WELLSVILLE — In the first of a series of public hearings hosted by the Ohio EPA in regard to the ORCF project (Ohio River Clean Fuels), those in attendance offered more support than opposition.
At the start of the evening, OEPA Public Involvement Coordinator Caroline Markworth presented the guidelines for the information session and public hearing. She stated the OEPA is neither in favor of, nor opposed to the ORCF project. General questions were allowed to be made after the information presentation, then a court recorder would record all public hearing comments on the record for later review.
Per the guidelines, the OEPA officials would not respond to public hearing comments that night. Rather, any parties interested in reading their responses in summary form were able to give their name and mailing address and will receive a copy of the summation.
Before the public hearing began, OEPA 401 Coordinator Dan Osterfeld gave an overview presentation about the 401/404 permit application that deals primarily with water quality and impact to bodies of water in the proposed site area. OEPA represents the 401 section which looks primarily at water quality, and the US Army Corps of Engineers represents the 404 section, which deals with more facets, such as the water bodies, endangered species and community issues.
Included in Osterfeld’s presentation were PowerPoint slides that listed general information about the water quality certification process itself, as well as information about water resources that will be impacted by the site.
According to the presentation, the study area is approximately 649 acres, including 59 streams totaling 29,427 linear feet (lf), 30 wetlands totaling 3.65 acres, and five ponds totaling 2.62 acres of open water.
Of the 59 streams, there are 15 perennial streams totaling 16,042 lf. Perennial streams continue to flow throughout the entire year. There are 24 intermittent streams totaling 10,616 lf, which will show water only part of the time. The 20 ephemeral streams, which total 2,769 lf, last only a short time.
The 30 wetlands were broken down into three categories: one being of low quality and three being of high quality. According to Osterfeld, there are zero acres of high quality wetlands on the proposed site. There are 19 wetlands totaling 2.92 acres that are considered moderate quality, and 11 wetlands totaling 0.73 acres that are of low quality.
There are four man-made ponds on the site, totalling 2.11 acres, and one made by beavers, which comprises 0.51 acres.
Of the seven alternatives that are included in the 401 plan, the OEPA selected alternative seven as their preferred alternative. Of the 59 streams in the area, alternative seven will impact 28 totaling 8,745 lf. It will also impact eight isolated wetlands totaling 1.52 acres, four jurisdictional wetlands, totaling 0.19 acres, and 0.29 acres of the two man-made ponds.
In summation, alternative seven avoids 70 percent of streams, 53 percent of wetlands and 89 percent of ponds. In addition, the plan also includes the protection and enhancement of Rocky Run by exclusion fencing, flood plain seeding/planting, vernal pool creation, vernal pool enhancement, wetland enhancement and sediment trap/wetland creation.
The stream mitigation area will be 13,118 feet long by 200 feet wide. The plan also proposes the creation of 2.57 acres of Category 2 wetlands and 0.29 acres of open water.
During the public hearing, most residents and elected officials spoke in full support of the project. George Peya of Youngstown was the most outspoken in his opposition to the project. In regard to the project being “green,” he said he gave it a one out of ten at best, and the technology was “horse and buggy” compared to windmill technology.
“If Baard had a heart, it would make this plant a windmill or solar panel plant,” Peya said.
As a member of the Sierra Club’s three county entity, the Salt Springs Group — which has 510 members, about 100 from Columbiana County, he said — Peya said the project would kill surrounding streams from chemical pollution and mountain top removal. He said there would be no change in the carbon dioxide emissions when compared to the emissions that currently exist.
Peya continued saying there are 90 tons of steel in a windmill, which could lead to steel jobs in the area. He said the “filthy technology” of the ORCF project needs to be “leapfrogged” for plants that produce windmills and solar panels.
To the president of the Jefferson Community College, whom he said he met at the previous Baard/CEC meet and greet, he said, “If you’re in favor of this plant, you can’t see farther than the end of your nose.”
Local resident Richard Hochbein said he was fine with the project, but said it won’t be as good as everybody thinks, because it will bring coal dust into the area. Hochbein, whose property is on the 18th Street Heights, said the plant would be right in his front yard.
Robert Beresford said he hadn’t planned on saying anything, and just wanted to see what was going on with the plant. However, he said the presenter should have labeled the roads and streets better on the overhead map of the proposed site. He said it would enlighten the residents as to exactly where the plant will be located.
“Most of these people have lived there all of their life, and they want to know where it’s going to sit,” Beresford said.
Local business owner Tom Wycoff commented on the beneficial impact the ORCF project will have on small businesses in the area. Alfred Fricano of the East Liverpool Chamber of Commerce concurred, and said the project would improve the quality of life.
Fricano said the presidents of the local chambers of commerce have been working together with Baard to help spur economic growth in the area. Columbiana County Port Authority CEO Tracy Drake said part of his job is to analyze every project that has interest in settling in the county. He said he has been with the project since the beginning, and the EPA has been tough with keeping things on the right path.
“They are one of the finest groups I’ve ever worked with,” Drake said.
Those in attendance also heard from Chris Gagin from Congressman Charlie Wilson’s office, State Senator Jason Wilson, State Representative Linda Bolon, Wellsville Village Administrator James Saracco, Wellsville Councilman Joe Soldano, Wellsville Mayor Joe Surace, and Columbiana County Commissioner Penny Traina.
“We’ve brought the county together with this project,” Traina said. “Everyone has been mindful of the project ahead of us ... and mindful for protecting the citizens of Columbiana County.”
After the public hearing, Surace and East Liverpool Mayor Jim Swoger addressed Peya’s comments from earlier in the evening, saying they feel no one from Mahoning County should come to Columbiana County and tell them how to do things when it doesn’t affect them.
“It just doesn’t fit here,” Surace said.
“We, the members of Columbiana County, are 110 percent in support of the project,” Swoger said.
The next OEPA public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. May 27 at the Wellsville High School. The discussion will focus on the Division of Surface Water, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) draft permit.
