Nov 15 2010
A Biomass energy plant, the Clackamas Compost Products, has come under severe criticism from several Redland residents. The Clackamas Compost Products had plans of shifting its wood composting facility from the existing Clackamas industrial region to a locality just off the Redland Road near Beavercreek, Oregon City.
The proposed facility, planned at a site six miles northeast of Beavercreek, would convert forest waste into diesel. The detractors just want the plant to be constructed elsewhere. They too want to convert the waste products into energy.
A member of the Redland Community Action, April Mc Ginnis, commented, that all the residents know that bio and recycling are necessary in the current scenario, but they felt that this place was not an appropriate location for it to happen. The 150 acre site was enclosed on all sides with hundreds of signage boards, all opposing the proposed biomass plant. Robert Ellerby, a spokesperson for the Redland Community Action, revealed to KGW that the site had Aquifers running under the property and that ground water was a huge concern for them. He also said that there was a possibility that this whole project could be restarted after two years, and that there would again be a confrontation to see that it does not happen. The people say that even though the land has already been purchased, they would still continue to resist the plans.
According to Will Gehr, Spokesman for Clackamas, the company expects that the benefits accrued from the plant’s operation, will make it acceptable to the locals. Clackamas Composting was not just a composting plant, but it would be recycling waste into diesel, which is to be sold at the gas pumps. Permits for water, air quality and noise would have to be obtained from the Department of Environmental Quality. Also the Clackamas County would have to modify the zoning from farm land to forestry and then give out a conditional use permit. A pilot biofuel plant in Lebanon has already been built by Clackamas which is almost ready to be operational.
Source: http://www.compostproducts.com