This proposed facility is about 25 miles north of Cresco, IA. Preston is a town of about 1400 people. League of Women Voters, MN ACTION ALERT 1/13/05 Minnesota Pollution Control Authority (MPCA) DENIES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR LARGEST TIRE BURNING FACILITY IN THE UNITED STATES The MPCA Citizen Board Must Hear from Minnesota Citizens Action Needed: . Attend the MPCA Citizen Board Meeting on January 25, 5:00 PM. . Call Governor Pawlenty, MPCA Commissioner Sheryl Corrigan, members of the MPCA Citizen Board and/or your legislators urging an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Heartland Energy and Recycling, LLC. (An EIS requires a thorough review of the environmental, health, economic and community impacts of a facility.) Background: . Heartland Energy and Recycling, LLC is proposing to build a facility that will incinerate an estimated 10 million tires per year in Preston, MN. That's more than 192,300 per week, more than 38,350 every week day. . Following the preparation of the simpler Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) and the decision by the MPCA not to require a more definitive EIS, citizens took the matter to court. . As a result of a court order, a supplemental EAW was prepared and questions by the judge were answered by the MPCA. . A citizen comment period on these actions yielded 495 comment letters and a citizen's group petition for an EIS with 4,368 signatures. All but one of the comments requested an EIS. . The result: the MPCA staff is again recommending that an EIS be denied. The final decision on an EIS will be made by the MPCA Citizens' Board at their January 25 meeting which will be held at 5:00 p.m. in the lower Board room in the MPCA offices at 520 Lafayette Road North, St. Paul. Comments on this decision will be taken by the Citizens' Board until 4:30 p.m., January 20. Note that the Winona County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve a resolution requesting an EIS. Olmstead County will vote on a resolution on January 18. An EIS researches the potential impact of a facility on citizen health as well as on the natural resources, the local economy, and the unique characteristics of a community. The EAW that was prepared focused on air quality impacts, with little attention paid to water resources, transportation (how will 10 million tires be delivered to the facility?) and the economic impact that the facility may have on the hospitality and recreational businesses in this scenic region of Minnesota. The EIS process will allow citizens to participate in the scoping document and to comment on the completed EIS. The interests of a single industrial entity should not supersede the concerns of multiple communities and citizens. Information gathered and presented in an environmental impact statement will assure that economic, community and environmental issues are thoroughly evaluated. An EIS will dispel unwarranted fears as well as identify potential problems and propose solutions. LWVMN Position on Air Quality: Support measures to reduce air pollution from vehicular and stationary sources. LWVUS Position on Natural Resources: Promote an environment beneficial to life through the protection and wise management of natural resources in the public interest by recognizing the interrelationships of air quality, energy, land use, waste management and water resources. Resource Management Promote resource conservation, stewardship and long-range planning with the responsibility for managing natural resources shared by all levels of government. Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Preserve the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the ecosystem, with the maximum protection of the public health and environment. Public Participation Promote public understanding and participation in decision making as essential elements of responsible and responsive management of our natural resources. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]