Not Here, Not Now, Not Ever - Effective Resistance Strategy, Part I

Not Here, Not Now, Not Ever - Effective Resistance Strategy, Part I

Now is the right time to resist the silicon smelter proposed for Newport, Washington. Now is when it is easiest, most effective and the hardest to stop the resistance movement.

Pend Oreille County has refused to back down on this project of "state wide significance" (an oxymoron that assumes a false authority) and has promoted the lie that the "public concerns will be addressed".

This is dishonest from the very start, because they're refusing to cancel this project. Anything less then that, does not address our concerns. And the only "state wide significance" is nobody in the State of Washington other then public officials wants this nasty thing. Using buzzwords like this, including "net environmental benefit" are deceptive terms meant to dissuade dissent and public refusal. Don't let them change the narrative into something that it isn't. Smelters are toxic to human and environmental health. That will never change.

HiTest Sands has also refused to back down, claiming that they will have their investors lined up in early January 2018 (all five of them, apparently). The amount of money being raised is only $200 million (at this time), not the $325 million that has been widely publicized. However, virtually nothing coming out of their mouths can be trusted, as we have seen. Industrialists will say anything to get their projects approved. This leads me to believe that the same people on the board of directors at HiTest Sands and Silicon Investments are the primary "investors", and there are very few others, probably less then ten people involved.

That's good news. We can handle ten people. We can even handle more, because there are a great many more of us that will refuse this project at any cost.

There are two primary strategic areas to work on for effective resistance:

The Moral Choice

Back in October, I broke a story about how Newport area residents were already dumping houses on the market in response to the proposed silicon smelter being located here.

A follow up check reveals some scary developments:

• Oldtown (zoom in to see all the homes listed)
• Newport (zoom in to see all the homes listed)
• Priest River (you know what to do)

There are other sources, such as Coldwell Banker and John Scott (local real estate agencies), but I'm not in the habit of giving them a free promotion, so you can look them up yourself if you are so inclined.

What you will find is HiTest Sands has already done MASSIVE damage to the real estate market in this entire area. Or rather, our County and PUD Commissioners have, by assisting and enabling HiTest Sands (multiple violations of law have occurred, but the primary point is none of these people had to help HiTest, but they did).

And they're not even here yet. They're like a deadly ghost, spooking the town and creeping around, everybody is scared, upset and concerned.

Amazing, isn't it? Our officials are worried about jobs and employment and they're already running people off who have lived here for decades. Others are more recent arrivals and they're trying to leave too.

HiTest Sands Dog & Pony Show

HiTest Sands Dog & Pony Show

My apologies to readers. The HiTest Sands meeting was supposed to be a dog-and-pony show, at least that's what I reasonably expected from a multi-million dollar "company", even a paper one.

Instead, what we got was a regurgitated out-of-focus slide show with missing images, that almost nobody in the audience could actually read. It was just a rip-off slap dash slide presentation taken from their pathetic website that conveys almost nothing of real substance, and did virtually nothing to appease the still rising concerns of the community.

ALL of the gymnasium bleachers, perhaps a 800 - 1000 people or so showed up - and all they received was more of the same bullshit most of us have already seen online.

Apparently, the $325 million dollar HiTest budget did not include a polished presentation of the HiTest Sands silicon smelter or their actual plans for Newport. But it did include a paid consultant named Tim Thompson who did nearly all of the talking for HiTest. Hopefully, the endless reams of bullshit this pipsqueak spouted came pretty cheap, because he did not share anything with the audience that the vast majority of us did not already know.

The only salient fact that was learned is HiTest is planning on just one smokestack to dump toxins over Newport and the surrounding community - for now.

Their plans DO include a 4-subarc furnace which in the words of Jim May, is actually "semi-closed". And the toxic emissions will be as bad as we all think, but allegedly, State Ecology is "on the job" and will ensure that these toxins being emitted into our air, water and soil meet State permitting requirements.

This is a play on word people. There are toxins and amounts that will be permitted to be dumped into your environment and into your lungs.

Smelter News

Some important smelter news you may have not seen:

Canadian smelter not responsible for air pollution in U.S.

The important take-away information is that Canada widely pollutes their own land, and that is pretty much what we can expect down here too from them. They are not committed to clean air, clean water or clean soil at all. The exact opposite is true.

Northport is just south of the Canadian border, but is being poisoned by emissions from this smelter, with lead and arsenic.

Kalispel Tribe opposing silicon smelter

The Kalispel Tribe takes a strong stance against the proposed silicon smelter. These are the same emissions levels noted here on this blog. There will be more however, if their 4-stack, 4 subarc furnaces are all built (doubling the amounts, at least).

Letter to Washington Governer Inslee from the Kalispel Tribe

Every point mentioned is correct.  This is not a green technology, it is highly pollutive, energy intensive and does not result in any net environmental benefits. These are "greenwash" terms used to gloss over their real costs and effects.

Counties, Cities and Towns Spot Zoning

The County will have to illegally "spot-zone" the selected site location - which has all kinds of precedents as being illegal.

If they violate this, they can be challenged in court. The smart move is to simply deny HiTest permission to operate here, because it is a violation of the County Comprehensive Plan. And then there is still the illegal sale of the land by the County and the PUD that can still be nullified.

It is still stunning to me to think how far this has gone. It should have NEVER reached this point, and yet it has. There will be enormous push-back from this community against this toxic monster.

There is a meeting tomorrow, the very first one with the public (finally, also far outside of the requirements by State law) where the public can listen to the dog-and-pony show from HiTest Sands, and their cohorts in Washington, but you can also show up and voice your concerns.

It's time to tell them to stop. Stop the lies, the deceptions, the claims of "no knowledge", the deflection away from toxic emissions, pollutants, health effects and environmental damage. Bring the Silicon Smelter Fact Sheet with you. Do not let them destroy this community.

6 pm November 29th, at the Newport High School, 1400 5th Street, Newport, Washington. Take 5th street all the way to the end. Expect a few thousand people to show up, so come early.




 

Silicon Smelter Fact Sheet - Bring This To The Next Meeting

Silicon Smelter Fact Sheet

Jobs - Very few local residents will be employed (less then 40); turn-over rates are very high due to hazardous and dangerous conditions (most workers last less then 6 months); starting pay is significantly lower then promised.

Traffic – up to 170 trucks per day will clog local roads and highways; hauling wood chips, millions of tons of silica sand; and hundreds of thousands of tons of coal will also be brought in by railroad. This will have an enormous impact upon traffic and congestion.

Emissions – Toxic plant emissions will be emitted over the entire region. These emissions are significant and serious, leading to asthma attacks, bronchitis, chronic pulmonary disease and cancer.

These emissions will be found everywhere, in homes, businesses, forest and lungs of humans and wildlife. Soils will become increasingly acidic from acid rain leading to increased tree mortality and more forest fires. Water PH levels will also change affecting fish and amphibians, lowering reproductive rates.

The silicon smelter plant will emit major levels of regulated air pollutants and unregulated air pollutants.

Two enormous smokestacks 15 feet in diameter and 150 feet high are planned, with 2 more planned for future plant expansion. These stacks will emit hundreds of thousands of tons of emissions into the atmosphere every year.

The similar, recent “state-of-the-art” 4-subarc Silicon Smelter Plant in Burnsville, Mississippi was claimed to emit (tons per year) -

·      Sulfur Dioxide - 2,170

·      Nitrogen Oxide - 1,906

·      Carbon Monoxide - 1,444

·      Carbon Dioxide – 402,396

·      Particulate Matter - 104

·      PM10 - 81

·      PM 2.5 – 73

·      Volatile Organic Compounds 93.5

(Source - Application for Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Air Permit, Mississippi Silicon - http://tinyurl.com/y8ovqlqv )

HiTest Sands proposes a 4 sub-arc furnace for Newport (Phase II).

These are only the regulated pollutants, there are many more emissions not being regulated (over 187) or even measured, which are dumped into the atmosphere. Some are extremely toxic and carcinogenic. (Source - Silicon Smelting Air Quality Permitting and Measurement Issues - http://tinyurl.com/y9mt3tsf )

Silica dust emissions - Silica dust is extremely hazardous, causing silicosis (deadly and incurable) and will escape from trucks, bins, loading platforms, conveyers, silos, bag houses and smokestacks. Hundreds of thousands of tons of coal, wood chips and silica sand will be stored on site.

Best Access Control Technology (BACT) - The silicon plant design and permitting process allows for no technology, filters or scrubbers to be employed if these are not cost-effective for plant operation. HiTest is not planning on using anything to control smokestack emissions.

Air Quality - Sulfur dioxide will make our daily air quality pretty terrible. The smelter operates 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, non-stop. Winter inversions and fog will trap significant amounts of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide right over the town, making acid rain and acid fog. This will penetrate into the soil, gardens and locally produced food. Newport will be avoided by everyone who can.

Water - The Mississippi "state-of-the-art" silicon smelter uses 270,000 gallons of water per day. The HiTest smelter is sited immediately adjacent to the Little Spokane River Recharge Area.

Taxes - Will go up, to help pay for infrastructure, roads, services, fire department and law enforcement increases due to the smelter locating here. Taxes will significantly increase.

Property Values - Will go down, nobody wants to live near a toxic smelter. Values will significantly decrease due to the unpopularity of the area.

Utility Rates - Millions of dollars will be spent by the Pend Oreille Utility District (they've admitted to this) for new power infrastructure for the smelter. Nobody is confident rates won't increase to cover these costs.

Hospital and Medical Visits and Costs - Will go up, as more and more people seek medical treatment for silicon smelting emissions and their effects.

The HiTest Silicon Smelter in Newport is a losing proposal for everyone. Nobody benefits. It will kill this town, tourism and the surrounding region as a desirable place to live, work, play or visit.

The State of Washington and Pend Oreille County wants increased commercial receipt revenues from industry. The same increases could be easily met by bringing in sustainable, healthy businesses and tourism. Government officials have totally overlooked the long-term effects on how a toxic smelter will kill this town.

It gets much worse - County and PUD Commissioners clearly colluded to sell public property exclusively to HiTest Sands, Inc. of British Columbia, without public approval or knowledge (required by law). Numerous legal violations have been documented. $250,000 in Washington Grant money was given to the Pend Oreille County Economic Development Council (POEDC) and improperly spent to attack the Kalispel Tribe Class 1 Air Quality Designation Request, engage in secret meetings and withhold public information, refuse public involvement and participation, pay for a Preliminary Air Quality study using bad data, violate the County Growth Management Plan, bill for service not authorized, and abuse the public trust, over and over again.

(Sources - http://tinyurl.com/yckc2gmj - http://tinyurl.com/y7f2bgqq - http://tinyurl.com/ycogddn2 )

What You Can Do - Don't support a toxic industry in this town. Contact everyone you know. Support the legal action against Pend Oreille County, the State of Washington, Bonner County and the State of Idaho. Get involved - before it is too late.

Extensive documentation and investigation into their crimes and collusion, emissions and toxic effects of silicon smelting is downloadable from pendoreillehealth.blogspot.com

Open Discusssion

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.

The Grant Evidence - Collusion and Crimes, Part I

The Grant Evidence - Collusion and Crimes, Part I

The rabbit hole of what has transpired behind the back of the general public by our elected officials is absolutely stunning. I will attempt to issue these articles in a series.

There have been two grants provided to Pend Oreille County on behalf of HiTest Sands, Inc., in the amounts of $300K and $250K.

$300,000 Non-Construction Grant
Recipient Pend Oreille County
Grant SRF15-00015-112
Effective Date August 4, 2016, expired June 30, 2017

All work was to be completed on or before June 30, 2017, with the Final Report on activities being due no later then July 7, 2017.

Grant money was to be used for "coordinated development beneficial to the well-being of communities and their residents". However, this grant money was used to assist a foreign corporation bring in a toxic silicon smelter operation, the largest in the United States. (1)

The Grant was not signed until 6/12/17 by the Assistant Attorney General Sandra Adix, and not signed by the POEDC Chair, Ray Pierre, until 6/21/17, and Jamie Wyrobek of the POEDC on 6/21/17.

This Grant was authorized to facilitate the "pass through of funds" to reimburse HiTest Sands, Inc. for the following:

• Feasibility, design and planning costs 
• Environmental analysis 
• Workforce development 
• Technical assistance 
• Relocation assistance 

Scope of Work Authorized under this Grant:

• Preliminary design and engineering services
• Site feasibility
• Planning and consulting services

There is no authorization under this Grant for air quality modeling. That was paid for out of the Environmental Grant (see below).

There is no authorization under this Grant for assisting HiTest with acquiring land, which was done by the Commissioners (County & PUD) anyway.

There is no authorization under this Grant to locate the smelter in Newport. Or to have the County Commissioners collude together to sell and buy land on behalf of HiTest.

Deadline on Final Report was 6/30/17, but wasn't completed until October 2017.

$250,000 Environmental Grant
Recipient Pend Oreille Economic Development Council
Grant 17-63320-001
Effective January 11, 2017, expired June 30, 2017

This Grant was intended for the Usk location, in numerous areas too many to mention here.

Attachment A however, clearly designates the Ponderay Newsprint site as follows: 

" to be located on underutilized property on the site of the Ponderay Newsprint Company mill, in the vicinity of Usk and Cusick Uban Growth Area ". There is no mention of Newport in this Grant.

This Grant was subsequently amended on June 28, 2017 - only 2 days before it expires.
 
There is still no mention of Newport in the Amended Grant, yet very large sums of money were clearly spent (over $100,000) on the new location as shown on the Vouchers for the Newport site. (3) (4).

As part of the amendments, the following were removed:

Task 1 "Public Participation Plan deliverable" was removed (Page 1 of the Amendment). Removed was all forms of public participation and involvement "throughout phases of the project, including pre-application consulting, environmental review, and application review."

Most likely, this occurred because by then, it was apparent the the POEDC had miserably failed to abide by the requirements of this Grant. Public participation never happened. The Department of Commerce went along with this sham by authorizing the amendment.

Perhaps they all think that cancelling this just two days before the expiration date is sufficient to pass the sniff test. I think not. I think they got caught and are trying to cover up their crimes.

Also removed was a written plan to guide communications between stakeholders, including County, HiTest, Kalispel Tribe, Port of Pend Oreille, the POEDC, PUD, Cusick, Washington State Department of Commerce, Washington State Department of Ecology, local schools and local job training programs. And -

Task 6 "Cultural Resource Assessment" was removed (Page 1 of the Amendment).
Task 8 "Timber Lands Assessments" are not funded under this grant, and removed.

The Washington State Voucher Distribution for this Environmental Grant shows Gregg Dohrn, Pend Oreille County HiTest Project Manager, billing for services to this Grant 17-63320-001 on dates July 22, 2016 through December 21, 2016 for a total amount $42,420.

This Grant was not authorized in 2016, yet there are numerous billings being charged for this in 2016. (3) No evidence has been found that indicates there is any kind of authorization or amendments for this.

Dohrn also bills the Environmental Grant for numerous hours and effort (@$140 per hour) in 2017 for alternative site identification (Newport), property acquisition, road access and participation in trying to defeat the Kalispel Tribe Class 1 Air Quality application. None of this information was mentioned to the public.

Estimates are at least 133 hours, or nearly $19,000 were billed to the Grant for these services (low estimate, many more hours are shown in the draft invoices included with the Voucher). (4)

The County also contracted with Rambol to help defeat the Class 1 Air Quality Designation request by the Kalispel Tribe, Rambol invoiced $15,730.40 for this effort.

This the same firm previously used to produce the inaccurate and deceptive Preliminary Air Quality Report on behalf of HiTest, already refuted here, and here. (2) Perhaps the County thought they could sneak this one by too. Why use the same company that failed to provide an adequate air quality analysis unless your trying to cover something up?

Dohrn also bills the Environmental Grant for "property acquisitions" activities (4). More non-disclosure to the general public. The County's HiTest Project Manager was actively working to locate the site in Newport.

Extensive research in the Pend Oreille Economic Development Council, and the Pend Oreille HiTest Executive Committee is also being performed, but many of the same people are involved in both (and none of the public are allowed).

It could not be any clearer that there never has been any proper adherence to the process that we've been told to "trust".  We are being railroaded by specific individuals who have operated WAY outside of their authority.

Efforts to deceive, deflect and confuse the public; withhold public involvement and participation; expend public money on behalf of land acquisition for a private company; attempt to defeat the Tribe's request for air quality protection (for all of us); and bill for services out of the scope, dates and responsibilities granted. There's more.

Washington State is now going to be a gigantic SPECTACLE of incompetence AND MALFEASANCE by State and County public officials colluding with a private foreign corporation.

It's time for a national press conference. If the Attorney General won't act, we will.

Sources 

1. Commerce Grant Number: SRF15-00015-112.
2. Ramboll Environ Invoice 454376, Date July 27, 2017.
3. Washington State Voucher Distribution Index 63530250 signed 6/16/17 by Director Of Operations (signature not quite readable).
4. Washington State Voucher Distribution Index 63530250 signed 7/17/17 by Director Of Operations (signature not quite readable).