Sludge Watch ==> Measure X - Imperial Valley Calif - no imported sludge

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

This is a curious thing.

This group puts up big billboards that say 'enjoy your veggies without 
toxins'
(as though its  sludge on farms they oppose)...

shows the anti sludge land application film : "Crapshoot: the gamble with 
our waste"
(as though its sludge on farms they oppose) and

promotes "Toxic Sludge is Good for You", the book and YouTube video that 
exposes the public relations effort to characterize sewage sludge as 
fertilizer
(as though its sludge on farms they oppose) .

So the public might think that sewage sludge is about to be spread on farms 
in Imperial County.

Not so.

The public might imagine Measure X opposes land application of sludge on 
agricultural land.

Not so.

This group supports the land application of their own sewage sludge on farm 
and pasture land down the highway in Yuma Arizona...where lettuce, spinach 
and other tender greens are grown while the fields of Salinas Valley lie 
dormant for the winter.  This group has no campaign against putting sludge 
on farm fields...no campaign against exporting their sludge to Arizona.

This group is ok with exporting sludge.  They just don't like it when other 
people do it.






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

February 06, 2008
Imperial Valley Press, El Centro California

Measure X passes; no sludge importation

The importation of sludge into Imperial County is now prohibited, unofficial 
results from Tuesdays election show.

The measure, called the Health and Safety First Ordinance of 2007, will make 
it unlawful to import sewage sludge into Imperial County with the intention 
of disposing of it locally. The measure passed with more than 66 percent of 
the vote.

Initial results show that 8,684 people, or 67.88 percent, voted yes on 
Measure X, while 4,110, or 32.12 percent, voted against.


Were really, really excited, Monique Lopez, who represents Imperial Valley 
Residents for Health and Safety First, said. Id like to thank the voters 
that participated in the process and who played a very critical part in the 
decision-making of this county.


The ballot measure stems from a proposed project by Bakersfield-based 
Liberty Energy that would build a waste-to-energy plant north of Niland. 
Biosolids and biowastes, known as sludge, would be trucked in from other 
Southern California counties to the northend plant where it would be 
converted into renewable energy.

Luis Plancarte, who is a spokesman for Liberty Energy, said he did not know 
what to expect from voters.


There was some confusion I saw in the community, he said. From listening to 
peoples comments, I heard a lot of confusion, but I didnt know how it would 
turn out.


He said because the project is still in the environmental impact report 
phase, the ballot measure may have been a little premature.


Yes, we do feel that way, he said. There are processes  and the electoral 
process is another form of process  but there is a process that is in place 
for this project.


We just dont feel this project has been given the opportunity to get there, 
he said.

Sludgewatch Admin:

This is a curious thing.

This group puts up big billboards that say 'enjoy your veggies without 
toxins'
(as though its  sludge on farms they oppose)...

shows the anti sludge land application film : "Crapshoot: the gamble with 
our waste"
(as though its sludge on farms they oppose) and

promotes Toxic Sludge is Good for You, the book and YouTube video that 
exposes the public relations effort to characterize sewage sludge as 
fertilizer
(as though its sludge on farms they oppose) .

So the public might think that sewage sludge is about to be spread on farms 
in Imperial County.

Not so.

The public might imagine Measure X opposes land application of sludge on 
agricultural land.

Not so.

This group supports the land application of their own sewage sludge on farm 
and pasture land down the highway in Yuma Arizona...where lettuce, spinach 
and other tender greens are grown while the fields of Salinas Valley are 
dormant for the winter.  They have no campaign against putting sludge on 
farm fields.

This group is ok with exporting sludge.  They just don't like it when other 
people do it.




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

February 06, 2008
Imperial Valley Press, El Centro California

Measure X passes; no sludge importation

The importation of sludge into Imperial County is now prohibited, unofficial 
results from Tuesdays election show.

The measure, called the Health and Safety First Ordinance of 2007, will make 
it unlawful to import sewage sludge into Imperial County with the intention 
of disposing of it locally. The measure passed with more than 66 percent of 
the vote.

Initial results show that 8,684 people, or 67.88 percent, voted yes on 
Measure X, while 4,110, or 32.12 percent, voted against.


Were really, really excited, Monique Lopez, who represents Imperial Valley 
Residents for Health and Safety First, said. Id like to thank the voters 
that participated in the process and who played a very critical part in the 
decision-making of this county.


The ballot measure stems from a proposed project by Bakersfield-based 
Liberty Energy that would build a waste-to-energy plant north of Niland. 
Biosolids and biowastes, known as sludge, would be trucked in from other 
Southern California counties to the northend plant where it would be 
converted into renewable energy.

Luis Plancarte, who is a spokesman for Liberty Energy, said he did not know 
what to expect from voters.


There was some confusion I saw in the community, he said. From listening to 
peoples comments, I heard a lot of confusion, but I didnt know how it would 
turn out.


He said because the project is still in the environmental impact report 
phase, the ballot measure may have been a little premature.


Yes, we do feel that way, he said. There are processes  and the electoral 
process is another form of process  but there is a process that is in place 
for this project.


We just dont feel this project has been given the opportunity to get there, 
he said.