ASPHALT: Vote no on Stateline batch plant
The Kootenai County Commissioners were negligent in not looking at the proposed site for Cd’A Paving until April 13 and by not taking into consideration at least a one-mile radius.
At the beginning of the hearing on Sept. 13, the Commissioners were asked if they had any conflict of interest. Dan Green spoke up and said he had contracted with Steve Syrcle to work up a plan for his driveway. Mr. Green stated it was not a conflict of interest because no money had changed hands. Dan Green has no business using a consulting firm that is testifying on behalf of Cd’A Paving where Mr. Green’s vote to allow an asphalt and concrete batch plant is needed. It is conflict of interest, Mr. Green.
The Commissioners gave the impression that if the DEQ accepted the application for Cd’A Paving’s permits the public was safe; that the surrounding homes would not be affected by the noise, dust, carcinogens in the air, toxins building up in the soil, loss of property values.
The EPA sets the rules for allowable stack emissions. The DEQ enforces them by checking the stack of an asphalt company once every five years by inserting an instrument in the stack. The asphalt company could choose not to be in compliance the very next day and would not be checked for another five years. That does not sound like oversight to me.
Todd Kaufman of Cd’A Paving wants to move to Stateline so he can have unlimited hours of operation. The surrounding neighborhoods would suffer from the side effects all daylight hours and Mr. Kaufman went so far as to state that they may work nights with lights on. The opposition found that neighborhoods surrounding the Stateline area are between 50-90 percent opposed to an asphalt and concrete plant at Stateline because of odor, toxins, loss of property value, health issues, dust, noise, smoke and loss of quality of life. If you can smell asphalt it means there are particulates in the air that are proven to be unhealthy for humans and animals which are accumulative.
Commissioners are elected by their constituents to care for their welfare, health and safety. Do your job, commissioners, and vote NO on permitting asphalt and concrete batch plants at Stateline.
DIANE FINK
Newman Lake