Citizens' BION Forum

Abstract:

Lisbon Planning Board Chair Glenn Harris wants to know who will pay for the kind of environmental benchmark studies on air quality, water quality and other factors associated with Bion's project to help local towns analyze and monitor the project. At a recent academic conference on environmental issues surrounding large concentrated animal feeding operations, Harris says speakers told him that if a facility was proposed in his community, he should begin organizing to oppose it.

Full Text:

CANTON - Lisbon Planning Board Chair Glenn Harris wants to know who will pay
for the kind of environmental benchmark studies on air quality, water
quality and other factors associated with Bion's project to help local towns
analyze and monitor the project.

At a recent academic conference on environmental issues surrounding large
concentrated animal feeding operations, Harris says speakers told him that
if a facility was proposed in his community, he should begin organizing to
oppose it.

Harris told county legislators during the public comment period at last
night's legislature meeting that as a local planning official, he wants to
know what kind of financial assistance local towns can expect from the
county legislature to review the impacts of Bion's project if it is proposed
to be sited in their communities.

"What independent experts have you consulted," he asked.

Harris was one of more than 20 speakers who questioned aspects of Bion's
ethanol and 84,000 beef cattle project.

Speakers questioned the environmental impacts, how the animals would be
treated, impacts on the county's water and air resources and questioned
whether the county should support an untried and untested technology.

Klaus Proehm asked whether Bion could work with celluosic ethanol instead of
corn ethanol or consider a smaller scale project.

"We should have the Environmental Management Council look at it," he said.

Robin McLellan, of Stockholm, said he was puzzled why Bion chose St.
Lawrence County for its project.

"Why here?" he said.

He also questioned why the St. Lawrence County Legislature is taking a
position on a private business project, calling it a bad precedent.

Audubon Society Vice President Joan Collins questioned what Bion's impact
might be on area grasslands that provide critical habitat for many
threatened bird species.

She said the project raises too many questions for the county to take a
stand on the project.

One speaker said that if Bion can find private investors willing to pay for
the project, and it meets the state, federal and local regulatory
requirements, it should be allowed to go forward, but the county should not
provide local taxpayer assistance for the project, any more than the county
provides to other farm operations.

Cynthia Wells asked what kind of impact Bion's six farms would have the
area's water resources since the 84,000 cows would be using a million
gallons of water a day.

"We really need to look at a project of this magnitude," she said.

David Fisher, of Madrid, called Bion a "speculative project" that has no
track record.

"Bion should not get any tax breaks," he said, urging the legislature to
focus on assisting projects like the pellet plant that involves local people
instead of assisting an untried technology.

Jon Cardinal, a student at St. Lawrence University, questioned whether the
project would be viable if the federal government cuts corn-based ethanol
subsidies.

Citizens questioned why legislators are getting involved in a project before
the company has even convinced investors to invest in the company to finance
the project.