Last modified: Saturday, March 17, 2007 11:46 PM PDT Small crowd shows for bio-refinery town hall meeting Tami Hart Argus Observer ONTARIO The crowd at the Treasure Valley Renewable Resources second town hall Wednesday night was small but vocal. A number of local residents testified for and against the proposed bio-refinery at the gathering held at Four Rivers Cultural Center. Other residents arrived armed with laundry lists of questions for TVRR’s project manager John Hamilton. Advocates of the $77 million bio-refinery project assert it will create more than 60 jobs and give the local economy a needed boost. A number of key local leaders, the Oregon Department of Economic Development and Gov. Ted Kulongoski worked to get TVRR to situate the plant in Malheur County after local opposition and zoning issues scuttled efforts to build it in Payette County. TVRR also sponsored a town hall meeting in August in Ontario. Unlike the first town hall meeting, where state agencies were represented in full force, Wednesday’s meeting was attended by only a representative from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and an official from the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department. Scott Fairly, ODEQ, was on hand to field questions concerning air quality issues and to explain how the DEQ would be monitoring the proposed facility. Rick Minister, a regional economic developer for the OECDD offered information addressing such community issues as the economic development zone. Hamilton led the crowd through a brochure produced by TVRR that covered some of the more frequent questions the company has had to answer in the course of its effort to build a bio-refinery locally. The questions covered issues ranging from site selection to whether farmers would be able to spray their crops ground near the proposed bio-refinery site on Alameda Road. Emissions and odors from the proposed plant were key topics for a number of residents at the meeting. According to the brochure produced by TVRR, comparisons to the odors emitted by a plant of the Potlach company in Lewiston, Idaho are misleading. “The two facilities are entirely different types of operations and processes,” according to information in the brochure. Additionally, the differences in locations also has an effect on potential odors. The Oregon DEQ will be responsible for issuing permits to TVRR for plant and equipment levels and will also be responsible for responding to any complaints of objectionable odors after the plant is operational, according to the brochure. Fairly said his agency will keep a close eye on the proposed plant. “The DEQ will ensure this facility meets all the state Clean Air Act requirements,” Fairly said. Regina Easterly, who expressed her concerns on a number of issues related to the facility, said she understood why TVRR chose the location south of Ontario for its facility.. She felt, however, there was a better location. “Why not choose a site further from schools and the hospital?” Easterly said. “I don’t feel this is in the best interest of students and the hospital.” Hamilton said the plant would not be a danger to residents. “We’re not going to be in a position to where we’re going to contaminate those things,” Hamilton responded. Easterly stressed she is not opposed to the bio-refinery, just its location, a sentiment that was echoed by Vic Easterly. “We’re not against you being in Malheur County, we just think you could move this away from the city. We don’t think it has to be so close to the city,” Vic Easterly said. Leo Venturacci, Ontario, said he feels the subject of emissions and odor are less important than other issues. “There are more serious things to worry about than smell, with everything else that is going on with chemical spraying over the years,” Venturacci said. A number of citizens spoke out in favor of the proposed bio-refinery. Ontario resident Marlow Pounds said the real bonus of the plant will be the value-added products that it will produce. “You say it will bring jobs. That’s great. For me, what’s important is the value added product that’s going to enhance the community,” Pounds said. “I see this as a practical thing for the good of this community.” Hamilton closed the meeting by encouraging everyone to offer testimony at future public hearings. “For those who are opposed to the plant, you still need to be heard at the planning and zoning and commission meetings. We all need to be heard,” Hamilton said. Hamilton said the planning and zoning commission meeting will be held Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at FRCC. He said testimony will be taken at that time and as many meetings as necessary will follow the initial gathering in order to hear all testimony. Twenty one days after that, Hamilton said the matter would move to the county commission. “Every step we go through, there are public hearings,” Hamilton said. Tami Hart is a reporter for the Argus Observer. She can be contacted at (541) 889-5387, or by e-mail, TamiH@argusobserver.com.