CIF To PSC: Not So Fast on Alpine Hearings
CIF Requests Postponement; Late Notice Raises Legal Red Flags
If there was ever an issue to cause our community to cry out for transparency, this is it.
The Virgin Islands Public Services Commission (PSC) will violate the 15-day advance notice provision of the Virgin Islands Code if public hearings on the Alpine Energy Group (AEG) proposal are held as scheduled October 5-6.
The purpose of the hearings is to discuss the Power Purchase Agreements (PPA’s) submitted to the PSC by the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) on behalf of AEG. AEG is proposing to construct and interconnect Petroleum Coke and Refuse Derived Fuel Facilities at the Bovoni Landfill on St. Thomas and the Anguilla Landfill on St. Croix.
The proposal for this “waste to energy” plan has met stiff public opposition by those who question its cost; its impact on the health of the population exposed to diminished air-quality resulting from the use of PetCoke; the ecological impact of the process; and the method by which the AEG was selected to operate the program.
In our opinion, by failing to give the legally mandated notice for these hearings, the PSC is attempting to deny the public sufficient opportunity to address the serious issues surrounding this proposal and therefore, Crucians In Focus (CIF) has requested that the PSC postpone the sessions.
A letter requesting the postponement was sent to the PSC on behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands by CIF President Michael Springer. The letter was sent Friday via email and fax to PSC Chairman Joseph Boschulte and Vice Chairman Donald Cole.
According to documents related to the AEG proposal, the deadline for the PSC to make a decision is November 8, so the PSC has time to reschedule the hearings and comply with the law. (Page 1, Alpine attachment)
Title 29, Sec. 239 of the Virgin Islands Code relative to public hearings states, “a notice setting forth the general purpose of any such hearing and the time and place thereof shall have been published in a newspaper of substantial circulation in the area at least twice at intervals of not less than two (2) days; the first not more than fifteen (15) days nor less than ten (10) days and the last not less than two (2) days before such hearing.”
We have been unable to locate any PSC notices that fall within the legally mandated timeframe. The hearing “notice” that was published October 1 in the Virgin Islands Daily News is incomplete and inaccurate as it does not state specifically that the agreements in question are related to the Alpine Energy Proposal. The location listed for the October 6 St. Thomas hearing is also incorrect. (lower left column , attached)
Equally troubling is that documents related to this hearing are only available to the public in the PSC offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix. These documents should be posted immediately on the Commission’s website so that residents can review them prior to the hearings. It is also worth noting that to date neither the Request for Proposal nor the contract between Alpine and WAPA has been posted, as previously promised, on the WAPA website.
The attached Alpine document reveals that WAPA, “at its own cost will be responsible for arranging, procuring and delivering the PetCoke (a product necessary for Alpine’s operation) to the facilities (on St. Thomas and St. Croix). WAPA will contract with HOVENSA for the PetCoke supply. WAPA will be responsible for the transportation of the PetCoke to the Facilities.” (Page 4, Alpine attachment)
It is inexcusable that the PSC has given so little advance public notice for hearings on a matter that is so critical to the future of the Virgin Islands. We urge the PSC to take this opportunity to postpone and reschedule these hearings, comply with the law, and give our residents an opportunity to fully participate in this critical decision making process.
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Thank you CIF for taking a stand for the people of the Virgin Islands.
It is clear that someone at the PSC is trying to push this agreement right pass the community without proper notice. Didn’t Jean Greaux say the VI community had time to comment prior to the governor springing his announcement of the Alpine deal on the community?
Well, this time the de Jongh administration has been clearly caught trying to pull of the same trick that they did this week to senators who got “played”.
We will see who is willing to willfully break the laws of the Virgin Islands now that CIF has served notice.
The world is watching.
Good job CIF.
PUBLIC INFORMATION IS CONFIRMING THAT THE SOURCE IS AT IT AGAIN. THIS MEDIA OUTLET IS CLEARLY IN BED WITH THE MOST CORRUPTED ADMINISTRATION IN VIRGIN ISLANDS HISTORY. THE DE JONGH ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN USING THE SOURCE AS A PROPAGANDA TOOL TO MISLEAD THE VI COMMUNITY. THIS DISTORTION OF THE TRUTH IS CLEARLY CRIMINAL.
LOOK CLOSELY AT THE SOURCE HEADLINE “PCS HEARINGS SET FOR TRASH-TO-POWER PLANS”. NOTICE HOW THE SOURCE CHANGES THE OFFICIAL NAME FROM “WASTE TO ENERGY” TO “TRASH-TO-POWER”.
LOOK CLOSELY AGAIN AT HOW THE SOURCE SPINS THIS ARTICLE BY SAYING THE “PLANS TO BUILD ELECTRICITY-GENERATING TRASH-BURNING PLANTS”. NO WERE IN THIS SOURCE ARTICLE DOES THE DE JONGH ADMINISTRATION PERMITS THE SOURCE TO USE THE TERM “PET COKE”.
IF THE DE JONGH ADMINISTRATION WAS CONFIDENT OF THE ALPINE PLAN OF BURNING “PET-COKE”, IT WOULD HAVE PROPERLY INFORMED THE PUBLIC OF THIS “SHELL COMPANY” PLANS. WHERE IS THE VERIFIABLE PROOF THAT THIS “SHELL COMPANY” HAS DONE ANY DEMONSTRATED “COMPANY” WORK. GIVE THE “MONTH, YEAR AND LOCATIONS” THAT THIS SHELL COMPANY ALLEGEDLY PERFORMED ANY DEMONSTRATED WORK.
NOTICE HOW THE SOURCE ALLEGES THAT WAPA HAS JUST ANNOUNCED TO THE PUBLIC THAT ITS CONTRACT DOCUMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW “SATURDAY” AT THE WAPA BUSINESS OFFICES ON ST. CROIX AT THE SUNNY ISLE SHOPPING CENTER ANNEX AND ON ST. THOMAS AT SUB BASE FROM 8 A.M.. TO 12 PM. WHERE IS THE WAPA PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT? LOOK AT WAPA WEBSITE:
http://www.viwapa.vi/headlines.asp
IT IS CLEAR THIS “HAIL MARY” SOURCE ARTICLE IS THE DE JONGH ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO THE CIF REQUEST TO HAVE THE PSC HEARINGS POSTPONE FOR PROPER VETTING OF DOCUMENTS BY THE PUBLIC.
THE DE JONGH ADMINISTRATION, PSC, AND WAPA ARE CLEARLY VIOLATING THE VI CODE ON PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF “PUBLIC HEARINGS”. CIF IS RIGHT WHEN THEY SAY THAT THESE ACTIONS ARE WILLFUL AND INEXCUSABLE.
PEOPLE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THE WORLD, THE ILLEGAL AND CRIMINAL ACTIONS OF THESE VIRGIN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COULD NOT BE MADE ANY CLEARER. THE NOTION THAT A SOURCE ARTICLE WOULD APPEAR ON THE SATURDAY LEADING TO THE PLAN “MONDAY” HEARING IS TRULY AN INSULT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND A BLATANT ATTEMPT TO “PLAY” THE PEOPLE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.
THE SOURCE REMAINS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO THE PEOPLE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.
http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2009/10/02/psc-hearings-set-trash-power-plans
I would like to read the entire agreement. Based on what was posted, WAPA and VIWMA provides all the fuel free of cost to Alpine. I need to see more!
Kenrick, that is the problem…this deal is so corrupted that the de Jongh Administration has been suppressing the truth.
Evidence will be forwarded to CIF for them to post at this site for everyone to see that the Source knew from September 29 (Tuesday) that the PSC was planning to hold public hearings on Alpine but did not publish any info until today. The evidence will clearly show that the Source published information which they knew to be inaccurate and misleading. The evidence will show who else knew of the public hearings but kept their mouths shut. Maybe they kept their mouths shut because they knew the PSC was violating the law by not allowing the public proper notice according to law.
Remember this deal comes from the same Administration who promised transparency. Why aren’t these documents on the websites of WAPA, PSC and the Governor? Remember the Diageo deal was posted within a week on the Governor’s website? Why can’t we find it on any official website? Why did they wait until this morning to announce that the documents are available for review today?!? This deal stinks from top to bottom and our officials know it.
I heard that on October 6,2009 the Dewolf is going to announce that he is offering Cruzan Rum the same deal as Diageo and that the Nelthropp family is not happy because it’s going to make Cruzan Rum loose money. According to sources out of the administration Dewolf is trying to get back at Sen. N James because he has stated his opposition to the Diageo deal from the beginning and the huge amount of money that was poured into that deal. Look at what St. Thomas Governor trying to do to St. Croix.
According to the Daily News today, we had an ‘opportunity’ to view the ‘deal’ from 8am to 12pm at the WAPA offices AND we could write to the legal counsel to obtain the documents. WOW. The meeting is Monday night. It is trickery at it’s best for transparency to the public to be well informed in time to attend the meeting at such short notice. Obviously the PSC is in the tank with their hands out on this bogus deal that is really of no benefit to rate payers. The devil is in the details with this shell start up company deJongh and Hugo and Cornwall inked. Think about it, NO previous projects to demonstrate Alpine can do the job, not to mention the poison pollutants that will ensue burning trash AND pet coke making us all sick. Newly formed company to qualify for the RFP.
Something stinks here.
We need to connect the dots. The Governor and Greg Rhymer at WAPA are extremely close and perhahs a little to cozy. Then we have Dwayne Benjamin in Department of Justice who has been heard speaking of this deal a few months ago. Then we have Hugo Hodge Director of WAPA who’s best friend is Boshulte, Chair of the PSC. Then we have the Governor, Touching Wives Former Senator Roosevelt David all into the same pot working in Tandem with each other. So here we have a product of there greed. Alpine. The people of the Virgin Islands are being taken for a terrible ride. The Feds need to lock all these people up.
Rumor is the de Jongh administration has another convicted felon at the head of the PSC executive staff.
Yes, it is said that Keithley Joseph was convicted of bank embezzlement while working for a bank in St. Thomas and did two year in prison. There are many articles about Keithley Joseph wife (Ethlyn) who was also a Director of Virgin Islands Environmental Health. Ethlyn Joseph was accused of extortion but never got investigated by the VI IG when the case was referred for investigation. The IG claimed that he did not have enough man power in his office to investigate. Yes, this is the same IG that was approved by the senate for another term.
There is a criminal element within the Virgin Islands that has been working hand in hand for many years. This element is showing up again here in this Alpine deal. They all are going down together because the truth about them is coming to light and the evidence against them is overwhelming.
http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/archive?type=article&rpp=10&keyword=ethlyn+joseph&year=2004&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=submit
Source 2007 article on de Jongh cabinet members as of 2007 – Keithly Joseph – PSC
http://stcroixsource.com/content/community/data/2007/03/14/dejongh-cabinet-members
Here is the Daily News VI IG article about PSC Executive Director Keithley Joseph wife Ethlyn. This 2004 article also make reference to VI Attorney General Iver Stridiron. Iver Stridiron is now the legal counsel for May Adams Cornwall at the Waste Management Authority. WMA is also involved with the Alpine deal and is in the time line of events to happen after the PSC process. Iver Stridiron is allegedly part of a May Adams Cornwall WMA crime ring. So many public officials’ are involved with criminal activities raping the Virgin Islands of its treasures without fear of prosecution.
“The V.I. Inspector General’s Office on Tuesday received a formal request from the Health Department to investigate allegations of corruption against former Environmental Health Director Ethlyn Joseph – but may decline to do so.”
“V.I. Attorney General Iver Stridiron said Tuesday that his office is not investigating the allegations.”
http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_archive?id=305982
Beware of Dewolf wearing sheep clothing! Who said that? I guess some thieves were happy to endorse him knowing the pilfering of government funds would continue and their pockets were full. Wow can we derail this runaway train? Tell me how I want to help.