Sludge Watch ==> More than 60 attend anti sludge meeting Barstow Calif

[Maureen Reilly]

August 6, 2007 - 5:45PM
More than 60 attend meeting to speak out against sludge
Waste board likely to approve composting permit

By JASON SMITH, staff writer
BARSTOW — Despite strong opposition from local residents against the 
proposed Nursery Products biosolids composting facility, a state agency 
moved one step closer to issuing the facility a permit on Monday.

After reviewing public comment, the Permitting and Compliance subcommittee 
of the California Integrated Waste Management Board unanimously agreed that 
Nursery Products’ application was legally acceptable to issue a permit. The 
issuance of the permit will be voted on by the full six-member waste board 
on Aug. 14.

“The board has to review certain things within the law; from the board’s 
perspective for what the law asks for, for their permit, they are within 
compliance,” said Jamie Cameron-Harley, a information officer with the 
board.

She stressed that the board was familiar with the concerns raised by the 
public but that Nursery Products had complied with all necessary laws.

“Above and beyond all things, the board’s main concern is public health and 
safety. With that in mind we find the application in compliance and concur 
with issuing the permit,” Cameron-Harley said.

The board is based in Sacramento, but set up a teleconference in Barstow to 
accommodate public comments. More than 35 people mostly opposed to the 
project rose to make their opinions known to the board.

Barstow and Hinkley residents packed the Cora Harper Fitness Center and more 
than 35 rose to speak out against the proposed project.

“We are not against composting; we love recycling and composting — but this 
facility is not wanted nor needed in Hinkley,” said Norm Diaz of 
HelpHinkley.org, which opposes the project.
“We’ll take the facility if they enclose it,” he said. HelpHinkley.org has 
opposed the development of the project for 15 months and is mostly concerned 
about the potentially negative environmental impact of the site.

Barstow city officials also spoke out against the facility. City Manager 
Hector Rodriguez called the facility “poorly conceived and unnecessary.” 
City Council Member Joe Gomez accused Nursery Products of singling out the 
Barstow area for being “rural, low-income region with a high Hispanic 
population.” Gomez questioned the need for the project and cited seven 
similar composting facilities in various stages of development in San 
Bernardino county and surrounding areas.

The subcommittee also saw a presentation from Nursery Products President 
Jeff Meberg supporting his company’s permit application. He said that the 
facility would provide an needed outlet for local biosolids and that his 
company’s fertilizer products made from the sludge were in demand by local 
farmers.

“The facility will not adversely affect the environment,” Meberg said.

He said that the location is 22 miles away from Barstow and that the plant’s 
sludge-drying beds will not contaminate the groundwater 280 feet below the 
facility.

If the waste board approves the permit next week, Nursery Products would 
still need to secure permits from the air quality board, the water quality 
board, the state fish and game agency and the county fire department. 
Nursery Products has already obtained a conditional-use permit from the 
county.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or jason_smith at link.freedom.com

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/board_1183___article.html/facility_permit.html