[greenyes] Permit suspended for Incinerator-in-disguise in CA, posing as "recycling"

["Monica Wilson" <mwilson@no.address>]

California has many new proposals for incinerators-in-disguise -- here is
great news about a project in Hanford, California that was approved last
year by a regional air district WITHOUT an environmental impact report or
community notice. Last week, after concerns about the facility and permit
process were raised by Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice and
by concerned local residents, the air district SUSPENDED the company's
permit to construct and operate this incinerator-in-disguise.



The company calls itself a recycling facility, and claims to have a
"catalytic cracking" process to heat plastics at high temperatures, and burn
the resulting gases. No emissions information has been made available from
this kind of facility. Here is more information about the project, and below
is a media advisory about a press conference from Greenaction and Hanford
residents, as well as Greenaction's action alert.

http://www.greenaction.org/incinerators/hanford/alert080204.shtml

http://www.plasticsnews.com/subscriber/features2.phtml?cat=2&id=1085420522





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Embargo until Thursday, August 12, 2004, 10 a.m.



Contact Bradley Angel, Greenaction (415) 248-5010; cell (415) 722-5270

             Esperanza Maya, Hanford resident (559) 587-9125



Toxic Scandal in Hanford:



Kings County & Valley Air District OK?d First of Its Kind Plastics Plant

Without Public Hearings, an Environmental Impact Report?or the Facts.



Air District Suspends Company?s Permit, Admits Error in Permit Approval



Hanford Residents & Greenaction to Hold Press Conference to Reveal

Truth about the Hanford Plastic Energy Project and to
Launch Grassroots Campaign to Stop ?Incinerator in Disguise?


COMMUNITY PRESS CONFERENCE

Thursday, August 12, 2004, 10 a.m.

Main Plaza, Kings County Government Center, 1400 W. Lacey Blvd., Hanford



Hanford, CA ? Residents of Hanford, California and Greenaction for Health
and Environmental Justice will hold a press conference Thursday, August 12,
at 10 a.m. in the main plaza at the Kings County Government Center at 1400
West Lacey Boulevard, Hanford, CA.



At the press conference, residents and Greenaction will document the
scandalous approval by government agencies of the Hanford Plastic Energy
Project.  Plastic Energy LLC proposes to heat plastics through a thermal
process called ?catalytic cracking? to supposedly generate electricity and
diesel.  Greenaction will explain how this facility would really be an
incinerator in disguise that will not provide energy to the public and will
in fact emit toxic pollution.



Residents will express their concern about potential toxic emissions, the
company?s plans to import plastic waste into Hanford, and the lack of public
notice and proper review of the project.



Both Kings County Planning Agency and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution
Control District approved this project without public hearings, notifying
residents, or an Environmental Impact Report, despite the fact that the
proposed plastics plant would be the first of its kind in the U.S., and
possibly in the world.  In response to Greenaction?s call for a new review
of the facts and potential threats from the project, on August 4, 2004 the
Air District suspended the company?s permit to construct and operate the
facility.



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     Do You Want a Plastics ?Catalytic Cracking?

                   Plant in Hanford?


   Protect Air Quality and the Community from this Toxic Threat




Plastic Energy LLC (Hanford Plastic Energy) wants to build a ?catalytic
cracking? facility for plastics at 7803 Hanford Armona Road.



Hanford residents have a right to know the truth about the potential dangers
of this plastics plant that would use an unproven technology for the first
of its kind facility in the entire United States ??.. before it is built.



The company refuses to meet with residents in a public meeting, yet wants to
import waste into Hanford to their proposed plant that would emit pollution
into the air.



The company wants to receive plastic materials including plastic bottles,
shrink wrap, and PVC plastics, then heat the plastics using a thermal
technology called ?catalytic cracking? to produce diesel and energy as
byproducts. According to a company representative, no energy would be
generated for public use.



Waste gases would be burned, an incineration process that would emit toxic
pollution into the air.



Plastics would be shipped to the facility from across the San Joaquin
Valley, and possibly from cities and towns in other areas.



Kings County Planning Department and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution
Control District approved this project without public hearings, an
environmental impact report or proper notice to residents.  The good news is
that the Air District suspended the company?s permits on August 4th in order
to further review the project.




If you believe you have a right to know the truth and a right to have a say
about this project before it is built, here is what you can do:

Call the responsible government agencies and demand they revoke the permit,
notify residents, schedule a public hearing and conduct a real project
review.



  a.. Bill Zumwalt, Director, Kings County Planning Agency (559) 582-3211 x
2686
  b.. Seyed Sadredin, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
(559) 230-6000

This information is provided as a public service by concerned Hanford
residents and Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice.  (415)
248-5010  www.greenaction.org