If readers have contributions or comments, they can be submitted. Comments now appear on the right column, clicking on commentator name will take you directly to the comment. Comments cannot be edited with Blogger, which is why some past comments with bad links never appeared, I can't fix them.
I did not expect this blog to be so popular, but the silicon smelter is a hot topic for this region.
thank you for helping inform us ! what will you do next ?
ReplyDeleteThere are several lines of investigation taking place right now. I can't say more at this time.
DeleteBut I also do not want residents to get their hopes up. Do not assume that because a few people are working on this issue that it will be resolved in our favor. Public disapproval does not matter to them.
The county is lying about there source of water, you should investigate this. I don't believe anything hitest is saying, they act like a bunch of crooks to me. If this built my wife and i are leaving!
ReplyDeleteWe know. The City received a $750,000 grant for wastewater improvement, allegedly "for the city", but I do not trust Newport officials at all, certainly not any of those who have been working for HiTest.
DeleteThe Little Spokane River recharge area is immediately adjacent to the smelter site, as close as 100 yards according to some information received. The site is unsuitable for this reason.
The City is either going to provide water with additional wells or possibly annex in the site into the city limits - not sure which. There has also been discussion of using the Pend Oreille River as a water source.
Right now, the City is making moves to start increasing fees - see the latest as reported in the paper - https://issuu.com/thenewportminer/docs/112217newportminer
The amount of water that the plant will use will be far higher then they are claiming. More of the lies being issued.
Been really enjoying your illuminating blog on this topic after I was made aware of this project a month ago!
ReplyDeleteI believe the public also needs to direct some attention to what's going on with the Idaho side of the equation. We have several county commissioners across the state line who seem to be vehement supporters of the smelter project - which begs the question: what's in it for them? What is Idaho getting out of this deal? Idaho is going be getting a lot of the brunt of this thing's pollution (and road traffic in particular).
The only thing I can surmise is the obvious: money. But perhaps there are some other deals in the making that we are as yet unaware of.
Thank you. I've been trying to garner attention to this for nearly 17 months. There was very little interest until recently.
DeleteThe Idaho Commissioners are puzzling - and to put it plainly, stupid. Idaho gains very, very little but stands to lose the most in terms of commercial receipts, pollution, and impacts (health, roads, population, and city growth).
There is a ridiculous amount of denial and collusion going on with some Idaho officials.
We are in the process of purchasing a home in Old Town, ID now. I just stumbled across this information and am absolutely devastated! All the reasons we want to move to Northern Idaho will be destroyed by this! Is there any hope of stopping this smelter project?
DeleteLorraine - There is a chance at stopping this. Numerous legal violations have occurred and this SHOULD be sufficient grounds to get the Commissioners at the County and PUD removed and the land returned.
DeleteHowever, it is by no means certain. Not enough people are involved, and there is corruption all the way to the State level on this project (and in both States, apparently).
They are trying very hard to get us to ignore what has transpired and change the narrative away from the facts, so consistently now that you have to ask yourself what is going on. Get involved and participate wherever you can.
Fuck these assholes. Not going to be polite to them anymore. County bent over backwards and prostitute themselves to these people! Not there town its OURS!
ReplyDeletePoliteness has not worked. It is a ploy to pretend they are listening to us and are considering our input. They're not. They do not intend to. The permit approval process is designed to approve. Public input is a sham and does not affect the outcome.
DeleteSo what are we supposed to do? None of my friends or family support the smelter. We are all talking about moving away, but where? We feel so helpless! They didn't even ask us if we wanted this! I cna't sleep, all I think about is what is happening here.
DeleteI disagree. They will listen. Being angry doesn't help them to listen. We will be allowed to comment at the next meeting they scheduled.
DeleteYou have to consider what has been allowed, acknowledged and included so far, to understand how the public is being shut out, and will continue to be shut out, despite "appearances".
DeleteCommissioners have repeatedly claimed "no knowledge" of what HiTest was up to - while working behind our backs, selling them land. They've also claimed that we would be allowed commentary - and then they refuse to hear it at meetings. But even this isn't the whole story that needs to be told.
Early on, they deliberately chose to eliminate public involvement. This is a violation of State and County law. The proof is recorded in the Environmental Grant Amendment, where Task 1 was eliminated (public involvement). So they have deliberately violated the law.
But it gets worse. The Department of Commerce approved the Amendment. This has been the pattern from day 1 with this project. Collusion and crimes. Shut out the public. Ignore the comments. Ignore the rising anger.
There is nothing "democratic" happening here (or legal, as far as I can tell). They did not ask us for our input, or our vote. But they forced this situation upon the whole town and worse, deliberately hid their actions from the public. Those are crimes.
We have a right to be informed, and to be angry about what has transpired. The dog-and-pony show that is scheduled to take place will be a late attempt to appease the public's anger. I doubt it will work.
Something else of critical importance - virtually NONE of the decisions being reached are being done because of public input or participation. They're not even being made during any public meeting, they're all being made off the books, in private, secret meetings where no minutes are being recorded, where no public is present. The evidence is found in the public record, where motions are made and improved and the "discussions" are all scripted beforehand.
There has been no discussion. There has been no debate. The decisions were already made in private.
If you think they will "listen" that is your right to your opinion, but the facts speak otherwise.
For the record, this is how toxic industries get built. There are approved processes, procedures, methods, regulations and restrictions that govern every form of industry. They are supposed to regulate industry and ensure that the public is both protected, informed and participative. But those industries still get built, even when most of the town's residents say no.
The reason this happens (and it has happened thousands of times) is because the process is designed to permit (grant approvals) despite any and all public "involvement". Most comments, facts, points, violations and laws broken go ignored by officials. They don't care. And neither do most regulators that will bother to look into these issues.
Ultimately, what this means is our participation, and their dog-and-pony shows are also part of the approval process, ie., the smoke and mirrors that make us think we are having "input", but the reality is very, very different. The decisions, agreements and participation by officials has already been decided long before.
We will not affect the outcome unless we stop playing by their rules. Being polite is a part of the "rules" they're demanding. It helps them perpetuate the false narrative they've been building.
Love your sight, it's by far the best informed out there and in-depth info on the HiTest situation.Do you have FB page? Thank you
ReplyDeleteThank you. No to FB. It's very hard to get accurate information from Facebook, it's designed that way while revealing everything about everybody.
DeleteFacebook is actually very dangerous. It does not permit any kind of control, anybody can post anything. It's designed to have all kinds of leaks while secretly tracking everything.
All of the information, links, comments, photos, etc., are also owned by Facebook, they can easily shut down a site at a moments notice, destroying an organization. They also track everything, even deleted comments, friends, friends of friends, etc.
They build network profiles on every user. They know the organization structure better then the organization itself does. Psychological profiles can be generated on everyone.
Generally, this is not a problem, but if you're going up against a billion dollar industry, it's a huge problem.
Sorry to be so negative and dump on you, but I'm actually glad you brought this up. Too many people trust Facebook and think it's a good tool for communicating, but it's not. For an organization, it is a disaster. You might as well just setup in the HiTest board room and discuss how you want to stop them.
You are absolutely correct about FB.
DeleteAre you a member of CANSS?
ReplyDeleteYes but find it could be more productive, keeping current events & happenings at the top of the page, since things get buried and not everyone knows there event bar on the side, I didn't! Plus their web page needs some help as well, keeping things current and meetings etc. Thanks
DeleteNo, I am not. I suggested an organization be formed several months ago, even going back to last year in August. CANSS is (probably) the result.
DeleteMeeting will held Regarding Proposed Silicon Metal Plant Newport,WA.
ReplyDeleteWednesday, Nov 29, 2017, 6-8PM Sadie Halsted Middle School (331 S. Calispel AVE., Newport WA
Note they, HiTest refer to it as Metal Plant? Lets make this real clear, it's a "SMELTER PLANT!" No two ways about it, even with the intentional word swap on their part! So be there folks, so we can correct them on that and other flat out lies they been feeding to the public about this cancer causing "SMELTER PLANT!"
This is their newest attempt to control the narrative and public perception. Yes, it is a smelter. All smelters are toxic and dangerous, by virtue of the processes they use and the emissions they emit.
DeletePerhaps they want the public to believe it is a machine shop, manufacturing metal into new widgets that don't pollute.
Use the correct terms and add "toxic emissions" will keep this in proper perspective.
ATTENTION:READ!!!!!!!! They must be anticipating a larger crowd.
DeleteThe Miner
14 mins
NOTICE: We've just received word from the Pend Orielle County Commissioners' office that the location of the public meeting on the proposed HiTest smelter has been changed to Newport High School. The date and time of Wednesday, Nov. 29, 6-8 p.m. is still the same. #smelternews #hitest #publicmeeeting #localnews #yournews #communitynews:
We live in Sandpoint and are very concerned about the proposed smelter. Do you know how it will affect our area?
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand you'll be sitting/breathing in the deadly dust, since you'll be downwind! This will kill recreation Sandpoint, offer with ski resort and propriety values once the word gets out,nobody in their right mind will spend anytime vacating/living in a known hazard zone?
DeleteThat depends on how much pollution you are willing to accept. Dispersion models are only models, which do not accurately represent reality in all cases. The current models cannot be considered accurate (according to my research), nor are the amounts of the emissions being claimed accurate (also according to my research). I expect emissions to be worse then they are claiming.
DeleteThis, if true, is very bad for Newport, Oldtown, Priest River, Laclede, Dover, Sagle, Sandpoint (and many more, but I'm just going East here, which is where the dominant wind patterns go).
Toxic emissions build up over time, accumulating on plants, soil, water and lungs. So you have to consider the long-term effects and how much "trust" you have in the claims about safety and what is acceptable tolerance levels.
Sulfur dioxide is bad news. Being downwind is worse, but being exposed to these emissions 24/7 is worse yet. I do not know the actual numbers yet that will be present in Sandpoint. But even Sandpoint is at risk (of exposure), just like every other town in the region. Inversions will make this much worse.
Have you heard of the Growth Management Act?
ReplyDelete“With the passage of the Growth Management Act (GMA), RCW 36.70A, in 1990, the Washington State Legislature created a process for comprehensive land use planning involving citizens, communities, counties, cities, and the private sector. The Legislature found that uncoordinated and unplanned growth poses a threat to the environment, sustainable economic development, and the high quality of life enjoyed by residents of the State. The GMA requires counties of a certain size and growth rate, and the cities within them, to adopt comprehensive plans and development regulations which are guided by 14 goals”
A special process is provided to resolve disputes arising from the adoption of these comprehensive plans, development regulations, and Shoreline Master Programs. Rather than have these disputes proceed directly to the court, the Legislature established the Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB) which is authorized to “hear and determine” allegations a city, county, or state agency has not complied with the goals and requirements of the GMA, related provisions of the Shoreline Management Act (SMA), RCW 90.58, and the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), RCW 43.21C.
The HiTest plant violates the growth management for the state and the county.
Yes, I have this document. It is a quasi-legal process that weighs heavily on the assumption that the local government "has done no wrong".
Delete"The GMA directs that the local government’s actions are presumed valid and that the Board must give deference to the local government in how it plans for growth."
Emphasis is mine (bold). There is a "high hurdle" to overcome to try to present a valid case, or "win", but it's dubious to me anyway, if there even is such a thing as a win here. They've already admitted they will assume no wrong doing by local officials. Since this is now a matter of the public record, it's hard to see how the GMA offers anything here.
This is also very strange, and suspicious, because as we've seen, almost any idiot can get into office. Why should the GMA then automatically assume they are competent or law-abiding and not in violation of their office or the growth management? It's contradictory to reality.
The GMA also won't hear cases about annexation, which may or may not happen.
Finally, the GMA is not a court. It has no real authority and admits it, "The Board’s process provides neutral, quasi-judicial resolution of GMA disputes". Sounds like arbitration to me, which has no legal authority.
Not many people know this, but the GMA process was manipulated when proposed to ensure the "high hurdles" and defang its ability to provide relief for petitioners. You can thank both business and industry for this (or not).
http://www.atg.wa.gov/ago-opinions/counties-cities-and-towns-spot-zoning
ReplyDeleteIllegal as it gets.
Great catch! Thank you for this.
ReplyDelete"Criteria to be applied in determining whether a rezone from Forestry Recreation and Residential to Industrial constitutes illegal spot zoning under prior decisions of the Washington Supreme Court."
Will you run against Mike Manus next year? Please do! Thank you for you blog! We have an urgent need to get corruption out of Newport!
ReplyDeleteI can't. Preferably, several someone else's will choose to run, who are better qualified, but I'm hoping Manus is in jail by then as one of the principle architects of collusion with HiTest.
DeleteFor such a small town, it IS surprising how much corruption exists here.
Even a monkey could run against Mike Manus and win now. There you go - a future highpaying job for someone!
DeleteEmail received from a reader who shared this link. Go to page 16 and start reading the "Risks".
ReplyDeletehttp://files.shareholder.com/downloads/AMDA-5STP82/0x0xS1193125-16-640618/1639877/filing.pdf
I failed to mention that this is the company prospectus. Since this is their official documentation, nobody can now claim that there is "no evidence" of risks, to humans, lungs, air, soil, water, environment. Although they still will.
DeleteOh wow, it gets better and better! I can't edit comments, so this is an addendum to the Ferroglobe article link, from page 19 -
ReplyDelete"Principal components in the production of silicon metal, silicon-based alloys and manganese-based alloys include metallurgical-grade coal, charcoal, carbon electrodes, manganese ore, quartzite, wood chips, steel scrap, and other metals."
"Metals manufacturing generally, and smelting in articular, is inherently dangerous and subject to fire, explosion and sudden major equipment failure. Quartz and coal mining are inherently dangerous and subject to numerous hazards, including collisions, equipment failure, the operation of large open pit mining and rock transportation equipment, dust inhalation, flooding, collapse, blasting operations and operating in extreme climatic conditions. This can and has resulted in accidents resulting in the serious injury or death of production personnel and prolonged production shutdowns. In January 2015, the death of a subcontractor at our South Africa mine caused a shutdown of production for several days. We have also experienced fatal accidents and equipment malfunctions in our manufacturing facilities in recent years, including a fire at our Bridgeport, Alabama facility in November 2011 and a fatality at our Selma, Alabama facility in October 2012, and may experience fatal accidents or equipment malfunctions again, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations."
So they admit the hazards of dust inhalation. From silica mines. Which is the same silicon sand to be transported to Newport. And handled, processed and stored right above the town.
Damn. I was supposed to have the day off. The more I look, the more I find:
"The principal environmental risks associated with our operations are emissions into the air and releases into the soil, surface water, or groundwater." (page 21)
This is a very informative blog, you have done your community a great service, thank you. Please keep writing!
ReplyDeleteCan you share what brought this about and your experience? You seem to be the only person who has gone to such lengths to cover the smelter.
I intend to move away, taking my family and business with me.Our house goes up on the market next month, we're not going to wait around for the outcome.
None of us understand what the County was thinking when they invited HiTest Sands here. Which is a real tragedy.
Thank you, you're welcome.
DeleteMoving is always an option for those that can move away. Unfortunately, there are quite a few people who won't be able to, so this area will become a dreaded reality. Even a lifetime of regret. Ugly lights on the hill. Smokestacks and stinking air. I wish our ignorant officials would have considered this.
I am only willing to share brief information regarding my experience. The blog is not about me or who I am or what I do. The purpose of the blog was to share what was happening to our community.
Activism generally follows predictable patterns. Every group engages in the same things. Most of these efforts fail for the same reasons. The whole process of information sharing and dissemination is a science unto itself. Done incorrectly, it defeats resistance movements sooner or later, but in the end, it's still just information. It is not activism, it is just a small part of what must be done.
This is an area where I studied the efforts of other organizations. I found it surprising that so many made the same mistakes over and over again. There was so little success. Patterns emerge in anything that you study closely.
The blog is just information. It is not activism. Public awareness generally never changes anything. As I've shared, those decisions are made in private. What is done in public is but a poor reflection of what has already transpired in private.
The silicon smelter represents a significant threat to a way of life, which is far larger then just this little corner. I admit to the mistake of calling this area "pristine". It's not. It's badly damaged already once you look closely. And yet, now there is another industry which seeks to maximize profits while destroying another town even further. There are hundreds of thousands of examples just like this that have occurred throughout the world.
This blog is outside of the pattern. There are others. It is an independent effort that is not a part of anything else. We need more independent efforts. It will be a huge, catastrophic mistake to rely on any single effort to win this thing.
Success is the only option for the people that live here. We don't want our lives and our homes and our future here ruined. We really do have a choice to stop this, if we are willing. But we should not follow a failed pattern and think that is how we will win.
I need some down time. Comments are automatically saved and get published once I have had a chance to read them.
ReplyDeleteThe sudden change of venue to Newport high school has nothing to do with expectations for a larger turnout of citizens.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Nature gave you instincts. To use or ignore them is your choice.
I would not attend any such meeting at night.
If they want to hold a public meeting it should take place during the safety of daylight. Period.
If rescheduling does not take place for whatever reason, I recommend you elect a very small group to bring all of your questions and concerns and record the event, and request Pend Oreille Sherriffs Office have at least one deputy in the immediate area.
Have friends or relatives watch over your homes if you choose to attend the meeting.
Again, trust your instincts. Mine say the the sudden change of location is as suspicious as the rest of this ever-growing shadow.
Since this does seem be song & dance are county official do on a regular base, switch times and locations to confuse and even go as far as locking the door to late comers, due to the fact they were given bogus info! So I'm more on the lines of same ole, same ole switch and bait and to keep folks from attending these meetings! My advice is go, we need the numbers and HiTest & our officials need to know we don't support this BS they're trying shove down are throats, nor are we gonna bend over like they have and simple say, give it to me up the ASS! Nope! Be there my advice!
DeleteWe CAN win this thing. Remember: all the experts said Hillary couldnt lose. The PUD sold public land to unleash this smelter monster upon us. If we win and get the land back, what do we do with it? Let's start kicking some ideas around.
ReplyDeleteAny trees out there tall enough for a hanging? I'll buy the rope.
DeleteOr we could host a turkey shoot, I'm sure we can think up a few good targets.
If that doesn't float your boat, how about a pig farm for the ex-Commissioners? They can sleep with the hogs.
The PUD illegally sold land, and so did the County under the orders of the Commissioners, all on behalf of HiTest, which is collusion.
ReplyDeleteThat should be the end of this disaster right now, but the other State officials have yet to get off their lazy asses and intervene. So what happens next is anybody's guess, but the rising anger here is going to explode.
I blame the Commissioners for what happens. But there is a long line of public officials who have prostrated themselves in front of HiTest. Greed knows no decency.
Use of the land: Golf course, a decent hotel, tourist resort, or all three. Or paintball park, RC (radio controlled) park for planes and cars, BMX track, or again, all three. I'm sure we can come up with something better then a toxic monster that will destroy the town.
DeleteOne of my ideas was to develop a mini-mirror of tourist attraction like what was done at Pike's Place in Seattle. We would have the Eastern version of the Left Coast development with our own particular flair and design to reflect this region. We've got waterfront - why isn't it being used?
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Pend Oreille River bridge area is in Idaho, there is land that could be developed on both sides of the bridge, including the steep embankment areas. The idea would be to develop waterfront tourist shops, cafes, boardwalks and scenic views, that is multi-level like Pike's Place. This would spill over the top right into Oldtown.
In addition, bicycle and walking routes that would encompass the town and give light recreational opportunities and activity for tourists and locals. This could be built in both Idaho and Washington, right on the State line, benefiting both States. Tourist areas would be connected by roads, trails and boardwalks. Don't forget the micro-brewery!
The stolen public land could be developed into a decent hotel with additional attractions for walking, riding, golfing, or even stables for horseback riding.
There is additional unused lands immediately adjacent that could be leased or purchased for more acreage, significantly increasing the available area. The soils there are unsuitable for heavy trucks anyway, so these acres are never going to be good for industrial development.
There are all kinds of possibilities to consider. I can easily envision a set of routes, trails, paths that would encompass the entire town all the way up to the stolen lands that would attract thousands of visitors. Make them accessible by foot, bike, and horse. Setup tourist stops or even call them "stage stops" along the way, or whatever the theme is.
Any of these ideas would revitalize the town and restore the gutted and decaying interior of the town too.
There's probably no end to "better ideas" that could be considered. The Commissioners claim that tourism won't support the town but they're dead wrong. Tourism supports many towns, year round, it just has to be reasonably developed. Numerous businesses have attempted to come to Newport only to be shut down.
The town lacks innovative leadership, competency and vision, but the same idiots keep getting re-elected and they keep trying to prevent town growth and development.
If these stupid fools put in half the effort that they've already expended bending over for HiTest, and offered the same kind of incentives, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.
I wonder by what mystical process these losers keep themselves in office. Maybe it's time to hold our own elections with our own very transparent voting process.
DeleteI like your ideas for the land's positive potential.
Here are a couple of mine:
1. returning the stolen land to the Kalispel Nation;
2. creating a theme park in their honor, and that unfolds some of your ideas such as accommodations, trails for hiking, biking etc.
Anything promoting music and art.
This area can't grow much more without further negative impacts so keeping to seasonal themes I think is wise.
I chatted with several (disgusted) business owners in the Newport area, they have so much creativity to offer to the area but only need the right conditions in which to make those creative ideas flow. Newport simply needs a transfusion, long overdue.
Nothing like European imperialism under the mask of "democracy." My opinion? Give all "your private land" back to those your ancestors and current government stole it from. The tribe would no doubt charge you a whole lot less in taxes!
DeleteAnd no, I am not a Native. I am as white as a sheet.
Who among you land owners will give up your so-called ownership which was born from a wrong so horrid no words describe it? Who among you will refuse to perpetuate this holocaust of selfishness and greed, of which HiTest and it's imperialist colluders are just a symptom of?
The tribe has kept an open heart to non-natives in spite of our ignorance, for how many decades now? They have done - and continue to do - more for this area than anyone.
Please think about this.
To add to my rant, the Kalispel tribe is suing WA state after Inslee let them build Northern Quest Casino and then went around the law in order to let the Spokane tribe build a casino within 2 miles of Northern Quest. This was all planned by your imperialist assholes to (1) "manage" the Kalispel so they don't continue to succeed, (2) try to start conflicts between the two tribes, and (3) profit from both tribes. It was a Pump and Dump scheme, with a side game of Divide and Conquer. That's what the tribes have to deal with.
DeleteInslee and his junk yard have all kinds of games. Laughing all the way to the bank.
Here is my take: HiTest is a Pump and Dump scheme. It pumps dirty fracking sand in with dirty money out of Canada, "washes" it in your clean Pend Oreille and North Idaho water. Greedy PUD is foaming at the mouth to help wash the money - while charging taxpayers 30% more for power, HiTest gets subsidized by You, so they mix your clean money with their dirty money (the dirty money has likely been through at least one wash cycle already at affiliated casinos), then at "drops" like PUD, and then to their "investors." You're just going to be used as part of the whole stinking dark cycle. You are dealing with psychopaths.
We have no choice but to stop the smelter from being built. Unlike our Commissioners, Prosecutor, EDC and all those on the Executive Committee. We will stop the smelter legally, honestly and openly. We will go to every Law enforcement angency, federal judge and anyone else who can help. We will also bring lawsuites against everyone involved in this extreme violation of our basic civil rights. We are the victims of economic discrimination and the Kalipel Tribe is the victim of hate crimes by public officials in my opinion. Everything our elected officials have done needs to be investigated from the land sale to the use of grant money and special treatment afforded a foreign company at the expense of the public they have sworn to protect.
ReplyDeleteJust curious, is anybody for this thing. A "lot" of people that I have asked seem to think that (At long last) some body is doing something. If the majority are completely against, it should be a no brainer and do away with it. Just wondering
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I could say, “You go first”, but that would not adequately address your comments.
ReplyDeleteThe Tribe has done an amazing amount of community support and I do not have any sort of issue of any kind regarding the Tribe, their long efforts to support this community or their desire for air and river restoration. We all need this, badly. I’m glad that they are there.
We were all born into historical injustice, and now we all have to live with it. But we did not do this. We cannot make this right, even by giving up private property, this would still not restore balance or a way of life. Nothing will at this point in time. There’s been too much damage. Which is really what this fight is all about - we have to stop making things worse.
The truth is, as I see it, we are stuck with the system that we have. I’ve extensively researched these related topics by the way, and there is really no way out now, because we are now entirely dependent upon the civilization (and the horrors) that have been built. It’s “encoded” now into all of us, just look around. Like you, I type on a computer, drive a car and buy food in a supermarket. We’re all entrenched in this “imperialist” system. It’s what keeps us all alive now.
The only real choice is to stop making things worse. A toxic smelter over a mountain town has historical precedent - it’s a stupid idea. It never turns out good, ever. People get sick, the water is ruined, the forests are poisoned, the fish die. Even the soils become toxic.
HiTest represents an illusion. The illusion is that a few nasty jobs is “worth the price” of our lives, health and environment. Not true. Nothing is. Therefore, we must mitigate this (by not allowing it). A tiny, tiny step towards doing the right thing, and stop making things worse.
We all want and need the same things. Clean air, clean water, a safe place to live, and a means to support ourselves. We can do far, far better then a toxic smelter, which destroys all of those things.
HEADS UP THE MEETING FOR NOV 29, HAS BEEN CHANGE,YET THE PAPERS ARE STILL GIVING OUT THE WRONG LOCATION! This correct was made over a week ago, yet still not fixed!
ReplyDeleteNOTICE: We've just received word from the Pend Orielle County Commissioners' office that the location of the public meeting on the proposed HiTest smelter has been changed to Newport High School. The date and time of Wednesday, Nov. 29, 6-8 p.m. is still the same.
Which papers are you speaking of? So we can contact them and make sure they make - or neglect to make - the correction.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/local_news/20171124/board_reserves_judgment_on_smelter
DeleteREALLY? (HiTest’s presentation definitively claimed, “The process of making silicon metal does not lead to silicosis,” and “The dust created through the process is amorphous (rounded not angular) which does not lead to silicosis.” )
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is ALL lies! HiTest stubble around more than once over their own words during questing from the public! If anything folks walked away realizing just how much HiTest doesn't know what the hell their doing when it comes to there own smelter, they could not give numbers or any proof to there claims, instead what we got was a poorly presentation! Clearly our city officials are whores to Hitest!
Poor reporting! http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/local_news/20171202/hundreds_flock_to_wa_smelter_presentation
All the better reason to not buy their shit newspaper. That article stunk of bias, but that's nothing new for them.
DeleteIm disappointed you haven't posted much new on your blog fir awhile. fyi...heres info re toxic smelter near Northport https://northportproject.com/impact-of-teck-smelter-to-washington-community/ thank you for your blog
ReplyDeleteFyi And here's a great letter from anti smelter mayor of sandpoint. http://sandpointreader.com/proposed-smelter-newport-bad-sandpoint/
ReplyDelete