, track down the names and addresses of all the residents in the area at the Burnsville, Mississipi smelter, outwards to several miles (7 miles would be my recommendation).

Draft a form letter explaining what is happening here, requesting their response, inquiring about the impacts upon their lives, their health, noise, dust and air pollution. Ask them if they were to do it all over again, what would their decision be. You will need to know if they are employed by the smelter.

I would recommend notarized responses so that our corrupt local officials cannot simply dismiss their replies out of hand (which is how they treat this blog and the research presented here). You will need to contact several hundred people at a minimum. This method will be far more accurate and cost effective then traveling to Mississippi, and they won’t have a total stranger standing on their porch asking intrusive questions, not knowing if they can really trust you.

B) There is also a smelter in Moses Lake, much closer. These residents can also be directly contacted or even visited for their input and experience. See - http://pendoreillehealth.blogspot.com/2016/09/smelting-operations-and-air-pollution.html

C) Develop a working budget to fund your resistance strategies. Set this up now with a Treasurer and bank account with full transparency and accounting. Canvas for donations, support and participation. I'll contribute once this is setup. Everybody should that really wants to save this town from a toxic industry.

D) Roughly 98% - 99% of the entire Newport / Old Town / Priest River area has no idea that this toxic industry is coming to town. This is a huge problem and must be addressed immediately. Many residents do not bother with the local paper, the Newport Miner, nor online website or Facebook. Direct mail notice may be the most direct, fastest and accurate way to make the public aware. You should be able to obtain a list of address from the local post office. You can also simply go door to door and hand out notices. Provide supporters with extra copies so they can share with families, neighbors and friends.

E) Establish a public list of residents who promise to move away from the area. This may be very effective way to persuade local and State officials that we are not happy with their decisions to pollute our town. Put me down on the top of the list (and my children who have homes of their own here, so 4 families total). We will all move away, taking our tax revenue with us.

F) Hire lawyers to support your cause. The proposed smelter needs to be immediately tied up on the courts on every issue possible. Ideally, there would be local legal help that will assist pro-bono. Contact them as soon as possible. Some will be sympathetic to the future of this town and may be willing to help.

G) Research State and Federal air quality guidelines, EPA regulations and requirements, Material Safety Data Sheets and silicon smelting operations and processes. There are two primary types of silicon smelting, both with toxic chemical compounds and byproducts, waste levels and associated hazards. HiTest may not want the public to know yet what method they intend to choose, so you will need to be prepared for either choice.

H) Research the possibility of extending the proposed Clean Air Act Class 1 Air Quality guidelines sought by the Kalispel Tribe over the entire town and surrounding areas of Newport. Representatives from the Tribe will be the most knowledgeable about the process and application procedures.

Things to Be Aware Of

Letter writing to the governor or whoever is not going to accomplish much. The reality is this - every resistance campaign always starts off doing all the things that do not work. That is because of the lack of experience, insight and abilities. If you do what others have always done - you will probably fail like they did.

Many protesters mistakenly believe that there is no criminal wrongdoing possible in public officials and believe they are always going to look out for the public interest. They couldn’t be more wrong about this point.

Money is always the driving force behind any industry or politician. Career advancement and promotion follows close behind. County officials are just as beholden to money as anyone (it’s why they pass numerous ordinances, it’s a revenue stream for them). The assumption that they are there to “serve the public” isn’t true. It’s a job to them, just like everybody else. Their job is to almost always to promote growth and increase revenue.

Do not assume that they know more then you about any given subject, they probably don’t. They’re focused on entirely different things and do not know how to research environmental issues and effects. They're also subject to believing whatever they are told by those who represent industry and business because these are the people that are in touch with them the most.

Public officials rarely understand how the private citizens really feel about an issue and tend to dismiss their complaints too easily. That's because you're not making enough noise - or refusing to comply enough. You do not have their attention.

They also have a short-term focus when it comes to hazards such as a smelting operations. Some of these people are subjected to public voting - they’re out of a job if they do not get re-elected. So they seek short-term windfalls and success stories that they can promote so that they will be voted back into office during the next election.

This is exactly the opposite of what the people that live, work and retire here need. We're not seeking re-election, or concerned about increasing County and State revenue streams (we pay enough in taxes already). We want something very different then they do - a healthy, safe environment. A healthy town. Clean air. Clean water. A safe place to raise our children. Jobs that actually work for us all - and not against us all. Nobody is going to escape its effects.

The smelter will disrupt all of these things, but to those that support it, money is driving their support. Both the State of Washington and Pend Oreille County seek more revenue streams (taxes, permits, fees, licensing) along with the so-called “job creation” which repeats the whole income stream all over again for the State and County (workers pay taxes). They are primarily money oriented and will decide things accordingly, almost always landing on the side of making more money. If you do not believe this - ask them to waive their fees the next time you are required to pay them!

Newport has traditionally had a very inept, backwards thinking city council and mayor (who is up for reelection, so vote accordingly). Refusal to update the town, bring in more tourism and safer job creation has hurt Newport with hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue and opportunity for the town in the past decade alone (look what Old Town has just done). There is huge potential here that has been long ignored because there are specific vested interests that have prevented Newport from growing and updating. Get rid of these people.

Many of these people are now ready for retirement and quite frankly, appear to be ready to cash in and sell out their town. The problem lies with the current crop of officials, including the current mayor, Shirley Sands. A number of respectable businesses have tried to come into Newport and were refused because of the protectionist attitudes held by these public and private people. HiTest has now managed to “grease the skids” with some of these same individuals.

Don’t expect their assistance or support. As far as I am concerned, they've sold us all out. The only people that really care about this area are the people who live and work here, raising their families and holding their jobs and creating their businesses. We are the future here and always have been. But if these people are allowed to have their way - they will ruin this town for thousands of us.

So vote accordingly. Toss these idiots out on their ear that are up for reelection. It's not a solution - but it's a start.