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Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Environment - Tondu vote put on hold

Updating yesterday's South Bend Tribune story (see ILB entry here), the paper today reports:

The council voted 6 to 3 in favor of postponing a decision on whether to allow a special permit for the plant.

They agreed about midnight to hold a special meeting to vote on the issue on Sept. 22 to give the council more time to review the project and to allow Tondu Corp. officials to put into writing their commitments regarding the plant. * * *

Earlier, many in the audience laughed when Tondu told the council that very small amounts of some emissions from the plant would have little or no impact on the surrounding area. But, he said, that needs more study to confirm.

They laughed when he told the council that the company would monitor the groundwater and provide results to the county Health Department.

They laughed when a council member questioned Thomas Easterly, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, about IDEM essentially being a rubber stamp for such projects.

Easterly denied that the agency would be a rubber stamp. He insisted the company would have to meet strict rules regarding environmental effects.

Easterly spoke in favor of the council approving the special permit, saying it is clean technology.

But many in the crowd laughed again when Easterly was challenged by a council member that his speaking in favor of the project would cause IDEM to not be a fair arbiter when Tondu comes with an application for environmental permits.

All in all, though, there was little humor in the crowd's laughter.

Two other stories in today's Tribune: "Officials allege behind-scene talks: Other leaders counter accusations relating to Tondu" here; and "Daniels says Tondu plant a good fit for Indiana: Representative presents case before County Council," here. The latter story, a lengthy and informative report on Indiana's need for new generating capacity, by Martin DeAgostino, begins:
INDIANAPOLIS -- Citing Indiana's need for new baseload electric power, Gov. Mitch Daniels threw his weight Tuesday behind the proposed Tondu power plant near New Carlisle.

Daniels said the 600 megawatt electric generating station will provide clean and cost-competitive electricity that matches state and national energy priorities. Construction also would put Indiana at the forefront of states using advanced technology to meet growing energy needs, he said.

Daniels presented his views to the St. Joseph County Council through his senior energy adviser, John Clark. Clark urged the council to approve Tondu Corp.'s application for a special use permit to build the approximately $1 billion plant.

Speaking earlier to The Tribune, Clark said Daniels would not normally involve himself in a local land-use decision.

"We just felt that it was such an important state and even national interest here that we wanted to take this extraordinary step," he said.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 14, 2005 10:10 AM
Posted to Environment | Indiana economic development