PAVING: Not OK here, either

It has become clear to me that Coeur d’Alene Paving and the Kootenai County Commissioners, Green, Tondee and Nelson, are putting business/money and PROFIT before the health of the citizens of Idaho and Washington. The commissioner’s passed a rezone from Agriculture to Mining on 116 acres located on the Washington/Idaho border just north of State Line Road on April 13. Their reasoning was that there are like business already established in the area. However, this business will be farther west and much closer to residents than any other business already in operation and will affect a much higher population than those already in existence due to its proximity to well established neighborhoods. Additionally, the existing businesses do not work six days per week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. as Coeur d’Alene Paving will do.

Coeur d’Alene Paving was told by the Commissioners of Kootenai County to find a new location away from populations that would be complaining of dust, noise, smoke, odor and health effects as encountered by the citizens in Rathdrum. Mr. Kaufman, co-owner stated that any residents at this new location who are opposed should sell their homes and move away! Mr. Cozad, co-owner of Coeur d’Alene Paving says that the outcry has not been nearly as loud as in Rathdrum. Well, that is about to change.

I picked up 322 pages of Opposition statements from the Community Development office in Coeur d’Alene on Wednesday, April 25, including pages containing an additional 57 signatures opposed to Coeur d’Alene Paving coming into our neighborhood. (This sounds to me like a large outcry.) In those pages I found that 31 residents within less than a mile radius have stated that they have health problems that would be directly affected by dust from rock crushing and from toxins, carcinogens, heavy metals and PAH’S found in the fumes of asphalt. In addition, East Farms Elementary School has 19 students with documented asthma and Otis Orchards Elementary school has 49 documented cases of asthma. These numbers make it clear that the Kootenai County Commissioners either did not read the input from citizens who are opposed, or worse yet, ignored the information. We are talking about a large number of people with health issues that will be adversely affected by Coeur d’Alene Paving’s dust and toxic emissions.

In the Coeur d’Alene’s Comprehensive Plan obtained at the Community Development office, a business must meet certain criteria. In Chapter 12, page 49, 9-21-4 states under C. that the owners must show “Facts to justify the change on the basis of advancing the public health, safety and general welfare.” There are no facts available to support the owner’s contention that it would advance the public’s best interest, public health, safety and general welfare to have a Rock Crushing business and Asphalt Batch plant in our neighborhood. There are credible studies that show asphalt is detrimental to one’s health, especially the young, the elderly and those suffering from asthma, allergies and COPD.

In conclusion, it is totally inappropriate to disregard the health and safety of the community in which you’ve rezoned and relocated Coeur d’Alene Paving and Asphalt Company. You have moved the problem in Rathdrum to State Line and are expecting a different outcome. As community leaders charged with advancing the public health and protecting the safety and general welfare of your constituents, it’s shameful to ignore the health of your stakeholders.

DIANE FINK

Newman Lake, Wash.