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Health Dubois County, Inc.
HDC is a public benefit not for profit corporation.
P.O. BOX 222
Jasper, Indiana 47547
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TOP TEN REASONS TO REPEAL THE BIOMASS DECISION
It’s not too late to learn and correct course.
10. “Do unto those downstream [downwind] as you would have those upstream [upwind] do unto you.” —Wendell Berry
9. Government inadequately informs and protects the public. The Ohio Valley already produces far more electricity (approx. 15,000 MW) than it consumes (approx. 4,500 MW) (Valley Watch/John Blair). Despite IDEM and EPA, our region is among the most polluted in the nation. After extensive research, William Sammons, MD, on August 12, 2011, reported that the baghouse and other technologies do not remove nearly enough particulates to make this plant safe for its location.
http://www.dcfreep.com/a-letter-from-dr-william-sammons-regarding-the-biomass-power-plant/
8. Dubois County ranked nationwide as the 36th worst (of 3,141) for yearly particulates in 2008. It has been in non-attainment for particulates—the EPA’s version of an F grade—for years. Would we tolerate more criminals if we ranked that poorly on crime?
7. The Twisted Oak power plant would add to our national debt. Available federal subsidies/incentives divided by an estimated 16 new jobs would cost taxpayers nearly $2,500,000 per job. If divided by the total 30 jobs at the plant, the taxpayer cost would still be $1,300,000 per job. The Gainesville, FL, Tea Party is leading the opposition to a local biomass power plant for both health and financial reasons.
ARRA, 2009 Stimulus Act, 30% tax-free rebate of Twisted Oak’s proposed capital investment www.dsireusa.gov Federal Register, Vol 74, No 11, Thursday, June 11, 2009, p. 27768, Biomass Crop Assistance Program, Final Rule, October 21, 2010 (up to $45 per ton of biomass fuel)
www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=ener&topic=bcap
http://gainesvilleteaparty.org/hot-topics/biomass-a-health-hazard/
http://gainesvilleteaparty.org/hot-topics/biomass-a-bad-contract/
6. Politicians have made this decision despite widespread opposition from citizens, local health care professionals, and from national position statements from the American Lung Association, American Heart Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, which are based upon thousands of studies worldwide that show particulates and other pollutants are toxic and directly increase asthma, cancer, heart disease and premature births www.healthyduboiscounty.org. Recent analysis also suggests increased special education rates in southern Indiana.
http://www.nuvo.net/indianapolis/indianas-toxic-air-affecting-%20children/Content?oid=2321074
5. The power plant’s location does not respect the sanctity of life and pro-life values. The unborn, pregnant, elderly, and ill are most vulnerable and deserve more protection than they have received in this process.
http://06vars.tripod.com/id1.html
www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=10803
4. Biomass is not carbon neutral. The European Environmental Agency Scientific committee’s September 15, 2011, report calls biomass carbon neutrality “a serious accounting error.” In plain English or correct math, saying biomass combustion is carbon neutral won’t improve our air quality.
3. Truck traffic to and from the power plant will tear up our roads and increase pollution. Street Commissioner Raymie Eckerle, in a Jasper council meeting, stated one semi-truck equals 2,000 cars for road damage. Twisted Oak’s 18-20 truck deliveries per day for fuel alone would be equivalent to the wear and tear of 36,000-40,000 additional cars on our roads. Reference in minutes of July 18, 2007, Jasper Common Council meeting.
2. Miscanthus is very expensive to grow, and today’s crop subsidies may evaporate tomorrow. Farmers must wait several years to harvest before they might profit. Despite his assurances in June that the western corn rootworm was “not a significant risk,” University of Illinois expert Dr. Michael Gray now reports that resistant corn rootworms are causing “significant damage” to fields of genetically modified Bt corn in both Iowa and Illinois. The rule of nature is that pests develop resistance.
http://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/article.php?id=1555
1. Our kids are exposed to enough pollution already. In “The Smokestack Effect: Toxic Air and America’s Schools,” investigators from USA Today, Johns Hopkins, UMass, and the University of Maryland extensively analyzed toxic industrial exposure to over 128,000 American schools. Two area schools scored worse than 95% of our nation’s schools. No school in Jasper’s city limits surpassed the 19th percentile, meaning 80% of schools did better. Although these investigators consider distance from smokestacks important, Jasper politicians voted money first.
http://content.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/smokestack/index
Respectfully contact our current and future leaders, and ask that they repeal the biomass resolution.
Healthy Dubois County, Inc., is a public benefit not-for-profit corporation whose purpose is to advocate for clean air and a healthy environment for Dubois County. Visit www.healthyduboiscounty.org to directly access any of the above links. Donations (not tax deductible) may be sent to Healthy Dubois County, Inc., P.O. Box 222, Jasper, IN 47547.
***September 29th update***
A lease between Twisted Oak and Jasper has not yet been finalized.
How often do we have the real hopeful possibility of permanently retiring an outdated power plant smokestack?
Death and disease attributable to fine particle pollution from Jasper power plant (http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jasper_2_Power_Plant)
Table 1: Death and disease attributable to fine particle pollution from Jasper 2 Power Plant
| Type of Impact | Annual Incidence | Valuation |
| Deaths | 6 | $42,000,000 |
| Heart attacks | 9 | $970,000 |
| Asthma attacks | 97 | $5,000 |
| Hospital admissions | 4 | $97,000 |
| Chronic bronchitis | 4 | $1,600,000 |
| Asthma ER visits | 6 | $2,000 |
Email and ask questions of the mayoral candidates:
It’s very likely that the next mayor of Jasper, Indiana will be in a position to not sign the lease agreement or to scrap biomass plans all together. There will be a mayoral candidate debate on October 12th where questions from voters can be asked in person and online. (https://www.facebook.com/JasperMayoralForum2011)
We need (new voices) to ask that the mayoral candidates not flip-flop on their previous positions of being opposed to Twisted Oak or on their support for a public vote on the matter. We need new voices to also ask mayoral candidates about the need for genuine city government transparency.
Here’s what the two candidates have previously stated concerning Twisted Oak/biomass:
“I am officially opposed to an agreement between the City of Jasper and
Twisted Oak LLC. My decision is based on these key factors: Economic
Development; the Business Plan; the Marketplace and Community
Wellbeing.” Terry Seitz
“For the record, here is my position on the biomass issue. Based on what has been presented to date, I personally am opposed to the project. That being said, I maintain my push for a citywide vote on the issue. It is only fair and the right thing to do. City officials should listen to their constituents by holding the vote. There is only one way to know where the public stands and a vote would answer that question. A public vote could be held very quickly and cost very little. I have a plan to set the voting up. The utility service board as well as the city council should be commended on their due diligence in researching the issue and studying the financial impact and windfall the city might gain. However, at the end of the day, every Jasper resident of voting age should have the right to cast a vote on the issue. This decision has far too much risk of our great quality of life here in Jasper not to allow our residents to have their voices heard.” July 18 2011 Email sent from John Burger’s phone
burgerturkeyfarms@insightbb.com
Both are in the phonebook as well.
As always your ongoing financial support helps generate awareness. Please continue spreading the word to your area friends, neighbors and business patrons that biomass is not a done deal. We still have “no biomass” signs free to those who want one.
***August 17th Update***
Since voting on a resolution (August 5th) to sign a lease with Twisted Oak (Jay Catasein), Jasper City leaders have been very quiet. In fact there is no indication, as of yet, that the city has signed a lease with Twisted Oak’s Jay Catasein. Jasper City Leaders are eager for citizens to believe that it is all a done deal. The absence of a signed lease is most likely because of the pending litigation that concerned citizens have brought forth stating that we believe that Jasper city leaders violated the Indiana Open Door Law. Keep those “Clean Air No Biomass/Coal” signs up in your yard! And keep the contributions coming in- we have a solid case.
Consider what just happened just yesterday, August 16th 2011, as three fire trucks were quickly dispatched to an urgent emergency call to respond to a case of smoldering coal in the 1968 built Jasper Power Plant that spiked area emissions. The city quickly called a press conference and immediately downplayed the incident. If Jasper Clean Energy Center ever did come to fruition, tons of miscanthus (biomass fuel source) would be daily delivered and stored in similar container bins. Along with dangerous particulate matter and other harmful emissions there will be a fire threat with biomass.
Keep those yard signs up… We have more. This is far from a “done deal”.
***July 20 update***
City of Jasper Mayor asked by citizens, through the moderator, to postpone July 26 public forum (7 p.m. Jasper Arts Center) for thirty days thereby giving citizens fair and ample time to review the lease draft that was just released July 20th at 2:00 p.m. In the mean time, more doctors have added their names in advocating for clean air and saying no to Twisted Oak LLC and Renova Capital Partners.
Jasper IN Biomass Update
All three Jasper mayoral candidates stand against Twisted Oak and Renova Capital LLC’s Biomass proposal (Jasper Clean Energy Center); here are some of the positions in part (names in alphabetical order):
John Burger: “I don’t want Jasper to be a guinea pig for this plant.”
http://www.dcfreep.com/john-burger-states-his-side/
Terry Seitz: “I am officially opposed to an agreement between the City of Jasper and Twisted Oak LLC. My decision is based on these key factors: Economic Development; the Business Plan; the Marketplace and Community Wellbeing.”
http://www.terryseitz.com/files/power-plant.pdf
Mack Steffen: “I am vehemently opposed to the city’s current biomass plant proposal. There are way too many unanswered questions for the city officials and the people of Jasper and Dubois county to make an educated decision of worth versus risks. I am opposed to the city hurriedly trying to get this contract signed this year, much less, by the end of July . . .”
In addition, apparently all of the local banks were unwilling to invest in the Jasper Clean Energy Center.
Clean Air and NO BIOMASS yard signs are popping up everywhere, and hundreds of signatures have been collected for the clean air ordinance.
Dear Representatives of Renova Capital, LLC, (A Denver-based investment firm founded in 2007)
We know that you are regular visitors to our website. We hope that you find this website informing, especially our growing list of concerned healthcare professionals. Please be advised (and financially prepared) that citizens are ready to diligently and legally oppose any effort to establish a biomass facility in our community. We are prepared to peacefully, responsibly, legally, and honestly prevent biomass air pollution from the proposed Jasper Clean Energy Center from occurring in our city and county. Please research what concerned citizens were able to accomplish in Crawford County and Milltown, Indiana. Thank you for your consideration. We would love to have a conversation with you concerning your biomass proposal for Jasper, Indiana. Please e-mail us at healthydubois@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizens of Dubois County
The tide is turning . . . There’s still room on the ark.
Click here to see more youtubes from June 22 2011.
***Updated June 24th 2011***
Growing Body of Local Healthcare Professionals Oppose Biomass Power Plant
We, as concerned healthcare professionals, are opposed to Twisted Oak’s biomass power plant, and any further negotiations with Jay Catasein.
Norma Kreilein, MD, FAAP
Jill Smith, MD, FAAP
Michael Ruff, MD, FAAP
Douglas Bies, MD, FAAP
Yvonne Rominger, RN, MSN, CFNP
Bernard P. Kemker, Sr., MD, FACS
JP Salb, MD
Thomas Gootee, MD
Francis Gootee, MD
Kelly Fehrenbacher, MD
Michael Wohlberg, MD
Steven O’Connor, MD
Bryan Lilly, DO
Jason Vaughn, MD
Linda Hanekamp, DO
Monte Sellers, DO
Christopher Scipione, MD
Steven Dewitt, MD
Lisa Lindborg, MD
Daniel Eby, DO
Joseph Munning, MD
C Steven Smith MS MD
Toby Harmon, DC
Sheila Harmon, DC
Donald Vennekotter, MD, FACS
Nick Werne, MD
Kristen Werne, MD
Scott Beckman, MD, FACOG
Steven Hopf, MD, FACOG
Robert Ehrhard, MD, DDS
Judith Englert, MD
J.R. Hoffman, MD
Mark Luff, MD
Dean Beckman, MD
Matt Monesmith, DDS
Kenneth Troutman, DDS
Kevin Lusk, MD
Garry Riddle, MD
Gwenda Breckler, MD
Evan Hurst, MD
Scott Wilhelmus, MD
Theresa Upton, RN
Linda Russell, RN
Scotty Munning RN
Lucy Weaver, RN
Alice Schitter, RN, NCTM
Marilyn Shelton, LPN
Renee Rottet, MSW
Dana Meyer Hopf, OTR
Kris Lasher, CMT
Kathleen Helming, RN, BSN
Betty Bobu, RN
Carrie C. D’Esposito, RN
Vicky Beckman, RN
Cheryl Hopster, RN
Mark Hopster, LPN
Stephanie Armstrong, RN
Stacy Fischer, RD
Ann Rasche, RN
Michael Hicks, CMT
Nancy Blessinger, RT
Ramona Johnson, School Psychologist
Mike Snell, RN
Erica Snell, RN
Thomas Holsworth, Ph.D. HSPP
Ryan Sherer MD
Other physicians, healthcare providers, and citizens are invited to be more involved concerning the biomass issue. Visit www.healthyduboiscounty.org for more information, or e-mail healthydubois@gmail.com. New yard signs supporting clean air are available upon request. Contact Jasper city leaders about this important issue, and attend the Utility Service Board meeting (Monday, June 20, 7:00 PM) and Common Council meeting (Wednesday, June 22, 7:00 PM) at Jasper City Hall. Your respectful voice for the health of our community is needed. Many thanks to Protect Our Woods and concerned citizens for help with the funding of this ad.
Contact Jasper city leaders and attend Jasper USB (June 20 @ 7:00 PM) and Common Council (June 22 @ 7:00 PM) meetings. Your respectful voice, action and attention for clean air and the well-being of our community is needed.
***Update*** New letter from Steven Hopf, MD More local doctors are preparing statements of concerns.
***Update*** Help Jasper, Indiana secure a ***Clean Air Ordinance***; contact your Jasper city council.
*Farmers, check out our “Area Farmers Voice Concerns” section on this website.
April 2, 2011 a Community in Conversation gathered for the
Walk for Clean Air
Citizens say it’s a heath concern; certain leaders say it’s a financial profit motivation:
This website provides information from various concerned parties. It has been gathered over time and should be paramount to the decision making process of this facility.
We may not be fancy, but we have used credible, cited sources and provided the links for you to check our findings.
In all fairness we would also like to give you the opportunity to see what those who would want to bring biomass to Jasper have to say; here is a website that they have put the city name of Jasper on. To date, there has been no mutual “Community Conversation” offered or attended by Twisted Oak or its partners.
http://jaspercleanenergycenter.com/
We would also like to give you the opportunity to do a little research on Twisted Oak, the business who is bringing this multi million dollar project to Jasper. Please know that this should be another huge concern for our community as a number of biomass facilities are closing their doors around the country and leaving the city with the financial repercussions; to see more information with the cited sources to back this statement up, please visit our “Economic” tab as we are still researching, in depth, this project’s leaders and investors.
http://twistedoakcorp.com/
Please do your own research as well. If you find valid information please post it on the blog. Put words like dioxin, biomass air pollution, particulate matter, miscanthus grass, biomass facility closures into any internet search engine and see what you find.
Download the Twisted Oaks Proposal
to the Jasper Utility Board
Download a discussion with William Sammons, M.D.
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