Myths vs. Facts

Dear Editor:

When someone signs a petition they should do so because of facts, not emotional arguments.  There has been a campaign to sign a petition against the Biomass Plant being built in Port St Joe.  Anyone has a right to their opinion and to sign any petition they choose, but let’s separate the facts from the emotional arguments about the Biomass Plant that our City Commissioners have now wisely issued the Development Order for them to proceed.

1.  Myth-tourists won’t come with a biomass plant in PSJ.  Fact- most visitors won’t even know it is here.  A similar biomass plant is on the University of South Carolina campus and the football fans and students don’t stay away.  You don’t even know it is there.  There is no noise or smell that would give it away.  The paper mill and garbage burning plant in Panama City have not destroyed their tourism, growth, or property values there and they have odors that this plant will NOT have.

2.  Myth-Taxpayer dollars will be used to build the plant.  Fact-Rentech will have private investors to build the plant.  Rentech has announced it is not seeking federal tax dollars to develop this project.  There are some federal, state and local tax incentives that Rentech may make use of, but these incentives are available to any project built here or and/or any renewable project. 

3.  Myth-There will be two smoke stacks billowing smoke in downtown Port St. Joe. Fact- There will be six stacks, NO SMOKE, and the site is almost two miles back from U.S. Highway 98, located in the industrial park. 

3.  Myth-The stacks could impede Tyndall jets and create problems.  Fact-In the Development Order Application the federal law siting shows the project is not in conflict with FAA and/or military regulations.  Have any of you seen a jet from Tyndall flying at 100 feet above St. Joe?

5.  Myth-the plant will deplete the fresh water from the canal. Fact-Arizona Chemical and Premier Chemical used 1,750,000 gallons of water a day.  The Biomass Plant uses a little over half of that.  While these other industrial plants were operating in Port St. Joe, the city had no supply problems. 

6.  Myth-The emissions are going to kill us and the bay.  Fact-There have been extensive air modeling completed  showing that the emissions will not add in any significant way to the existing air emissions found in the area in order to obtain the Air Permit from DEP.  The emissions will exceed all required Ambient Air Quality Standards (AAQS) required by federal regulations.

 Fact- The building of the $200,000,000 plant will create approximately 200 jobs in Gulf Count.  Operating the plant will involve approximately 25 direct jobs and 75 indirect jobs for Gulf County with an annual payroll of approximately $2,000,000.

 Fact- Rentech has met or exceeded every federal or state requirement and has been permitted by EPA and DEP, no easy task, requiring an expenditure of $10,000,000 on its part to get to this stage.  The City Commission did the right thing by issuing the Development Order to allow them to begin building.

Fact- Gulf County is a “depressed” county and losing ground.  Without industry that is clean and green, it cannot exist without imposing higher taxes on the land owners.  Our County did well when St. Joe Paper Company and Arizona Chemical were here.  Workers were employed; children were educated and went to college.  Now there are no jobs, no industry, and eco-tourism, while we all support it, by itself cannot provide enough income to allow the citizens of Gulf County to live the American Dream. 

Fact- Gulf County needs the Biomass Plant here and needs other industries that are compatible with our pristine and rural environment.  Without industry we will fall back into the “dead zone” like Gulf County found itself in the time period after the hurricane and fever in the 1800s. Port St Joe began as a robust community, being the site of the first signing of the Constitution. Then it became a sleepy fishing village, at best, until St. Joe Paper Company chose to be here.  Rentech could be the St Joe of the 21st Century for Gulf County.  We need to be first again.  Thanks to the City Commission for their unanimous vote to allow them to start building.

Patricia K. Hardman, PhD

Port St. Joe