Sludge Watch ==> Philadelphia - Synagro - Water Dept Workers Look to Sludge as Biofuel

[Maureen Reilly]

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20070608_Street_urges_school___and_Council_complies.html


In other business, Council put off until late September consideration of an 
administration proposal to privatize the Water Department's Biosolids 
Recycling Center by signing a long-term contract with Synagro, a 
Houston-based company.
Since early 2006 the administration has been pushing the plan, which would 
clean up the operation that treats city sewage sludge at a site on Penrose 
Avenue near the airport.

But District Council 33, the union that represents Water Department 
employees, has bottled up the legislation for months.

"We have an alternate plan that will benefit the city and our employees," 
said Council 33 President Pete Matthews.

Over the summer, the union will work with two companies that are pledging to 
use city workers to run a high-tech operation that would use the sewage 
sludge to produce biofuels.




................

Street urges school $ and Council compliesBy MARK McDONALD
mcdonam at phillynews.com 215-854-2646


Mayor Street made a surprise visit to City Council yesterday, lobbying 
Council to support a shift of $10 million to the fiscally challenged 
Philadelphia School District.
And after a morning briefing with state Budget Secretary Michael Masch, 
Council members agreed to amend the city's proposed 2008 city budget, moving 
the money to the schools.

Coupled with a property-tax shift of $18 million per year for the next five 
years, the city will be providing the schools an added $28 million in 2008, 
which covers what the district requested in new city money.

Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, sponsor of the funding amendment, said 
she hoped the city's action would be repeated by the state.

"We can't let the momentum gained through school reform in recent years to 
be halted due to a lack of funding," she said.

Street thanked Council for its prompt action, saying, "Today is a victory 
for children, parents, teachers, staff and others who are concerned about 
public education."

In other business, Council put off until late September consideration of an 
administration proposal to privatize the Water Department's Biosolids 
Recycling Center by signing a long-term contract with Synagro, a 
Houston-based company.

Since early 2006 the administration has been pushing the plan, which would 
clean up the operation that treats city sewage sludge at a site on Penrose 
Avenue near the airport.

But District Council 33, the union that represents Water Department 
employees, has bottled up the legislation for months.

"We have an alternate plan that will benefit the city and our employees," 
said Council 33 President Pete Matthews.

Over the summer, the union will work with two companies that are pledging to 
use city workers to run a high-tech operation that would use the sewage 
sludge to produce biofuels.

In other action, Councilman Brian O'Neill modified his bill that would ban 
the Water Department from siting massive sewage-relief tanks within 1,500 
feet of residents by limiting the bill to two Council districts in the 
Northeast - his district and Councilwoman Joan Krajewski's district.

Also, Brown, at the prompting of Planned Parenthood, introduced a nonbinding 
resolution identifying the city as a "pro-choice city." After six of her 
colleagues asked her to withdraw the resolution, Brown refused. Council then 
split 9 to 8 in favor of the symbolic gesture.

Brown said she saw no political harm in advancing the proposal. But hours 
later, Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of the Philadelphia Archdiocese, 
issued a statement urging Philadelphians to reject the "divisive and 
erroneous label."

"In a city where so many people vigorously defend life at every stage, 
proclaiming Philadelphia 'pro-choice' is inconsistent with reality," the 
statement said.

Councilman Frank DiCicco introduced legislation that would enable domestic 
partners to transfer real estate between themselves without having to pay 
the real-estate-transfer tax.

"Financially interdependent people," including a sister and brother living 
together, would be required to file a sworn affidavit with the city Revenue 
Department before receiving the benefit. *