ADAGE has filed for a permit to build a Biomass Power Plant in Shelton, WA in close proximity to homes, schools and hospitals.
ADAGE has no working examples of their proposed biomass incincerator design. Mason County is the guinea pig for this new design.
The model that they point to as being the closest existing facility is the Steven's Croft Energy Plant in Lockerbie, Scotland. That plant was built by E.ON corporation in 2008 and is the the largest wood-fired power station in the UK.
A rural location in one of the least populated parts of the UK.
No local residents adjacent to perimeter. Nearest house / farm is more than 1 kilometer from site.
Power output
44mw (88%) of proposed ADAGE plant. Fed underground to national grid 26 km away.
Fuel source
480,000 tons/yr of wood from +60 mile radius. (60% wood chip; 20% SRC; 20% construction wood waste)
Processing
Wood stored and processed on site
On site facilities
Professional visitors center and guided tour of facilities
Transportation
Next to rail line and road
Chimney height
80m (262.5 feet) NOTE: This is 54% taller than the proposed ADAGE stack (170 feet). A taller stack protects local communities by disbursing emissions over a wider area.
Boiler building
50m high (20 stories)
Size of buildings & site
70 acre site
Boiler type and age
Fluidized bed (can and does burn multi-fuels). Modern technology commissioned 04/08.
Jobs
Only 3 operators needed to run the plan, ie 3 x 6 shifts + 9-10 admin staff = 28 max employed to run the plant
Reaction from Local Residents:
Since the plant has been operating since 2008, we were interested to see if we could find any comments from local residents.
One UK web page includes a report entitled the Informal Site Visit Report by Coedbach Action Team - 19 January 2008. The visit was made to evaluate impacts of the Lockerbie plant which might be relevant to a permit filed for a similar biomass power plant in Coedbach, Scotland.
(You can find the report at http://online.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/agendas/cym/PCYN20090219/REP03_02.HTM).
Since the Lockerbie plant was built in a very rural area, few residents live close to the plant. The team interviewed 3 residents, all of whom live further than 1 kilometer from the plant. All three complained of smell, noise and pollution deposits, depending on wind direction.
Here are quotes from the residents:
"at night we can see the lights from the site - all the time."
"There is a constant noise from the cooling fans - a whump whump like a Chinook helicopter."
"When it was being built we were busy with B&B contractors from Germany - now we have nothing," from the owner of a local Bed & Breakfast business.
Another local reaction was this photo and statement (excerpted from http://north-fife.blogspot.com/2009_12_01_archive.html).
"As one approaches Lockerbie from the North on the M74 twin chimney stacks come into view gassing the atmosphere...
...Many road accidents have occurred, ...roads rutted and potholed which need repair at tax-payers cost, it's truly a hazard to drive the same roads from Ettrick through Eskdalemuir and Castle O'er forests.
Och well, E.ON shareholders can sit happy they're doing their bit for the planet, hearsay is the plant is only 40% efficient. Same stuff, spin v reality."
Questions for ADAGE
As we looked at the above information, we had a number of questions we would like ADAGE to answer:
Will ADAGE voluntarily comply with the EPA guidelines for Maximum Achieveable Control Technology (MACT) to ensure that Mason County families are protected with state-of-the-art technolgy?
(Despite the name, Best Available Control Technology (BACT) standards offer significantly lower emission controls.)
We note that E.ON has been preparing full Environmental Impact Studies for their biomass energy projects. Will ADAGE voluntarily prepare an EIS so citizens can understand and evaluate all the environmental impacts (including truck emissions on county roads outside the plant)?
We know that higher stacks protect local families by enabling emissions to be carried farther away from the immediate area. Why is the proposed stack in Mason County so much shorter than the Lockerbie stack?
When and how will ADAGE specifically address the issues of noise?
E.ON chose to build in a rural location. Why is ADAGE putting this large facility in an area within two miles of our playgrounds, homes, schools, and hospital?
BTW, for those interested in the difference between a SEPA (State) and EIS (federal) environmental study, check out E.ON's Environmental Study for a biomass plant proposed for Blackburn Meadows. Although ADAGE has yet to share any specifics about noise abatement, an EIS requires assessment of existing noise levels and specific noise targets, monitoring plan, and methodology to be used to mitigate impacts. The E.ON Environment Statement devoted 13 pages just to Noise abatement.
A SEPA typically has three general questions about noise. The developer's assurance that noise is not an issue will often suffice. The SEPA is a preliminary determination of whether significant environmental impacts are likely. If the County concludes they are not, no EIS or further research on impacts or mitigation are required.
Here's an interesting video showing construction of the Lockerbie biomass plant:
