WOOLWICH BIO-EN ENERGY…

WOOLWICH BIO-EN ENERGY RENEWAL PROJECT Request for changes:

1. increase the annual tonnage of biomass (i.e. solid or liquid organic waste) used in the anaerobic digestions process from 70,000 tonnes to 110,000 tonnes per year
2. increase the rate of purification of biogas (produced from the anaerobic digestions process) from 237 m3 (cubic metres)/hour to 1,000 m3 (cubic metres
3. increase the allowable truck traffic to 160 truck movements (80 trucks) per day [It should be noted here that the current number of truck movements is 80 per day. In 2012 the Ministry granted that maximum of truck passes. The company claims that these numbers were changed in the original agreement through “an administrative error.” That is not the case. The “Stop the Stink” group, some 80 or so dissidents, felt very strongly that the truck passes should have been a maximum of 40 twice a day, in and out, so 80 per day. We have the government document that proves this was in the agreement. RENEWABLE ENERGY APPROVAL NUMBER 6428-8LGLBH Issue Date: March 26, 2012 says in #39 (3), “The government shall ensure . . . that there are no more than eighty (80) truck movements per day, i.e., forty (40) truck entering and exiting, within the Facility at any time during the period of 06:00 to 23:00 hours.” It would appear that Mr. Charles Martin’s “administrative error” was in fact wishful thinking. The link to this document is on the Stop the Stink in Elmira website.]
4. modify the air handling system in the gas domes (used to collect biogas) to address historical odour issues at the site
5. ship clean, de-packed slurry to licensed facilities for final processing
6. provide allowance to accept new types at the facility
7. Obtain limited operation flexibility in certain aspects of the operations [ very vague statements]

ISSUES of CONCERN:

LOCATION
Elmira is changing. There is already a considerable increase in population (two additional residential projects which has increased the traffic congestion).

Mennonite Culture Unique to this Town:
Mennonites should be able to maintain their heritage and unique culture that they contribute to our town. Remember that our roads were once made for horses and buggies.

The ideal location for a bioenergy plant should not have been build in a residential area that the only main entrance was through the core of the town. In the past before the building of the plant Citizens Committee looked into other places, the company insisted that this location, which they owned, right near the houses on Arthur St. N., must be the site. This location was a known issue and now Woolwich Bio-en wants to increase their production without any consideration of the rapid and increasing population of Elmira. Their is extreme hardship on the town now due to the present traffic congestion.

1. If the ideal location would have been in a non-residential part of the Township, will the increase in many aspects of the company’s plans, such as trucks, odours in transit, traffic jams and noise, have a greater effect on the community on Arthur St. North and the side streets around it?

2. Does the increase in truck movements add even more large vehicle problems to the increasing invasion of the main street downtown, hence the noise, emissions, smells, idling, and interference with local traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians?

3. Will the tourist industry and commercial businesses in town be sustainable if they are affected by the transportation that will hardly enhance the image of Elmira as a calm, modest, “quaint” Mennonite-culture here?

TRUCKS ON ROUTE
. According to Greenfacts. www.greenfacts.org/en/forests-energy/l-2/3-bioenergy...” To achieve the maximum climate benefits of bioenergy in terms of greenhouse gas emissions avoided, the amount of carbon dioxide released during biomass production, processing, transportation and use should be equal to or smaller than the amount that was absorbed by the harvested biomass.”
4. What is the purpose and need to double the number of truck movements, which would increase the greenhouse gas emissions in transportation in both directions? [The Chairperson Doug Thomas’s monthly report illustrates that no more truck movement is necessary. It means that 80 movements already meet the requirement.]
5. Would the approval of the Woolwich Town Council to this increase in fossil fuel emissions be out-of-sync with its recent declaration of a Climate Emergency (Crisis) here? [We assume that they are not promoting this.]
6. What would be the ratio of the increased emissions to energy produced, and does the goal of generating more electricity, using 110,000 rather than 70,000 cubic metres of biomass, entail large amounts of feedstock from new sources?
7. Will property values be improved by more truck noise, pollution, and exhaust fumes?
8. Will the heavy trucks, including the ones headed for the Woolwich Bio-En plant and back, continue to damage our roadways, especially on Arthur St., which is now in rough shape in places? [Increased traffic is causing other vehicles to go along side streets, and Church St.] Are citizens paying for this through their taxes?
9. Will the safety, health, and quality of life diminish if there is more diesel and tire (latex) particulate, dust, and emissions, and the risk of traffic accidents to cars and pedestrians, children in particular, coming and going to schools?
10. Would the use of electricity-powered trucks (in the near future) ensure that many of the above possibilities could be mitigated?
11. If not a bypass, would controlled (by the companies and Township) rerouting the truck traffic on perimeter roads, especially when the vehicle carries very unpleasant smelling materials or liquids that might leak, be better than parading these materials through the hub of our town? And Is the company willing to pay for damages to infrastructure?

COMMUNICATION
Notification of the project on the Woolwich Bio-En website, which was a requirement of the Ministry of environment It is not posted. The company stated there two notices of the Jan. 29 meeting and the deadline for comments on the Registry on Feb. 3. There was only one noted/visiable at the present time. The public should be able to participate in this discussion. Public awareness is lacking notification and posting. What one does not know, they can not comment on or attend.
12. What happened to the communication meetings and notification on their website?
13. Why were there not sufficent notifications?
14. Why is the website not addressing these new changes?
15. Why hasn’t there been proper signage and location. (Google map does not even have the Woolwich Bio-En plant located on it.)

WATER AND WASTES Questions:
The information on present waste types on the Woolwich Bio-En Power site tells us that “We try to incorporate liquid wastes into our designs whenever we can.” What does this really mean?
1. How much water is used in the complete cycle of growing and processing the biomass?
2. Is the foodstock chosen so that less water is needed?
3. What is the definition of waste and usage? Where is it going?
4. What kinds of waste are planned for the future?
5. Where will the increased excess slug, waste, etc., be stored?
6. What is the advantage of changing from the burning flare to a charcoal filter, and will they will have extra filters available on site? They have not been odour free.

JOBS
7. Are any jobs created from this new initiative?
8. How many are employed.

EMERGENCY PLANS
8. Is there any emergency plan for on site and off site?
9. What are the possibilities of an accident if the plant has such a large increase in materials and infrastructure and gases?
10. Does this company have enough employees readily available for emergencies.
11. Are there completed emergency plans that might effect the community

MAIN ISSUE: Trucks going through the core of a small two road town at a wrong location.

This company knew this was a severe problem before they established this plant and now they want to double the traffic flow.

Question: How does trucks from across Ontario and possible beyond to produce electricity effect
GHG? What is the benefit of this, when the overall ratio is considered?