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Land Preservation
Conservation
Citizens' Struggles with Power Plants
Smith Rock State Park area
Voices of the Northwest
The Arrogance of Power --
Let's Stop Cogentrix
by Mary Zemke
founder of STOP Cogentrix
This view is from the overlook at the main entrance looking north.
The Little Three Fingered Jack area is from the center to the left of the photo.
The Monument and Osa Thatcher's Needle are to the right. In the distant background
is Mendenhall Ridge on the far left and Indian Ridge in the center.The Crooked River,
Morning Glory Wall and Shiprock at Smith Rock. Photo by Mike Volk
Courtesy of Oregon's Smith Rock State Park.
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About 500 people attended an informational
meeting about the controversial Cogentrix power plant, held in Madras on January
16. The overwhelming majority were strongly opposed to the placement of this 980
megawatt gas-fired power plant on range land at the base of Grizzly Mountain. As
details from the proposed Cogentrix Grizzly Power Project are made known, hundreds
of Central Oregonians are voicing concerns about the severe environmental impacts
such a facility would have in the area.
Water is the #1 issue for Central Oregonians
Details from the Cogentrix Water Right Application to the State
Water Resources Department reveal that Cogentrix plans to develop six wells near
the rim of the Crooked River canyon within one-quarter mile of the Crooked River.
Each well is 24 inches in diameter with a 5,555 gallon per minute capacity. The total
water right requested is 2.92 billion gallons of water each year. In addition, each
gallon of water must be mitigated by putting a gallon into the streams for every
gallon taken out or, as is currently being considered, pay money to a mitigation
fund which would allow Cogentrix to reduce stream flows in our rivers and damage
our aquifers.
In the long and short run, the Cogentrix plant will mean that many other businesses
that would employ more people, add more benefits to our community, and not pollute
our air nor take excessive water will not be able to locate here because all new
water uses must be mitigated, yet Cogentrix will already have taken most of the groundwater
that can be allocated..
Plant Emissions are the #2 concern
With an imposed image, residents try to picture how the plant might look on the site.
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While Cogentrix ads state, "Grizzly will use clean-burning
natural gas, emit no odor and will produce absolutely no hazardous waste materials,"
in actuality, Cogentrix must apply for an Acid Rain Permit due to sulfur dioxide
emissions and obtain an Air Contaminant Discharge Permit. Their own DEQ application
reports Significant Emission Rates are exceeded by 976 tons per year (PSD Table 2-10)
and they list nine hazardous air pollutant emissions (PSA 2-9). Rather than being
forced to comply with DEQ standards, the Grizzly Project can pay money into the Climate
Trust Fund as mitigation for excessive pollution amounts.
Who will be affected by the power plant pollutants? The New England Journal of Medicine
reports, "The health risks are greatest for people living closer to the plants.
Twenty percent of the total health impact occurs on 8% of the population that lives
within 30 miles of the plant. The elderly, children, and those with respiratory diseases
are most severely impacted by fine particle pollution from power plants."
Proposed Plant Violates Land Use Laws
The Project would violate at least five criteria from the Jefferson
County Comprehensive Plan; two sections of Jefferson County Zoning Ordinances regarding
placement of non-agricultural facilities on ag land and in wildlife migration zones;
and is requesting an exception from Statewide Planning Goal #3, which limits power
generation facilities to not more than 20 acres of non-high-value farmland ñ
Cogentrix wants to take 32 acres.
Noise
Residents at Crooked River Ranch, directly across the canyon from
the proposed well field site were kept awake and disturbed by noise last summer during
the Cogentrix 72-hour pump test. With no county noise ordinance in place, the proposed
Cogentrix plant could disturb the peace and tranquility of our homes and recreation
areas.
Affects on Wildlife and Scenic Values
The proposed plant would be located within a mile of Rimrock Springs
Wildlife Area, nine miles from Smith Rock State Park, and have a noisy 500 hp well
pump within a quarter-mile of the Crooked River.
What to Do
The environmental devastation of this project far outweighs any
potential benefits, but the permitting process has mitigation allowances for every
excess that the plant produces. STOP Cogentrix has information packets which include
details from Cogentrix documents, a set of letters to send to officials, and a petition.
STOP Cogentrix is compiling a contact list of groups and individuals to send alerts
for upcoming public hearings and important meetings. Sign the online petition and
get your name and organization on the list by contacting:
STOP Cogentrix HOTLINE 541-475-4446
P.O. Box 976, Madras OR 97741
stopcogentrix@hotmail.com
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Grizzly
http://stopcogentrix.tripod.com
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Also see Crooked River Ranch Board Opposes Cogentrix
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