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2011 to Present: Tire Incinerator in White Deer
In the summer of 2011, two companies announced they would seek from DEP a permit to build a tire burning incinerator in the region, within a few miles of many residential areas. It would generate electricity for a National Gypsum factory next door to the site of the incinerator. On the basis of discussions with three experts on incinerator technology and its health consequences, OUE concluded that tire burning incinerators put into the air hundreds of thousands of pounds of toxic gasses and particulate matter dangerous to human beings. Presently (Feb. 2012) OUE is continuing its research and regularly informing the public of its findings in its newsletter, “OUE Update“. The DEP will consider this permit sometime in the next few months, and at this point OUE plans to challenge it. The supervisors of White Deer Township and the Union County Commissioners have determined that they have no jurisdiction in this matter and have largely avoided the issue. this means the decision to permit the WDEP project lies solely with the DEP. We believeit highly likely that soon – it could be sometime in August – that the DEP will approve the application. If, as we expect, this happens we encourage citizens to write a letter to the Department on the decision during a thirty day comment period that the DEP must offer. These comments can be about any aspect of WDEP: expression of worries about certain aspects of the burner’s operations; more technical questions about these operations; specific questions about specific chemicals… for example how does the DEP know for sure that none of the chemicals will be harmful to people… which is the company’s claim; questions about the hazards of the truck traffic; questions about the hazards of the thousands of tons of toxic ash the incinerator will create; questions about the regulatory process and why the public is left with only 30 days to comment when the two companies have had three years to build their case; and so on. For anyonw willing to write a letter, we will gladly supply a packet of information that includes sample letters, suggestions for onther kinds of letters, and a few pages of background information on the hazards of this kind of incinerator. If you write a letter, we will encourage you to include a request that the DEP hold a public meeting so that all citizens in the area have an opportunity to speak at and/or attend an open public discussion about the incinerator. Please remember that if the DEP approves this application, our letters and such a public hearing will be the only opportunity that we have as citizens to seek a reversal of the decision.
An additional note to LETTER WRITERS: If you are willing to write a letter to DEP, as described above, send us your email and your home address. ouenews@gmail.com We will send you the information packet the next day. We will also let you know when the thirty day comment period begins.
OUE Update on the Tire Burner in White Deer Township
DEP will hold a public meeting/hearing at the Warrior Run Area Fire Department on
Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 6:30 pm with the hearing afterward at 8:00 pm
Citizens will have an opportunity to present oral testimony regarding the proposed Air Quality plan approval application. You will need to register prior to the hearing and will be given a 5 minute time slot to present your testimony. Written testimony will also be accepted.
Make Your Voice Is Heard LOUD AND CLEAR!!