GOOD NEWS

In the good news department for the tri-state economy we found out this week that Baard Industries was granted their third and final permit required by the Ohio EPA. This one is for their plans on air emissions from the proposed plant. This one includes the much ballyhooed CO2 emissions that the Sierra Club is trying to convince us will destroy the planet. Apparently the OEPA found Baard's plans and proposals acceptable especially with Baard being more than willing to use every known and available technology that is out there.

This permit took longer than expected to be approved but it was reported that the OEPA incorporated some additional requirements in the agreement that was a direct result from comments submitted at the hearings and from others that were mailed in. According to the OEPA spokesman Baard was very willing to make the changes and they were praised for their willingness to work everything out. I imagine the extra time was because of the changes. Then there was the Deseret decision that had to be looked over. Guess the OEPA is confident we'll survive when the ORCF plant goes into production.

Also announced today is that the Army Corp of Engineers issued the only federal permit required for this project. That one is the Streams & Wetlands permit. That was in Mike McElwain's article this morning in the ER.

Apparently getting the permitting process completed in just over a year's time is a note worthy accomplishment in itself. I've been following this project for what seems like a long time to me. I've read and written many a word on it. I'm no expert in these permitting matters but I'm getting the conviction that it was accomplished with Baard's willingness to work closely with the authorities and those of the public that concerned themselves. For that they should be lauded. In spite of what the Sierra Club and others of their ilk believe, I think Baard will be good neighbors. Lord knows they will be closely monitored. I don't need to mention what this plant will mean to the area economy.

Getting the permits is the first big hurdle in seeing this plant coming to fruition. From the papers they tell us the next big steps is finalizing the engineering and lining up the financing for this huge project. So, it will be a little time yet before they are ready to break ground. Just off the top of my head I'm thinking maybe next spring. That's just a guess on my part. I don't have any inside information.

Maybe we will learn more at the Wellsville Chamber-of-Commerce dinner scheduled for December 4. Folks from Baard will be there and plan to address the audience as part of the program. Hope whoever is chosen the Citizen-of-the-Year has a good sense of humor. They will get the honors but...

The Chamber is going to be busy that week. They are putting on the dinner Thursday evening and then on Saturday they will be getting the annual Christmas parade going. Maybe they can feature the Citizen-of-the-Year in the parade. By the by, I've been told by a member of the Chamber that several labor unions from the area should be given a huge "attaboy" for their generosity in sponsoring the dinner. You gotta love those pipe fitters, plumbers, carpenters, masons, operating engineers and other laborers that kicked in for this event. They are the same folks that will be doing the actual building of the ORCF plant. You probably saw that picture in yesterday's MJ or earlier this week in the ER of the meeting that the various union reps had with the Chamber. I would like to add my thanks.

It is good to see things moving along. With Nachy's shennanigans this past week and the extra time for getting these permits issued I was getting worried. I feel better now. Since we're in a depressed area I wonder if ORCF is eligible for some of that bail out money? :-)

You'll have to excuse me now. Gotta go help Jim Tressel coach the Buckeyes to a win over "that school up north". Go Bucks...

ole nib