The City addresses a few concerns and plans to move forward with a vote soon
A few issues raised at the Public Forum held last week at the Jasper Arts Center are being addressed by the Jasper Utilities Service Board and the Common Council in an executive meeting tomorrow night.
One of those questions is the royalties being based on the current boiler in the power plant. According to Utilities Service Board President Wayne Schuetter, the city has addressed this issue with Jay Catasein and the lease will be changed to reflect royalties will be based upon the production of renewable energy and no longer restricted to the current boiler.
“Another issue, and it may be a diversionary tactic by the opposition, is the issue about city elected officials and members of the USB working at the Jasper Clean Energy.” Mayor Schmitt stated.
[adrotate group=”1″]
The mayor continued by stating that there has been no improprieties in the negotiations with Jay Catasein. Regarding working for Jasper Clean Energy, Mayor Schmitt said, “Before I would go to work for Jasper Clean Energy I would go to work as a reporter for the Herald.”
Further stating that the need is there for the project and the health concerns are negligible, Mayor Schmitt went so far as to say he completely endorses the project. “We need to have every advantage to keeping a strong economy. Many companies are going green and this is a way for the city to go green and I think that will attract businesses to move to Jasper.”
Today’s meeting was called to release more information regarding the particulate emissions. According to the city, the proposed power plant will have a negligible impact on the fine particle concentration in Jasper. The fine particles are known as PM 2.5 or particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers in diameter and smaller – 1/30th the diameter of a human hair.
The Concerned Citizens group has repeatedly addressed the city about this fine particle material even prompting local physicians to stand against the proposed biomass power plant.
According to statistics from 2007, the fine particulate matter (pm 2.5) released by the Jasper Coal fired power plant was .9% of the total particulate matter in Dubois County. If the miscanthus/gas fired power plant had operated during the same period it would have produce .8% of the total particulate matter in the county.
The new facility will only be permitted to produce 25 tons of pm 2.5 per year compared to the 294 tons the coal fired power plant was permitted. The city compared these levels to the pm 2.5 released by 50 fireplaces located throughout Dubois County burning continuously every hour, every day, for a year or five to eight semi’s driving through the county all the time for a year.
Money was discussed again with more figures released concerning the value of this lease to the city. The city’s estimates are attached to this story but according to current estimates from the H.J. Umbaugh report, the total direct revenues and benefits to the city will be $1,956,426 annually.
The city is relying on this to offset costs of other utilities and services for the citizens of Jasper. There is talk that this money would fund future subsidies for individuals and businesses to become more energy efficient through the use of solar panels, high efficiency appliances, and efficient furnace and air conditioners.
The mayor acknowledged that fact that he may not have been responsive in the past concerning clean air concerns; specifically addressing a smoking ban and wood burning furnace controls. “I may have been lax concerning these issues, but this is America and I always felt that this was an individual’s choice if they wanted to smoke in a designated area, and we have to abide by the laws. Jasper Clean Energy is a business and they just wish to be treated fairly as a business in our community. They have to abide by the rules and regulations as they are. They aren’t going to take any shortcuts.”
The mayor further stated that he felt that all the concerns have been addressed and he was going to encourage the USB and Council to set a date for the vote.
When asked whether the city felt there was a need for another public forum regarding the issue the mayor stated, “No.” There is no plan for another public forum to be held on this issue.
