E-mail raises concerns about
relationship between Laidlaw
critic and Clean Power
BY BARBARA TETREAULT
THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN — Local businessman Jonathan
Edwards has been a tireless opponent
of Laidlaw Berlin BioPower’s plan
to convert the former pulp mill recovery
boiler into a 70-megawatt biomass plant.
Edwards has made it clear that he feels
putting a biomass plant in the middle of
the city would be detrimental to Berlin’s
future growth and development. He has
thrown his support behind Clean Power
Development’s proposal for a smaller 29-
megawatt facility by the city’s wastewater
treatment plant.
But a recent e-mail exchange between
Edwards and Clean Power Development
President Mel Liston that inadvertently
became public has lead to questions about
the relationship between Edwards and
Clean Power.
The e-mail from Liston contained
Edwards’ appeal to the state Supreme
Court seeking to overturn the state Site
Evaluation Committee’s rejection of his
request to intervene in Laidlaw’s permitting
process. The e-mail also contained
instructions from Liston telling Edwards
not to forward the e-mail to the parties on
the Laidlaw service list because it would
leave a link to Clean Power.
(if nothing is wrong w the e-mail why hide it)
Instead, Edwards was advised to create a new
e-mail using his own address and attach the
appeal to that. He was instructed to wait until
he was informed the appeal had been delivered
to the court before sending out the notice to
those on the service list.
The instructions ended with a note telling
Edwards if he has questions, “call you know
who”. Despite Liston’s instructions, the e-mail
went out to all parties on the service list.
Edwards and Liston acknowledge that Clean
Power Attorney James Rodier drafted the appeal
for Edwards without charge and Clean Power
actually hand delivered the appeal to Supreme
Court so Edwards could meet the filing deadline.
Liston said Edwards did not know how to make
a PFD file of the appeal so it could be mailed out
to those on the service list. So Liston scanned in
the documents, put them in a file, and e-mailed
the file to Edwards.
“I don’t consider any of that inappropriate,”
Liston said.
Liston said he included the instructions so
Edwards could send out a clean copy because the
appeal did not have anything to do with Clean
Power. He said he obviously wanted to avoid the
implications that the e-mail has fueled.
Berlin Mayor Paul Grenier said the e-mail
shows that Clean Power and Edwards are working
together behind the scenes to torpedo Laidlaw’s
proposal. He said Clean Power’s actions
have destroyed any trust he had in Liston.
“It’s underhanded, it’s shameful, and it’s really
sleazy,” Grenier said.
The e-mail has generated considerable discussion
on the local blog, Byte and Chew.
Some bloggers charge Clean Power is using
Edwards to fight a competitor’s project. Edwards,
they argue, is portraying himself as a concerned
citizen when he is actually working on Clean
Power’s behalf.
But others on the blog counter that here is
nothing wrong with Clean Power providing
information to Edwards. They argue Laidlaw
officials meet with local supporters as well.
Edwards said he has spoken to many people
and experts in his three year battle to stop the
Laidlaw project. He said that includes Liston
and others at Clean Power.
“I have certainly reached out to a number of
people,” he said.
Liston said Edwards has called them for information
on number of occasions and they provide
him with whatever they can. But Liston said
Edwards does a lot of research and they are not
his only source.
“We give him whatever we have for information
.. You should not assume we are the only
source of all the information. We are not,” Liston
said.
Both Liston and Edwards stress the company
does not pay Edwards for his work on biomass
issues.
“Jon does not work for us,” Liston said.
Furthermore, Liston said Clean Power does
not use Edwards to raise issues against Laidlaw
so it can remain in the background.
“We don’t use Jon,” Liston stressed.
For reasons unconnected to the controversy,
Edwards said he has decided to withdraw his
Supreme Court appeal. (gee, what timing)
He said he was very impressed with the questioning
of Laidlaw officials and consultants at
last week’s technical session. Edwards particularly
cited the work asked of the two Counsels
for the Public. He has also been assured he will
be able to make a public presentation to the Site
Evaluation Committee during the next public
hearing and can raise his issues and concerns then.
......ah, can anyone say discovery motion?
please list all real personal property below
1.)
