Burning tires in Nesquehoning

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection held a public hearing tonight in the Panther Valley High School on whether to allow an energy company to burn tire shreds along with waste coal to produce electrical energy for bitcoin mining.  

The hearing, scheduled one week before Christmas, was poorly publicized.  People giving testimony were limited to three minutes, were timed, given warnings with one minute left and 30 seconds left, could not ask questions. We were told not to clap (we did anyway), and we were warned that anyone who spoke out of turn would be escorted out by police.

The testimony, including mine, was overwhelmingly against the proposal, since tires produce all kinds of harmful emissions.  We learned that the plant has already been burning tire shreds for the past year and has been cited at least seven times for exceeding the allowed limit of pollution.  Approximately 20 people testified against the proposal, with one in favor.  About half of the people who spoke were members of various environmental organizations, and half were local residents.  

People pointed out that the process was unfair, that the D.E.P. almost always approves every permit for polluters, and that area residents would not benefit from bitcoin mining.  Residents noted that this kind of facility would never be allowed in wealthy towns.  

Many of the speakers were cynical, predicting that the D.E.P. would approve the permit.  I share in that cynicism.  I believe that after the D.E.P. does approve the permit, the opponents will need legal action to force the D.E.P. to follow its own standards and procedures.  I think we will win.