CITIZENS GROUP IN GEORGIA FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST INCINERATOR
Press Release
Who: Citizens for a Healthy and Safe Environment, (www.chase-dekalb.webs.com)
And the law firm of: Jenkins, Olson & Bowen, P.C.,
15 South Public Square, Cartersville, Georgia 30120
What: Citizens for a Healthy and Safe Environment, Plaintiffs, vs. Dekalb County, Georgia, Defendant
Citizens for a Healthy and Safe Environment (www.chase-dekalb.webs.com) is calling a press conference to announce a lawsuit being filed on June 13, 2011 against the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners with regards to the recent issuing of a Special Land Use Permit to build a biomass gasification incinerator plant just outside the city of Lithonia in southeast DeKalb County, 1770 Rogers Lake Road.
When: Wednesday July 13th at 12:30 pm
Where: The Clark Harrison Building, Conference Room B, 330 West Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, Ga. 3003
Phone: For more information: 404 849-1578, Clark Harrison bldg. (404) 371-9580
Why: 1. Citizens for a Healthy and Safe Environment alleges that DeKalb County is in violation of its own zoning ordinances and other regulations in granting this Special Land Use Permit. These violations are described in detail in the nine counts against them outlined in the complaint. Community leaders and legal counsel will be on hand to discuss the impact of this decision and the reasons why it should be voided by the courts ( complaint to follow).
2. At this press conference Citizens for a Healthy and Safe Environment (CHASE) will also announce the beginning of the recall campaign for a special election to recall Commissioner Lee May, who has not acted in the best interest of his constituents.
Background: Despite vocal opposition from the community, on June 14, 2011 the DeKalb County Board of commissioners voted unanimously to grant a Special Land Use Permit to Green Energy Partners to build a huge biomass gasification incinerator very close to residential communities. Commissioner Lee May, in whose district the plant is proposed to be built, met with DeKalb county residents prior to the vote and was given a full packet of scientific and health information outlining the health and safety concerns of residents. The commissioners voted in favor of this plant despite the litany of evidence and warnings from public and environmental health experts that this plant would spew tons pollution in the air of the Atlanta metropolitan area (where we already have some of the worst air quality in the country). This poor air quality has resulted in mounting rates of asthma, allergies and other respiratory diseases for area residents. If this plant is allowed to be built, tons of fine particulate matter will enter the tiny air sacs in the lungs and cause rampant respiratory and heart disease in people throughout the metropolitan region. The carcinogenic chemicals released will increase the incidence of cancer. CHASE alleges that the public health and environmental impact were not adequately addressed in granting this permit.
In addition to the public health threat, the Commissioners ignored the environmental threat. While purported to be a "green" energy producing facility, a large amount of scientific evidence disputes this claim. Biomass burning is one of the most inefficient and costly forms of energy production. It is neither "green" nor "renewable" and should not be funded with tax dollar subsidies for green energy. It produces more CO2 per megawatt of energy than fossil fuels and will contribute to global warming with all of it severe weather consequences.
