Piedmont Green Power, which came on line May 1, is not proving to be a good neighbor, at least in the eyes of 24 people who signed a petition asking Barnesville city council to do something about the 60 decibel-plus noise they can hear from the plant.
Mike Lenhart presented the petition to council at its May 7 meeting.
The plant was looking for a place to build when it came here. So was Greenco! Remember that one?
Everything cannot possibly be about money.... or can it?
Julia
The supposition that they are "green" is based on the flawed logic that trees are planted and grown at a faster rate than the plant consumes wood.
What actually happens is wood that would have been left to slowly decay, and that would have replenished the soil, is burned in these plants at extreme temperatures. This normally gives virtually the same noxious output as coal, minus a few trace contaminants found in coal. The real catch is the EPA, under lobbying pressure from politicians who do not understand basic science, allows plants like this to have about 2.5 times the noxious output of coal plants. The results is the odorless and invisible but harmful gas emissions, like carbon monoxide and nitrogen compounds, is actually much higher than a coal plant of the same power.
The CO2 output is about the same.
So this thing really just depletes the forests just like cotton did to the soil, and has less filtering because lobbyists have convinced the poorly educated and under informed politicians they are somehow "green". What Missy and others seem to not understand is 15-50 mediocre paying jobs doesn't offset the environmental impact of things like this and "GREENco". If green is in the name, you better look close. Someone is probably hoodwinking someone.
To IDA director Missy Kendrick's comments noted above of “We need industry and jobs,It’s a tough balancing act sometimes.” I have a few comments.
1. I'm all for jobs. I all for improving the local economy...but not at the detriment to those several hundred people living within a mile or so of the plant.
2. PGP states at question #3 on its official website under the FAQ section:
Q: Will the plant make noise?
A: The plant itself will not emit noise noticeable from beyond the property line.
http://www.piedmontgreenpower.com/faq.php
Obviously they are in violation of their own stated facts about their facility. Who is holding them accountable? This is not a new issue. It has been going on for close to 6 months.
While I do not disagree with the statement attributed to me above, it is not my quote. I did not speak during that meeting.
Missy
The issue with PGP and their plant producing excessive noise pollution to the detriment of the local residents should be of concern to all of us as well as the Barnesville city council, since the plant is inside the city limits.
I hope this current round of noise testing by ATC out of California will finally produce some tangible recommendations for how PGP can install some sort of noise dampening components on their exhaust stack if that is the culprit. Then I hope PGP will act swiftly installing the needed fix so we as a community can move on from this issue once & for all.
What is going on with this City. We do not need this type of industry in the city limits. This area would have been better for housing. I know we need jobs and tax money but this is a joke.
I was told by a high ranking PGP official that in all his years, he had never seen an Industrial zone next to a residential zone. It is usually Industrial next to Commercial next to Residential.
Missy in your position, I would think this would have been a huge RED FLAG to you and your counterparts. Everything is this area is or has been a flop.
THIS PLANT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE COUNTY NEAR THE LANDFILL AND OTHER SIMILAR TYPE COMPANIES AWAY FROM THE CITY.
IDA AND CITY Please in the future, try to recruit smaller companies that will hire locals and not be such a burden to nearby neighbors. You have really put your foot in it this time.
Charlie Muise