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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMISC LETTERS, MEMOS, & EMAILS Project 350 Updates Page 1 of 3 NANCY ECKERT From: Carolyn Cole [Carolyn.Cole@vgm.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 1:31 PM To: NANCY ECKERT Subject: FW: How do you want to take action? Another one for the file. Carolyn Cole VP-corporate communications VGM Group, Inc. Strategic Media, Ltd., managing director P.O. Box 2817 Waterloo, IA 50704 319-274-6509 Original Message From: Anne Johnson [mailto:aj12833@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 1:29 PM To: axehaugen@cfu.net; Carolyn Cole; debuhrs@cfu.net; anelia dimatrova; Beth Drewelow; Kamyar enshayan; eric.gunderson@waterloo-ia.org; Joann Finkenbinder; Julie Fischer; Nanette Gaines; coal group; Tom Hagarty; harcarge@aol.com; Terry Hudson; Sue Hummel; dan hummel; Pat Kinney; Kayla Mulder; Nancy Newhoff; Chris Schwartz; becky stansbery; Jeannie Steele; Emily Thode; Grant Veeder; wielandd@asme.org Subject: Fw: How do you want to take action? That is, of course, IF you want to take action. Otherwise, you could just keep pretending nothing's wrong and keep on pushing for more coal plants and destruction of wetlands, as too many of our officials are doing. None of us will be around for the water wars and flooding to come, but this isn't about us, is it? It's about the people who will live in the world we create, or in this case destroy. We don't have much time left to mess around. spreading the news that you don't read about in the paper or see on TV. Anne Johnson --- On Tue, 7/29/08, May Boeve,350.org <organizers@350.org> wrote: From: May Boeve, 350.org <organizers@350.org> Subject: How do you want to take action? To: aj12833@yahoo.com Date: Tuesday, July 29, 2008, 9:46 AM 7/29/2008 Project 350 Updates Page 2 of 3 Anne Johnson, What is a Global Project? Wow. Global Projects are campaigns that 350.org is What a whirlwind this has been already. When we coordinating to unify launched our global climate campaign six weeks ago, we different types of climate knew that our small organizing team didn't have all the action all over the world. answers. We put our trust in you all, and it worked - all kinds of creative actions and ideas have been popping up. Some are coordinated by Now we're launching some new tools to help spread these 350.org staff, and others project ideas around the world. Check them out and get bubble up from 350 involved: supporters worldwide. http://www.350.org/en/take-action Visit our Take Action page to see which Global The Sound of Hope and Spirit: Organize within your Projects are already church,temple, mosque or faith community of any kind running, and take the poll to and connect your faith to your hope for a safe climate. help us determine which global projects 350 should 350 Sports: Like to play baseball, soccer or football? work on next. Check out our 350 Elite Athletes promoting 350, and gather your friends together for your own sports action. Take the Poll 350 Craft Challenge: The 350 craft contest is now open for submissions. Make your best 350 quilt, t-shirt, hat, even finger puppet to help spread the word wherever you go and submit it for a chance at some great prizes. We also want to highlight any action idea you can dream up to help spread the 350 message. Make it bold, make it creative, make it inspiring. We'll be here to support you and link you up with other organizers all over the world. You can also help us decide which are the most inspiring ideas to promote next by taking our quick poll -- it will only take a minute or so: Which Global Project would you like to see 350.org focus on? We're taking up these great ideas because many people are smarter than a few. Our collective imagination is more powerful than our individual ideas, and creative actions like these are the best way to spread the number 350. Each action you take helps build this global movement. Onwards, The 350.org team: Bill, Jamie, Jeremy, Jon, Judit, Kelly, May, Phil, Will P.S. Last week, our friend Al Gore issued a bold challenge for America--to produce all it's 7/29/2008 Project 350 Updates Page 3 of 3 power from renewable sources within the next 10 years. This is the first real US plan commensurate with the scale of the climate crisis -- and it sets the groundwork for what comes next -- an international agreement just as bold. Check it out, and then let's keep working on building a global movement. 350.org is an international grassroots campaign that aims to mobilize a global climate movement united by a common call to action.By spreading an understanding of the science and a shared vision for a fair policy,we will ensure that the world creates bold and equitable solutions to the climate crisis. 350.org is an independent and not- for-profit project. 350.org needs your help! To support our work,donate securely online at http://www.350.org/donate You are subscribed to this list as aj12833@yahoo.com. Click here to unsubscribe To subscribe,visit http://www.350.org/sign-up. Join us on Facebook by becoming a fan of our page. 7/29/2008 NANO i� ECKERT From: Carolyn Cole [Carolyn.Cole@vgm.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 9:00 AM To: NANCY ECKERT Subject: FW: re a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration For the record. Carolyn Cole VP-corporate communications VGM Group, Inc. IA 50704 Strategic Media, Ltd. , managing director P.O. Box 2817 Waterloo, 319-274-6509 Original Message From: Anne Johnson [mailto:aj12833@yahoo.com] Beth Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 8:56 AM To: axehaugen@cfu.net; Carolyn Cole; debuhrs@cfu.net; Dick Dewater; anelia dimatrova; Drewelow; Kamyar enshayan; Joann Finkenbinder; Julie Fischer; Nanette Gaines; coal oalcgroup; Tom Hagarty; harcarge@aol.com; Terry Hudson; Sue Hummel; dan hummel; j auro; reins z; ; Tom arcs;Kessler; PtSchwartz;Michael Sriems; beckynstansbery;Nancy EmilyNewhoff; jeff Thode; Grant reinitz; Katy Schares; Chris Veeder; wfd@cfu.net; wielandd@asme.org Subject: re a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration FYI, all. e way I o, in this If I didn't take a look at torhe comments of entitled "Coalories Carvesha Place din the Futurease an of Global found at www.commondream g I would have missed Energy" by Chris Kraul (Los Angeles Times Sunday, July 20, 2008) , learning about this information. ll f our ergy into e I hope it' s not he Is to fearyit may bet tootime to put late. Thereaareoso manynfeedback loopswwelhaveergy sources,tad althare started that are no longer within our control, but if we then sit back and fold our hands, that's even worse. Read the articles if you will, and then go to Bill McKibben' s website called www.350.org. ************************************************** here're the first two paragraphs of the report from NOAA and the link. Cut and paste! "Carbon Dioxide, Methane Rise Sharply in 2007" Last year alone global levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the primary driver of global climate change, increased by 0.6 percent, or 19 billion tons. Additionally methane rose by 27 million tons after nearly a decade with little or no increase. NOAA scientists released these and other preliminary findings today as part of an annual update to the agency' s greenhouse gas index, which tracks data from 60 sites around the world. The burning of coal, oil, and gas, known as fossil fuels, is the primary source of increasing carbon dioxide emissions. Earth' s oceans, vegetation, and soils soak up half of these emissions. The rest stays in the air for centuries or longer. Twenty percent of the 2007 fossil fuel emissions of carbon dioxide are expected to remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years, according to the latest scientific assessment by the International Panel on Climate Change. http://www•noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080423_methane.html ********************************************************** here' s another comment to the commondreams story from # KEM PATRICK July 20th, 2008 1:32 1 • pm: "You mentioned some past history of Earth, another age was the "Permian era", where almost all life, except some microbal and deep sea life, was eradicated on Earth within hours, due to global warming caused from excess Co2 from volcanic activity, which allowed the ocean'a methane gas to bloom out into the atmosphere. According to the distinguished and highly regarded by his peers, vertebrate paleontologist -Michael J. Benton-, states that same thing will re-occur within a few short years if we humans don't stop burning fossil fuels, especially coal. I'll accept his words and if you disagree with this link, let's hear your "wisdom" on the subject. http://www.energybulletin.net/3647 .html" ******************************************************************** That last link led me to very interesting information. Do what you will. Just spreading the news. Anne Johnson Cedar Falls "When I tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do. " William Blake 2 Page 1 of 3 NANCY ECKERT From: Carolyn Cole [Carolyn.Cole@vgm.com] Sent: Friday, July 18, 2008 10 10 AM To: NANCY ECKERT Subject: FW: The big players aren't investing in coal powerplants...see below For the record Carolyn Cole VP-corporate communications VGM Group, Inc. Strategic Media, Ltd., managing director P.O. Box 2817 Waterloo, IA 50704 319-274-6509 Original Message From: lasires©mchsi.com [mailto:lasires@mchsi.com] Sent: Friday, July 18, 2008 10:04 AM To: mayor©waterloo-ia.org; schmittreginalda@johndeere.com; Carolyn Cole; harcarge@aol.com; quentin.hart©waterloo-ia.org; rjgrx@aol.com; sschmitt©schmitthouse.com Subject: The big players aren't investing in coal powerplants...see below Texas approves major new wind power project Friday, July 18th, 2008 at 6:47am AUSTIN, Texas Texas, headquarters of America's oil industry, is about to stake a fortune on wind power. In what experts say is the biggest investment in the clean and renewable energy in U.S. history, utility officials in the Lone Star State gave preliminary approval Thursday to a $4.9 billion plan to build new transmission lines to carry wind- generated electricity from gusty West Texas to urban areas like Dallas. "People think about oil wells and football in Texas, but in 10 years they'll look back and say this was a brilliant thing to do," said Patrick Woodson, vice president of AP Photo/LM E.On Climate & Renewables North America, which has about 1,200 megawatts of Otero wind projects already in use or on the drawing board in Texas. Texas is already the national leader in wind power, generating about 5,000 megawatts. But wind-energy advocates say the lack of transmission lines has kept a lot of that power from being put to use and has hindered the building of more turbines. Supporters say Thursday's 2-1 vote by the Texas Public Utility Commission is critical to getting that energy to more people. 7/18/2008 Page 2 of 3 "We will add more wind than the 14 states following Texas combined," said PUC Commissioner Paul Hudson. "I think that's a very extraordinary achievement. Some think we haven't gone far enough, some think we've pushed too far." Most of Texas' wind-energy production is in petroleum-producing West Texas, where nearly 4,000 wind turbines tower over oil pump jacks and capture the breeze that blows across the flat and largely barren landscape. The new plan would not directly build a slew of new turbines, but would add transmission lines capable of moving about 18,000 megawatts. One expert said that is enough to power more than 4 million Texas homes. Supporters predict the plan will spur new wind power projects, create jobs, reduce pollution and lower energy costs. Texans pay some of the highest electric rates in the country, in part because of congested transmission lines. Texas electric customers will bear the cost of construction over the next several years, paying about $3 or $4 more per month on their bills, according to Tom Smith, state director of the consumer group Public Citizen. But he predicted that increase would easily be offset by lower energy prices. Smith called Texas' current transmission lines a "two-lane dirt road" compared to the "renewable energy superhighway" the plan would build. "We have all these wind plants up and operating. What we're asking for is the superhighway to get the energy to the cities," Smith said. "This will send signals to manufacturers all across the world Texas is ready to be a world-class player in renewable energy." The plan still needs to receive final approval later this year from the PUC. The transmission lines would not be up and running for three to five years. Who would build them and other details have yet to be worked out. Environmentalists and landowners have launched protests against wind turbines from Cape Cod in Massachusetts to Idaho and Texas' South Padre Island, complaining that wind turbines spoil the view and threaten migrating birds. But the turbines are already in West Texas, a sparsely populated region already pockmarked with oil drilling and exploration equipment. And this project will build only transmission lines. PUC Commissioner Julie Caruthers Parsley was the lone dissenter, arguing the plan may add too much power for the electric grid to handle. She also worried it could delay other projects, such as construction of nuclear reactors. The conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation said companies that build wind and solar farms should bear more of the cost of the new lines, and it warned that those power sources cannot be expected to consistently produce abundant energy. Even with the run-up in natural gas prices, more gas plants would be a good backup "because the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow all the time," said Drew Thornley, a policy analyst for the organization. The wind energy industry has benefited from the support of billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens, who is planning to build the world's largest wind farm on about 200,000 acres in the Texas Panhandle. When 7/18/2008 Page 3 of 3 completed, Pickens' 2,700 turbines will be capable of producing enough electricity to power 1.3 million homes. Pickens has become an evangelist for wind power as a way to break the nation's dependence on foreign oil, launching an advertising blitz in which he warned: "I've been an oilman all my life, but this is one emergency we can't drill our way out of." "It's a good decision," Pickens spokesman Jay Rosser said of Thursday's PUC vote. "It recognizes the important role wind in Texas will play in meeting the state's growing energy and energy stability needs." 7/18/2008 �oR10. ADy,f,p, 4,y NAACP Ai National Association For Advancement Of Colored People BLACK HAWK COUNTY BRANCH P.O. BOX 304 WATERLOO. IOWA 50704 May 5, 2008 TO: The Honorable Tim Hurley, Mayor FR: Black Hawk County Branch NAACP RE: Statement read at April 29, 2008 Council Meeting In your statement to the council members on April 2 }, I and many others heard you extrapolate ostensibly from a study reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dated in the year 2000. It asserted that potential sources that aggravate asthma indoors are mold, pets or pests, vermin, insects, bacteria, and dust mites. Outdoor exposure to ozone, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter also contribute. In a 2002 study called "Air of Injustice: African Americans and Power Plant Pollution," the Black Leadership Forum states that African Americans are at risk from power plant pollution. Furthermore, it reports that asthma sends African Americans to the emergency room at three times the rate of whites. The report is about the exacerbation of asthma caused by air pollutants, so it sticks to the subject and does not digress as you did with emphasis on allergens indoors in African American residences. The issue is not what causes asthma for humans, but, rather, what direct link there is between pollutants from coal-fired plants and asthma. While we are aware that your statements were read from a report, some of us in the African American community and asthma sufferers generally perceived your remarks as characterizing African Americans as unclean and unkempt people. In this regard, your remarks were insulting, demeaning, and insensitive, especially as a civic leader in a community that has a critical mass of African Americans. We believe they were prejudicial and tangential to the relevant concerns. Thank you for your time. Sly yam, Pudede-at Sharon A. Goodson, President Black Hawk County NAACP Officers and Members '1 My name is Jeri Thornsberry and I live on Sheridan Road. I did a bit more research on the applicant's answers to three questions asked by Council Members last week and this is what I found out. Ambient Air Standards and Impact on New Development I checked with DNR about ambient air standards and possible deterrent to future growth in the NE Industrial Area. The lead air dispersion modeler for the Air Quality Bureau emailed me the following response to my question: "It is not unusual for a facility to use all of the available NAAQS or increment. The DNR does not limit the percentage that can be consumed by an individual facility." This seems to me to be a worthwhile consideration for any future economic development in Waterloo. Railroad Connector In the application, coal is stated to be coming from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. It doesn't make economic sense to me to haul western coal in to the plant site from either the east or south tracks as was suggested unless Wyoming coal is not going to be used. It follows then that the City and railroad companies will need to negotiate easements for new rights-of-way for the required connector that will solve the problem of switching tracks in downtown Waterloo. Explicitly the City is one of the entities that the applicant referred to. This no doubt will be a future expense to the City. Fugitive Dust from Trucks The applicant was correct when he said that they were only responsible for fugitive dust on their plant site. However, what is important is that the applicant is not responsible for fly ash dust escaping off of the trucks on their way to the quarry once they leave the plant gate. The transportation company that owns the trucks is responsible. How will the City monitor the escaping ash? This no doubt will be a future expense to the City. And one more thing... Deannexing the Land Last year's Council committed that this land will be deannexed in a timely manner if LS Power does not apply for their permits or if the IUB or DNR refuses to permit them. Is this the explicit intent of this Council? If so, it would be good to so state this intent for the record. As you deliberate the petition before you, I hope you consider this new input. Thank you. S. s, 0 Planning Questions that Remain Unanswered 1. Are trains restricted to certain hours in and out of city limits? 2. What position will the city take if more trains enter and leave the city limits than stated in LS Power's Transportation Study? 3. It is rumored that due to a contractual dispute between Iowa Northern railroad and the Union Pacific railroad that locomotives from one carrier are not given access to the tracks of the other. If this is still the case then is it not true that railcars being transported by Iowa Northern railroad over its own track, coming into Waterloo from the northwest, must be switched to Union Pacific locomotives near the downtown area of Waterloo so as to proceed to the proposed plant site on Newell Road over Union Pacific owned track. Such a switch is time consuming and given the length of the average train, some 7,000 feet, will be obstructive of a number of city street crossings. If this scenario is true does the Council intend to proceed with approval of an annexation and rezoning of the Newell Street property without first being assured that any such dispute between the carriers has been resolved and that switching delays for this reason will not occur? 4. Who will monitor and control the obstruction of city street crossings? To whom can a citizen complain? To say that one can merely "drive around an intersection blocked by a trains to ignore City code and does nothing to accommodate those citizens who may very well need to drive a great distance to avoid such blockage. 5. Are trucks of certain weights restricted from movement between certain hours within the city limits? 6. Who monitors truck loads on weight limited roads? To whom can citizens report violations? 7. What are the limitations on lighting candlepower, internal to buildings and external to the grounds, emanating from an industrial site. 8. City Ordinance - Title 4, Chapter 5; Who enforces it, how is it enforced and how often are noise levels monitored. The question is applicable to vehicles as well as noise emanating from a building or building grounds. 9. What governmental entity will be responsible for the permitting and inspection of the physical buildings proposed to be built by LS Power? If the IUB is responsible for the turbines and the internal connection to the transmission line is it the City's responsibility for permitting and inspecting the actual building structures and their ancillary items such as plumbing, in-house electrical wiring, windows, walls, ceilings, floors, etc? 10. Will the City be responsible for the construction of the wastewater in and out of the Newell Street property? If not, what governmental entity will be? 11. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources takes no responsibility for "fugitive dust" emanating from either railroad cars or trucks which are outside the perimeters of specific physical locations over which they exercise control. What governmental entity then will monitor and control such dust while coal, CCBs and Biomass are in transit within the City limits?How will monitoring be done? To whom can citizens complain? 12. Newell Street between the City limits, east of Elk Run Road, and Raymond Road appears to be private property which is "occupied" at the pleasure of the adjacent land owners, by the County as a County road. If true, has either the County or the City obtained either ownership of the strip of land in question or do they hold an easement?Does either governmental entity have a legal right to cause an the road be upgraded as planed?What is the position of the new County Engineer concerning this road? lit dba AFI a `'` RECEIVED MAY OB 2008 Waterloo,IA—'Madison,WI—Terra Haute,IN P.O.Box 561,Cedar Falls,IA 50613(mailing address) INCORPORATED 319-277-7000 or 319-291-6000 Fax 3 -291-6684 Advertising Solutions Full Service or a la Carte111 www.AFi2.com =f May 1,2008 ,y\l}-547 Mayor Tim Hurley 715 Mulberry Street Waterloo, IA 50703 Dear Tim, I h ivre quietly watched from the sidelines as the forces for"good" and"evil" have carved out their positions on LS Power. Why not a"clean as possible" coal fired electric plant in our back yard? Most of us have developed a real appreciation for electricity. Some folks realize that before it was harnessed we depended on fire to light the dark and heat the stew. What a sooty mess! Now,it looks like the opponents want to abandon modern conveniences. The fact that the electric demand has outstripped short term supply and the fact that the distribution grid is in dire need of upgrades seems to escape them. The idea that we would have substantial co-generation facilities within the boundaries of Black Hawk County could spell the difference between future local growth or no growth. So how do we address the legitimate health and environmental concerns raised by our neighbors? Tim,you and the council have set ample precedent on spending money before it's earned or generated. Have you considered adopting a resolution that would reserve a percentage of the flowage rate from the plant to mitigate environmental concerns? Even though you have no assurance that this plant will run at full capacity,if it did,it would allegedly generate $800,000 in public mad money. If the beneficiary units of local government set aside 25-50%of the revenue generated by this plant to be used for environmental mitigation we_all may win. This would be especially true if LS Power would agree to fund half of all updates/upgrades not required by law. During a meeting Bob Molinaro and I had with their representatives months ago,it was clear LS Power would only commit to staying current with regulatory requirements. If you create an incentive fund for this company to go beyond D.E.Q./E.P.A./D.N.R., etc. requirements,we could have the consistently cleanest and most modern plant this side of nuclear power. Happily Submitted, (...., ,,,,, k / Chris Harshbarger P.S. Can you imagine the pollution and health problems we will experience if we run out of electricity and must revert to fire? Page 1 of 1 NANCY ECKERT From: Carolyn Cole [Carolyn.Cole@vgm.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 7:35 AM To: NANCY ECKERT Subject: FW: Annexation for power plant It never ends. Carolyn Cole VP-corporate communications VGM Group, Inc. Strategic Media, Ltd., managing director P.O. Box 2817 Waterloo, IA 50704 319-274-6509 Original Message From: Chris Sadler [mailto:chris22872@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 8:00 PM To: schmittreginalda@johndeere.com; Carolyn Cole; harcarge@aol.com; sschmitt@schmitthouse.com; Quentin.hart@waterloo-ia.org Subject: Annexation for power plant Dear Council members, I was at the long council meeting regarding the proposed power plant last Monday. I believe councilman Steve Schmitt raised the question as to why build on this land rather then land already within the city limits.. To this Mr. Mark Milburn answered that when they were looking for a suitable site this land was chosen because it was already for sale, that the property owners wanted to sell. This statment is not only mis-leading it is simply a lie. Merle Bell's land is part of the land LS Power needs for this plant. I farm Mr. Merle Bells land and have so for the last 10 years and my father farmed Mr. Bell's land for 25 years prior to that, and I can tell you for a fact that this land was not for sale. LS Power went around to each property owner one on one and told them that the other property owners had signed the option to sell and proceeded to strong arm each owner into selling. Merle Bell had said he would not sell, and LS Power told him that if he did not sign they would build this plant 50 ft. from his house. At the time Mr. Bells wife who has since passed was battleing lung cancer and told Merle that she could not live beside a power plant and that he would have to choose his farm or her. As any loving husband would, Merle choose his wife and her health and signed the option to sell. LS Power now says that Mr.Bell is no longer against this plant and the annexation. That too is a lie, the only reason why Mr. Bell is not openly opposed any longer is that last December when Merle's option was set to expire Mr. Milburn and LS Power were prepared to purchase Merle's farm, but instead Merle signed another extention that would allow him to stay on his farm. Included with this extention and more money Mr. Bell was strong armed into signing a gag order that prevents him from speaking out against this plant. So when Mark Milburn says they picked this land for the power plant because it was for sale, that is a nothing but a lie, this land was not for sale before LS Power rolled into town.. eed to commend Mr. Quentin Hart as being the only member of the council that is able to look beyond this )Id Mine" as Mayor Hurley called it last year and put the people of Waterloo first. Thank you Mr. Hart, please up the good work. lY adler Page 1 of 2 NANCY ECKERT From: Carolyn Cole [Carolyn.Cole@vgm.corn] Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 11:31 AM To: NANCY ECKERT Subject: FW: particulate level 2.5 emissions chart For the record Carolyn Cole VP-corporate communications VGM Group, Inc. Strategic Media, Ltd., managing director P.O. Box 2817 Waterloo, IA 50704 319-274-6509 Original Message From: Margaret Whiting [mailto:mwhitingbookart@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 11:29 AM To: mayor@waterloo-ia.org; schmittreginalda@johndeere.com; Carolyn Cole; harcarge©aol.com; quentin.hart@waterloo-ia.org; rjgrx@aol.com; sschmitt©schmitthouse.com; mwhitingbookart©hotmail.com Subject: particulate level 2.5 emissions chart Dear Mayor Hurley and City Council Members, I spoke last week at the city council meeting about the particulate level 2.5 emissions that would be released from the proposed coal plant. Three minutes was not enough time to explain the chart I showed at the meeting so I decided to send this chart to you which is attached. LS Power did NOT include particulate matter 2.5 concentrations on their emissions graph they showed at the meeting. Their emissions graph did show particulate matter 10 levels which are the larger size. Particulate matter 2.5 are the smaller size that are more dangerous to humans. Since it is even more important to be concerned about PM 2.5 levels and LS Power omitted this from their graph, please take a moment to look at this graph. William Stigliani and Jim Ruff helped me prepare this graph for you. Both of these men are extremely knowledgeable about emissions. William Stigliani has a PhD in Chemistry from Princeton University and has published many textbooks on environmental chemistry. He teaches chemistry at UNI and is director of the Center for Energy and Environmental Education at UNI. Jim Ruff has a PhD in Engineering and just retired from John Deere. The most alarming thing to note from this graph is that we are already near and sometimes we have already exceeded the allowed levels by the EPA. On February 24, 2008 we were in violation over the maximum allowed 24 hour level and twice in 2007 we were in violation. One of the council members suggested that maybe it was because of construction at the Grout Museum. This would not explain the fact that our ANNUAL level is also high. The annual level allowed by the EPA for PM 2.5 is 15 micrograms per cubic meter. Waterloo is at 11.5 micrograms per cubic meter. The Black Hawk County Board of Health recommended that the state of Iowa lower the annual standard to 12 micrograms per cubic meter. 5/5/2008 Page 2 of 2 (the same as California today). Sources of PM 2.5 emissions include all types of combustion - motor vehicles, power plants, wood burning, industrial processes, etc. If this coal plant is built we could easily be in violation for PM 2.5 levels which could stunt future economic development. These high levels of PM 2.5 are associated with serious health problems. Sincerely, Margaret Whiting 1974 Caras Road Waterloo, IA 50701 319-291-6994 5/5/2008 4/_as_or DATE: April 2 12608 �-dre��l'1�- ! - TO: ` yaW ertha C r uuncil Members v GJ CC: Mayor Tim Hurley Y FROM: Commuihl)f.Eherry Solutions AUDi-i0R'S UFi IU` SUBJECT: Analysis of Annexation and Rezoning Petition submitted by Elk Run Energy Associates, LLC (EREA)March 2008 Dear Council Members: Community Energy Solutions, a group of concerned citizens with varied-backgfnds and talents, prepared the enclosed analysis of EREA's annexation and reaning pition you will consider on April 28, 2008. As you read through this document, y will see e th ob► there are still many outstanding issues and many questions remain unanswered`J Cl r- Last October, the state's City Development Board admonished the City ofiNfaterit fo? not doing enough planning. To annex 348 acres into the City for industr4Cdevelqpinent and then to immediately rezone it to accommodate a power plant without a csound municipal plan would be to exhibit a lack of fiduciary responsibility by this CouncWlnd a lack of due diligence on the part of the City's entire Planning and Zoning staff Both of which could very well cost the City dearly. The building of a coal-burning merchant power plant (as defined by the DNR) does not align with the City's vision or the goals of the taxpayer-funded Greater Cedar Valley Alliance. This City Council is simply not following Waterloo's Comprehensive Plan to promote and protect the health, welfare and safety of its residents nor is it respecting the wishes of what would seem to be a majority of the residents'wishes. The only proponents of this plant that have come forwarded in its favor are those who stand to gain economically and who apparently have no understanding of or concern about the negative environmental and health aspects. As citizens, we expect more discernment regarding new businesses being considered for our area. Some of you would dismiss these comments saying that this is the same argument used when land was annexed to create the Northeast Industrial Park a-few years back. We see that this time there is a huge difference. This petition is for the sole purpose of building a mega-size merchant coal-burning power plant at a time when greater emphasis on energy efficiency and renewable sources of generation is called for. This coal plant will forever change the quality of life in the Cedar Valley which makes this public impact issue especially pertinent. To ignore the Black Hawk County Board of Health report that states that pollution causes African American children to suffer respiratory illnesses at a rate 2.5 times more often than other children is unconscionable. Is their quality of life expendable?Would you also ignore the Board of Health's future health recommendations regarding the potential Bird Flu pandemic? Can you justify the difference in your minds?Economic arguments do not Community Energy Solutions Transmittal Letter Page 2 outweigh public health impacts. A reasonable and prudent person would at least ask for more information or completely reject this project. Our quality of life depends upon our quality of air. How many young families will want to relocate here? What if future business expansions in the entire Cedar Valley are curtailed because we are out of compliance with the Federal Clean Air Act? We could then suffer reductions in Federal Transportation Funding and Block Grant Monies. Have you considered what businesses may be driven out of business by these coal pollutants? Is this Council ready to potentially trade 5000 jobs for 100?What a legacy that would be! And what will your children and grandchildren have to say about your personal vote to sentence our young and elderly citizens of the Cedar Valley to slow and agonizing deaths? Decisions to benefit some are made every day. These decisions create winners and losers in wealth and in health. We ask that you do the right thing and request a complete impartial cost benefit analysis including a risk assessment of future liabilities for this annexation and rezoning petition before making the irrevocable decision to forever change the quality of life in the Cedar Valley. We ask that you drive out to the site and see for yourselves the beauty of the valley as well as to experience the slow trains and backed up truck traffic. Sincerely, , 91- -7i) • Community Energy Solutions (Signature rst a ched) Enclosures: Community Energy Solutions Analysis Air of Injustice—African Americans&Power Plant Pollution Article Iowa Coal Combustion Waste Disposal Report Rezoning of Agricultural Land for Merchant Coal-Fired Power Plant Community Energy Solutions Citizen Signature Page Signature Printed Name c) T 6-. c_1- 6Q 77qy .1?/‘ TIT- i, 2 ,74„:, Z'AMA t31-07-z --- -`.-.) n )1/1 a azto:k, —_---S-'o WILT) IJ t 1v , -7 , -Ru [Lai ILe 1- _,,ili,kalAjtj4 4.wi 9g14 -Yii-lzei-4.) FlOK-1) ---)-1/ if, -1 ,:,77,zidie-\_ &Li.), Plut lie v- . n4-z of Sa-f eat-5 h&MQ5 Hq FF (14/4/0-rtie6 /cilia') Zlittd. 9,„,„..,,, ii . , tti�. L.2,J . ,,,„,,, q , ,,,z ,, . Xekeed_a i /4--'Mit- 41.6ea xA Z1 -•4 - er - ,? )-6-o 2_. 5;1 , 9 Ec.,. 6 ,e, u-cir-r i (k---- L.,, ic, ..,- 1,1".. /7( i/ / i€ d fic_517?-/- e pi NANCY ECKERT From: Carolyn Cole [Carolyn.Cole@vgm.com] Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 8:16 AM To: NANCY ECKERT Subject: FW: Brain Teaser --All -- Please Read This Article It just won't stop. Carolyn Cole VP-corporate communications VGM Group, Inc. Strategic Media, Ltd. , managing director P.O. Box 2817 Waterloo, IA 50704 319-274-6509 Original Message From: Bob [mailto:hoboflyer@yahoo.com] Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 9:36 AM To: mayor@waterloo-ia.org; schmittreginalda@johndeere.com; Carolyn Cole; harcarge@aol.com; Quentin.hart@waterloo-ia.org; rigrx@aol.com; sschmitt@schmitthouse.com; Coal Subject: Brain Teaser -- All -- Please Read This Article Hello, Here is an article on our favorite subject and it is one that each of us may wish to ponder: http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/2956 The author muses that "the Arctic doomsday prediction has gone from 2070 to 2013 in just eleven months of scientific reporting" and, in an enapsulation of the crux of it "SO HERE WE ARE, stripped of exaggeration and rhetoric, and hard pressed by the evidence right before our eyes. Our destiny will be decided, one way or another, in the next handful of years, either by careful decision- making or paralyzing indecision. We stand at a crossroads in human and planetary history. Or as my southern grandfather used to say, 'The fork has finally hit the grits'" Please read this article, each and all Bob 1 Biomass Usage in Proposed Coal-Fired Power Plant Page 1 of 2 NANCY ECKERT From: Jim Ruff[jimruff@cfu.net] Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 5:21 PM To: Waterloo City Council Subject: Biomass Usage in Proposed Coal-Fired Power Plant May 5, 2008 To: City of Waterloo Council Members Carolyn Cole Reggie Schmitt Harold Getty Steve Schmitt Bob Greenwood Ron Welper Quentin Hart Cc: Mayor Tim Hurley Nancy Eckert, City Clerk Subject: Biomass Usage in Proposed Coal-Fired Power Plant Dear Council Members: In my April 25, 2008 letter, I commented on the inadequacies of LS Power's renewable energy plan. I believe LS Power also understands its shortcomings as the only comment from Mr. Milburn and his Team of Experts was '....we're still working on our biomass plan." During this past week, the Iowa Utilities Board gave conditional approval to the Interstate Power and Light project in Marshalltown. One condition was biomass usage at the coal plant. The facility must utilize switch grass, corn stalks or other similar agricultural based products for five and ten percent within two and five years of the facility becoming operational, respectively. If these same conditions are imposed on the LS Power facilty, the truck traffic for just biomass handling will be much greater than has been estimated and will require additional infrastructure investment by either the city of Waterloo or Black Hawk County. For 5-6% biomass, more than 200 truckloads per day (18 wheeler size with switch grass bales- see attached photo) will be required during the fall and early winter months. The number of loads increased proportionally with the higher 10% biomass requirement, with smaller trucks or with round bales instead of square bales. Once again, the economics are terrible! With the IUB biomass requirement, LS Power's total fuel costs will be approximately 30% higher when 10% corn stover is substituted for Powder River Coal. If Dried Distiller's Grain is the option, the total fuel costs will more than double (based on real quotes from five ethanol plants in Iowa) . Switch grass is not an option. If produced, it will only be on CRP land and it will be more profitable to produce liquid fuel energy in an ethanol plant than steam energy in a coal plant. I elected not to mention this subject at the hearing as there was no need to embarrass in public the young project engineer from LS Power that talked only about jobs and the capitalization dollars for this project. It was doubtful if she had any knowledge of the engineering or economic problems associated with biomass. This is not a viable project for a merchant power plant. I would hope that your development contract with LS Power includes a multi-million $ penalty if they cancel after you have approved the annexation and rezoning. On a separate note, there was a comment made by a Council person in the April 28th City Council meeting that Community Energy Solutions has no scientists. This is an incorrect statement and it is unfortunate that it was highlighted in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier. Perhaps an apology and correction is needed in this week's Council meeting. There are members of Community Energy Solutions with advanced scientific and technical degrees. For myself, I have a PhD in Engineering and thirty-five years of engineering experience in academic and industry positions. Included in my career was research on sugarcane and grain and sweet 5/5/2008 or Biomass Usage in Proposed Coal-Fired Power Plant Page 2 of 2 sorghum harvesting for biomass usage for Texas A&M University, the Rio Grande Sugarcane Growers, the Texas Grain Sorghum Association and Batelle National Labs. I have served as a Director for a national engineering society and have received state, national and international engineering awards. Sincerely, James H. Ruff, PhD 5/5/2008 WC. �