
The red arrow in the photo above (from this page on the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency website) shows the spot where the Nucor steel plant (Delridge/Andover) wants to upgrade a crane so it can operate more hours. Because more hours mean more emissions, Nucor needs state and regional permits; tonight’s public hearing at the Alki Community Center provided the chance for supporters and opponents to have their say. One of the shortest public hearings we’ve ever attended:
Less than half an hour, and it was all over.
Would have been shorter, except that Agata McIntyre from the Clean Air Agency was asked to show a PowerPoint presentation she had apparently only intended to have handy for citizen review before the meeting. It explained the crane and the increased emissions. All the agencies involved had already recommended approval of the permit, so there was no controversy to be had there.
Nucor’s safety/environmental officer Bart Kale spoke briefly about the plan, saying the upgraded crane will facilitate the addition of a 4th shift at the plant, and, he said, “20 new jobs will be created,” potentially adding millions to the local/regional economy.
He also mentioned Nucor’s history of community service and donations, a history that was echoed by several community leaders who spoke in general support of the proposal.
Only one person expressed concern about the project, People for Puget Sound representative Heather Trim. She explained, “We’re not opposed to Nucor … Nucor appears to be a very good company,” but PPS is worried about the fact that the current permit process doesn’t look at the industrial community as a whole when evaluating whether it’s OK to add more emissions to the air. She noted that, basically, what goes up must and does come down — from the “airshed” to the watershed.
The public comment period for the Nucor crane expansion will continue till next Monday; you can find out a lot more information about the project, including a breakdown of the increased emissions as well as how to submit a comment, by going here.
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