Laidlaw Energy Group, Inc.(fka LLEG)

[rich sears]

Council affirms opposition to Laidlaw

BERLIN — The city council Monday night restated its belief that the proposed Laidlaw biomass plant does not advance the city’s long-term economic revitalization. The discussion began in work session when Mayor David Bertrand suggested with two different biomass plants proposed for Berlin - the council may want to hear from experts on wood supply, capacity of the transmission line, impact on property values, and tax revenues. Bertrand said he would like information on the impact the Laidlaw biomass project would have on the value of surrounding neighborhood properties. He questioned whether the 40 jobs created will offset the long term impacts of the project. He asked whether the council wanted to set up a separate forum on the whole biomass issue. Councilor David Poulin said the issue for him is not wood supply or transmission capacity but rather the future of the city. He said he does not want the stigma of having a huge industrial boiler in the middle of the downtown. He said there are better uses for the 120-acre former mill site. “It’s more about having a vision and where we want the city to go,” he said. He urged people to view the city through the eyes of a visitor and see how the natural beauty of the city is impacted by the sight of the boiler. Councilor Tom McCue said he is worried that the city will be struck with the boiler. He said the issues have been publicly discussed for two years and it is time for the city to develop an action plan. McCue said Laidlaw reported it is preparing its application to the state Site Evaluation Committee to construct and operate the biomass plant. He suggested the council look into the SEC process. Councilor Lucie Remillard said she would like more information on the financial impacts of the two projects. Councilor Mark Evans revealed he has not made up his mind on the biomass issue. Councilor Ron Goudreau said the issue is more than a biomass plant. He said he wants to see the smokestack go down. The councilors agreed they would like to hear from experts on wood studies, property values, and the Public Utilities Commission. But they nixed a separate meeting and will schedule experts during upcoming work sessions. Laidlaw came up again during the regular council session when three members of the public offered opinions. George Aubin urged the council to keep an open mind on the Laidlaw project. Aubin said he retired after 39 years at the pulp mill and warned that the site has some environmental issues. He said he does not believe the project is that bad. Joe Vigue also spoke in favor of the Laidlaw project. In addition to the 40 direct jobs it would create, he said there would be indirect jobs in the forest products industry. He said the plant would generate less odor than is created by homes that burn wood in the city. Vigue said he circulated the petition in favor of the project and told officials there were 57 signatures on non-Berlin residents. Sill he said he collected over 500 signatures in a week. “I understand your vision. A lot of us have different visions,” he told the council. Vigue said he agreed that Laidlaw has not done a good job of communicating with city officials. But he pointed out the company did not own the boiler until recently. In this tough economy, Vigue said he thinks the city has to look at the jobs and tax revenues the Laidlaw plant would provide. He said he does not oppose the Clean Power Development project. He said he would like to see both. Arguing the opposite viewpoint was Jonathan Edwards. He said he has done a lot of research on the Laidlaw and Clean Power projects. He said he agreed with Poulin that the Laidlaw plant would create the wrong image for the city. Furthermore, he said the public does not support industrial use of the mill site. “They do not want a biomass on that site,” he said. During council comments, Goudreau said he and most of the council ran on a platform opposing the biomass plant. He said people he talks to overwhelmingly oppose the Laidlaw plant. Bertrand said he did not buy the argument that Laidlaw has not met with the council because it only recently purchased the mill property. He noted Clean Power has met with the council even though it does not own the site of its proposed plant. The site is owned by the city. Bertrand said he looks forward to meeting with Laidlaw officials but is not ready to sacrifice the city’s future for 40 jobs.

http://www.laconiadailysun.com/BerlinPDF/2009/1/21B.pdf