Public Needs To Learn About Proposed Waste To Energy Plant

Dear Editor, 

On Thursday, October 25 at 7pm in the RHO Building, the Stony Point Planning Board will open a Public Hearing on the Biomass Gasification Plant being proposed by Patrick Magee and MBC Construction for the old Insulux Building on Holt Drive Office/Light Industrial Park. 

The company that is proposing the project is New Planet Energy of California. They are looking at other sites, but are interested in Stony Point because of the potential location near the CSX rail lines. The process they are proposing is a waste to energy gasification process, that processes garbage into ethanol, steam and ash. 

SPACE has reviewed the preliminary plans for the project and I believe it may have great potential environmental and economic benefits for town. In response to our introduction to the proposal, I have written a letter to MBC, encouraging the applicant to proceed with the review process with town, county, state and federal agencies. My letter is not to be construed as an endorsement of this project, but as an indication of our interest in learning more about the gasification proposal, the emerging technology, the environmental issues and the economic benefits for the Town of Stony Point.

Please read the article printed last month in the Journal News. I ask that you forward this notice to your neighbors and invite them to attend this important meeting. I ask that you come to learn about the proposal and keep an open mind, ask questions and plan to attend future public meetings to learn more about the proposal. 

Please help us spread the word.

PUBLIC HEARING: Thursday, October 25, 2012

TIME: 7pm, Stony Point Planning Board at the RHO Community Building, Clubhouse Lane (Letchworth)

Unfortunately, the Town of Stony Point has done little or no publicity or public outreach for this important meeting besides placing the mandatory legal notice. If you read the attached copy of the Planning Board agenda, you cannot tell what is even being proposed or discussed at the meeting. In the interest of full transparency and good communication with the residents, I would have preferred to see the Town of Stony Point make a more concerted effort to announce this important meeting on the town website, to the press, so as many town residents as possible could attend this public hearing and learn more about this proposal.

Please visit our SPACE website to read my letter and receive updates as the project plan is further developed.In the end, the Town Board and Planning Board will have to decide if this project is good for Stony Point and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation will have to determine if it is safe for our residents. Meanwhile, we encourage you to learn as much as you can so that you can also reach an informed decision.

Sincerely,

George Potanovic, Jr.
President, SPACE (Stony Point Action Committee for the Environment)
Stony Point