Dear Source:
I have recently attended, with an open mind, both public meetings addressing the proposed contract with Alpine Groups’ Waste to Energy Coke Burning Project.
Focusing on the areas that I as a health advocate and an environmentalist, I have grave concerns when I am shown a chart that highlights the fact that this coke burning process will produces 40% less carbon and other emissions than our old, outdated, broke down power plant. Since Alpine is not replacing WAPA, to me this means that this Coke Burning Plant is going to add an additional 60% of their emissions to what already is being emitted by WAPA, and only supplying less than 20% of the current demand, to what benefit is this to the health of our residents and our environment. What was also pointed out, and I found disturbing, was that the Department of Health has not spoken out nor has any representative been present at these open forums.
Another point, Alpine only gave possibilities for the waste ash material, which they claim is totally safe. Unless, they have a customer beyond our shores to purchase or accepted this by-product, we will end up with mountains of solid, What?
It seems that with our tropical environment and the threat of hurricanes, that some studies needed to be done to determine how long can this stuff sit around, with tons of it being produced every day, before it sets and becomes hard as concrete. Imagine what this will do to anyone breathing in this stuff over time. The question is how much time? Again this is not to ignore the impact on our total environment.
It is not reassuring to me with EPA’s history on monitoring the hazard waste producers already here in the territory, and with their lack of experience with this process to tell me that they are the Watchdogs.
The saying, "Follow the money":
Hovensa is a big benefactor. They save by not having to pay someone to take the coke of their hands. Will they cost share their savings and / or will they use some of that windfall to restore the areas they have destroyed over the years?
Does this deal further sweeten their tax exemptions?
Alpine will be racking in millions; they’re getting free coke, they’re being paid to transport it, to cook it and to distribute it, and they probably will receive tax benefits. And for all of this, they offer no concrete reassurances for our health or our environmental concerns. They are offering ASH.
WAPA’s savings are to be passed on to the consumers at an estimated average of 10 cent of every dollar on our monthly bills. But the LEAC remains and at the power plant it’s business as usual.
Waste Management is said to benefit by not having to rely on the dumps and shipping our waste off island. So they too will be paying millions of dollars every year to Alpine to burn most of our solid waste.
The alternative solutions offered have been said to be more efficient, more green, more cost effective and more healthier for all, but can it subsidies all of our needs on a 24 – 7 bases. How will materials for the wind, solar and thermal units hold up to our corrosive climate and hurricanes?
Conservation and recycling can alleviate some of our demand for electricity.
What about our solid waste?
With the pressure to close our dumps, the demand for reliable service, the health and environmental concerns and a 20 year committed to the unknown, this contract agreement is nothing to rush into, for our children’s sake. All of my figures are just estimates, and so are Alpine’s.
Without Wellness what kind of future is there for anyone?
Concerned Resident,
Ivan Butcher II
St. Croix, U.S V.I.
I’m surprised at the volume of opposition to Alpine’s project. An energy source for STX that is not petroleum and can burn stuff that otherwise goes into a land-fill or is otherwise a refinery’s waste product seems pretty attractive. If co-generation waste is equal to or better than what WAPA currently produces, isn’t that good?
Additionally, and this is really a question: Could not the proposed Alpine plant happily burn sugar cane derived waste, if only people would grow the cane again? Is there something in the answer to this question that could be an employment opportunity? Growing cane again? I understand that Brazil’s energy source of choice is sugar cane – it has a much higher caloric content than corn – the mainland favorite.
Sam Bridges
Once again, we have massive opposition to a proposed solution. What sollution are the opposers bringing forth? There are three problems at hand. Surplus Coke from Hovensa, garbage that just does not go awy on its own, and outdated power generation facilities. The Alpine project seems to address all three to some extent. An extent that is better than doing nothing. The nay sayers cannot offer a viable alternative that they collectively could agree upon. There is always the fear of outsiders taking advantage of the community, and as a result we stay behind the curve. We have little option but to move forward. Digging heads into the sand does not work. The old days are gone. We as a society generate more waste than ever and consume more electricity than ever, and burn more fuel than ever. Alpine stands to provide one answer, and that is better than no answer, and better than continual waiting for what might be the next technology while the problems compound. The time has come to stop the chatter and act.
It seems that we are locked in to a catch 22. Whatever alternative energy sources we personally use (need) or commercial groups like Alpine propose takes dollars away from WAPA (an already in the red operation). 4 winds windmills not rotating yet? Ask WAPA why…
I also suspect that the above mentioned Alpine group is in the process of scoping out their ocean access at what seemed to have started out at Bovoni Bay. Then east to Stalley Bay – and now Over the last few weeks I have seen a pile driver or core sampler at work in St Johns Bay (which is a little sandy beach just east of Stalley Bay and just west of Long Point where the Marine Reserve begins). This apparatus has worked its way across the beach starting from west to east. It was still there on Sunday (Feb 7th). Could this be part or their early research?
click here: http://www.me.com/gallery/#100049
Anyone know about any permits for this operation? Did anyone check for turtle nests before drilling? What’s next? Oh – I suspect that just maybe someone is looking hard at the vast (18 – 20′ deep) turtle grass ocean bed just offshore that one would have to dredge through to accommodate supply ships.. The ocean bed (out to a quarter mile) off the south side of St Thomas, from Long Point to Bolongo is a vast shallow plain of turtle grass and conch breeding grounds.. To the east of Long Point is the Cas Cay/Mangrove Lagoon Marine Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
Carl Butler
St Thomas, USVI