Bio-refinery site review meeting yields few results
Saturday, March 17, 2007 11:47 PM PDT
Larry Meyer Argus Observer
ONTARIO
Members of the Malheur County Planning Commission were left with an uneasy feeling regarding what questions they could ask after more than three hours of applicant and public comment Tuesday night focused on a proposed bio-refinery south of Ontario.
Between 50 and 60 people showed up for the session at Four Rivers Cultural Center’s Meyer/McLean Auditorium.
In the end, the commission agreed to continue the site review hearing for the bio-refinery proposed by Treasure Valley Renewable Resources on June 15.
The June 15 hearing will occur in the Collins Room at Four Rivers Cultural Center at 7 p.m.
The board decided to continue the hearing at the request of area resident Steve Penn, who made a request for the extension so he could submit additional information on the issue.
A good share of the testimony at the meeting revolved around water, wastewater and air quality issues in connection to the bio-refinery.
Toward the end of the hearing, Larry Epstein, a Portland attorney hired by the county to assist with the land use process and site hearing, stepped to the microphone to answer a question.
Epstein quickly told the planning commission members they had gone beyond their responsibility as set by the county code by discussing issues — such as water — that are being handled by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
Epstein told the commission all TVRR had to establish was the water, air quality and wastewater permits were achievable. TVRR, Epstein said, had done that.
The commisson had to follow the law of the county, Epstein told the commissioners and address what is in the county code.
The bio-refinery plan submitted by TVRR now includes new technology, including a change from a fermentation process to gasification formula.
TVRR manager John Hamilton insisted in rebuttal testimony the county zoning ordinance did not preclude the company from making changes from a fermentation process to gasification.
Hamilton said the bio-refinery will be a food-grade facility, which will produce fiber, germ, protein, starches and what starches and cleanings not used for production, will be used to produce ethanol.
Hamilton said the switch to the new technology resolved some of the lingering issues regarding the fermentation process.
“It lowered air emissions. It lowered the amount of water we needed. It eliminated 75 trucks,” Hamilton said. The trucks would have been needed to haul the wet feed away, which would have been a product of the fermentation process, he said.
Bill Fox, an environmental engineer and TVRR consultant, in his presentation described gasification as turning a solid to a gas to a liquid.
“It’s much more environmentally friendly,” he said.
Water was a major issue during the session, which included discussion about wells.
Responding to questions and concerns about possible effects planned wells at the bio-refinery site would have on neighbors, given the amount of water which can be pumped, Ron Jacobs, regional water master, clarified TVRR’s permit only allowed the facility to pump a maximum of about 1,500 gallons per minute and that was for all four wells combined.
Jacobs also said the company has to monitor its wells, and if the static level of the water drops 15 feet or more in five months, or three feet in month, the Oregon Water Resources Department would shut those wells down.
Fox said in the five sections of land around the site, the domestic wells went down no farther than 60 feet and deeper wells were irrigation wells.
He said TVRR would go down at least 125 feet before it could look for the volume of water it wants.
“We don’t want to damage anybody’s wells,” he said. At full production, the bio-refinery would pump only about 900 gallons per minute, and not continually.
Melinda Kathriner, speaking in opposition, said she is still concerned about the traffic, particularly on Southeast Second Street, which she said goes through a congested neighborhood.
“It is not appropriate to have traffic in a congested neighborhood,” she said.
She also wondered if the widening of Alameda Drive, the main route to the bio-refinery site, would affect her property.
Another opponent, Terry Oft said he was concerned from his research about the possible pollution if the gasification process did not burn all the material. He also said the new TVRR technology was not proven technology.
“We will be the test case,” he said. “We definitely need monitoring out on the ground.”
Scott Fairley, DEQ, said in response every emission source will be monitored. He announced the draft air contaminant discharge permit would be available beginning Wednesday for public review and the DEQ’s public hearing will be July 13.
“There will be no emissions coming off gasification process,” he said. “Every possible emission point is factored in this (draft permit).”
In his statement, Vic Easterly, who lives and owns property near the site, regarding the economics, asked, “Why hasn’t the county done a feasibility study.”
He said he thought the estimated benefits were based on pure speculation, not based on sound economics.
Easterly also said, “(TVRR) should be required to post a performance bond, should be required to protect the county.”
In rebuttal, Hamilton said, “If we don’t perform to the permit they shut us down.” And, “If we for any reason shut down, we have to pay the tax that was abated.”
