Special use permit for Wolverine put on hold

A lengthy Planning Commission meeting Thursday evening at the Presque Isle County Courthouse ended in indecision. The Wolverine Power Company approached the commission in order to receive a special use permit, which would enable the company to possibly locate its coal burning power plant on the property of O-N Minerals. However, because Wolverine?s environmental specialist, Brian Warner, could not provide detailed answers concerning emissions, two members of the Planning Commission voted to hold off the decision for 30 days.

WARNER INFORMED commission members that land use permits were needed before Wolverine could move forward with vigorous engineering studies, which would eventually determine whether the coal fire power plant was feasible. He said the land use permit would mean Wolverine had community support, which the company would prefer to have before putting money into expensive studies. ?This is the first step in a long-term process of fully investigating viability of the project,? said Warner. ?It is the first step in building a trusting relationship, and working relationship, with the community.?

Wolverine, which is a wholesale electric power provider, was backed by numerous voices of support during Thursday?s meeting. Rogers City Mayor, Beach Hall, was on hand to inform the Planning Commission the city was behind the Wolverine Clean Energy Venture. ?The city council is fully supportive, and this looks like a perfect fit for our area,? said Hall. ?It is the best news for Rogers City in many years.? Sally Knopf, a Presque Isle Electric and Gas board member for 16 years, said Wolverine Power Company is very trustworthy. ?PIE & G HAS worked with Wolverine over the years?and Wolverine is a top-notch company,? said Knopf. ?They are more than happy to come into our community; they are very helpful and accommodating, and I want you (Planning Commission) to put your trust in them, too.? Gaylord?s city manager, Joe Duff, was also present to give support to Wolverine. Gaylord and Wolverine have had a successful working relationship since 2000 when a Peak Generation Power Facility was constructed within the city. ?Wolverine is one of the finest businesses Gaylord has worked with,? said Duff. ?They are a strong community supporter, and they have become substantial contributors to many community activities.?

Duff said Wolverine has proven itself to be a trustworthy company. ?It is perhaps the strongest partnership with a business in our community,? said Duff. ?I think the potential will be very dramatic for your community as well.? Several questions were also raised during the meeting, such as how emissions will be controlled and what type of coal will be used. Warner explained the Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) technology, which is a clean coal technology as described by the U.S. Department of Energy. Warner also stressed because the engineering studies have not yet been done, details on the emissions from the power plant were not available. The emissions would depend on the size of the plant, the type of coal used, and other pending factors. COMMISSION MEMBER Byron DeLong raised his concerns over the landfill Wolverine would need on site of its proposed power plant. He asked what the relationship of the landfill would be to the water table, and whether water contamination would be a threat. Although Warner could not provide detailed information, he assured commission members the waters of Lake Huron, as well as ground water, would be protected. ?The landfill would also go through rigorous engineering studies, and would have to meet standards of Department of Quality,? said Warner.

The landfill would be held to the same standards that a public facility would require, but Warner stressed it would be a private landfill for the Wolverine Power Plant?s own use. ?Our goal is recycling, and we would want to use the landfill as little as possible,? said Warner. ?It is a black and white issue; it would be a private landfill for the strict use of the power plant facility.? Members of the Planning Commission discussed the possibility of issuing a special use land permit before knowing more details about the environmental impact. Commission member Tom Harkleroad voiced his concerns over Warner not being able to provide the commission with concrete answers about emissions. He questioned whether a short review period was enough time for the commission to spend on the issue. ?Thirty days?is a little hasty on a ten-year project,? said Harkleroad. ?We aren?t talking about any power plant. We are talking about a power plant in a hole right next to Lake Huron.? Dennis Felax also voiced his concern over a hasty decision, although he also stated he was supportive of Wolverine.

?I DON?T think there is anyone on this committee t

hat doesn?t want this plant,? said Felax, ?but we have to be sure about the environmental aspects ? we owe that to our community.? Several members of the Planning Commission questioned how a 30-day review period would help in understanding environmental issues, and whether it was the commission?s responsibility to decipher those issues in order to approve a land use permit. Harkleroad was adamant on waiting before approving the permit. ?I just don?t want to have a Salmon Tournament down the road to see who can catch the biggest mutated fish,? said Harkleroad. ?There are a lot of unanswered questions?it?s a mystery.?

According to the commission?s bylaws, it only requires two members to extend a decision for 30 days. Harkleroad and DeLong agreed the land use permit decision should be extended, and the issue will be revisited at the next meeting, which is July 20, at 7:30 p.m. Until then, a sub committee has been set up to investigate and research the environmental issues that are keeping a decision from being agreed upon. The sub committee will meet in late June.

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