Senate Visit To Florida Plant Questioned
Jacksonville plant location, ties to financier, raise concerns
We’ve done a little “fact-finding” of our own into the PetCoke burning plant Sen. Craig Barshinger and his committee members are going to visit in Florida on Wednesday and what we’ve found is troubling.
Barshinger is chairman of the Legislature’s Economic Development, Energy and Technology committee. As chairman, he is leading the excursion to Jacksonville, FL, to visit the Northside Generating Station. The facility is owned and operated by the Jacksonville Energy Authority (JEA). The purpose of the visit is to see first-hand how a plant that uses PetCoke operates and what affect it has on its surroundings. What they learn, according to Barshinger, will help them decide how to address the Alpine Energy Group proposal to build similar plants on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
But the Jacksonville plant has business relationships with some who stand to profit handsomely from the Virgin Islands project. In addition, the location of the plant is not comparable to the proximity the Island locations will have to congested population areas. So we wonder – will the delegation get the whole story, or just the information that will be beneficial to those who stand to profit from the development in the Virgin Islands?
The Legislature recently delayed a decision on the land leases for the Alpine plant on St. Thomas after Barshinger and other senators expressed concerns about the project and the outpouring of negative public opinion on the waste-to-energy initiative. At the heart of the controversy is the use of petroleum coke, an oil by-product, that is a proven environmental and health hazard. Opponents say the impact on the quality of life will be severe; supporters say that the “scrubbing” technology that Alpine will use will minimize the impact of the petcoke emissions.
Now, the concerns. A large amount of the petcoke used in the Jacksonville plant is supplied by the Hovensa Refinery on St. Croix. The distributor of that petcoke is William Koch, who would also be the seller of the petcoke to the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) for the Alpine project. Alpine’s contract requires that WAPA purchase all petroleum coke from Hovensa, therefore through Koch as the distributor, for the life of the agreement.
Additionally, the Jacksonville plant is located far outside of the city, and is surrounded by acres of wetlands and other uninhabited areas. This is in sharp contrast to the prospects for residents of St. Thomas and St. Croix who live west of and downwind from the central island locations planned for both Alpine facilities.
So while an attempt to get more information is admirable and, indeed, the responsible thing to do, we wonder whether the Jacksonville visit will give an objective view of the potential impact of this project on the financial, environmental and human health of the Virgin Islands.
Local opposition to this project is gaining visibility on the mainland, as the attached article from “Cape Cod Today” illustrates. The article highlights a letter written to Governor John deJongh by Paul Chakroff, executive director of the Virgin Islands Conservation Society, criticizing the deal and asking the Governor to meet with concerned environmental groups to discuss the impact of the project.
Crucians In Focus (CIF) has gone on the record in opposition to this deal, and agrees that much more scrutiny is necessary before determining an alternative energy solution. CIF, in conjunction with the Virgin Islands Ratepayers Association and other concerned community members, is sponsoring a Town Hall meeting on January 13, from 6-8 p.m at Gertrude’s Restaurant on St. Croix. The meeting is an opportunity for community members to get information on this critical project.
Meanwhile, we will wait for Sen. Barshinger’s report, which may first be given at a hearing he is holding on January 13 in St. Thomas. But we encourage the members of his committee, and any others who may travel to Jacksonville, to seriously evaluate the situation and its relevancy and potential impact on these Virgin Islands. We don’t know who has committed to go, but the other committee members are Sens. Michael Thurland, Neville James, Louis Hill, Shawn Malone, Nellie O’Reilly and Sammuel Sanes.
It will be interesting to see who goes to Florida, and still votes for the AEG leases. Maybe Wayne can spare some of his travel allotment to go stateside vs a European boondoggle. It does not have to be committee members only on the trip since the whole lot of our first branch of government will be voting on the leases. But then again, some have already been ‘greased’ for their vote. Shouldn’t we be tracking the money to senators, Hugo, May and the PSC? There has to be some money floating to them for the blatant error in judgement made to sell their souls for ruining the air, environment here and ‘awarding’ the 20 year $440 million dollar deal in AEG’s favor. Our children will be stuck with the bag on this one. Note AEG is not going to lose a dime should anything happen to impact the environment or if the cannot do what they say they can……AND have NEVER DONE BEFORE! We in the VI are again the guinea pigs for a start up company and a never before done project.
Diageo pales in comparison to the one sided agreement AEG is getting leaving us with the downside in our air quality and pocketbook.
To further educate themselves, Sen. Barshinger has arranged for his fellow committee members to join him in a fact finding excursion to Jacksonville FL.
Here, on Jan 6, our senators will have a guided tour of the Northside Generating Station owned and operated by JEA (Jacksonville Electric Authority).
Paul Chakroff, director of SEA (St Croix Environmental Association) was originally invited as part of the group and had made arrangements for our Senators to meet with a local environmental association (the Sierra Club) and also to tour a utility size clean alternative energy facility.
This part of the outing is now in question, quoting Sen. Barshinger: “Imagine arriving at the (JEA) plant with a negative attitude about their pet coke plant? Senators don’t need any agenda other than learning a lot about how a power plant works”.
In the latest development it appears that Hugo Hodge is joining the ‘delegation’ instead of Paul Chakroff to ensure that our senators will get a fair and balanced view on the use of petroleum coke. There is a rumor that Bill Koch will show up at the JEA plant Jan 6 to add more education to the excursion.
We hope some sort of compromise can be worked out. The Sierra Club has had an agreement with JEA since 1994 regarding emission levels and has collected data on the environmental impact on the surrounding areas of the plant. Interestingly, more than 60% of the petroleum coke burnt by JEA is provided by Oxbow, owned by Bill Koch, a recent addition to the Virgin Island EDC community. Oxbow controls all the petroleum coke produced by Hovensa and would eventually sell Wapa the pet coke to be used in the proposed Alpine plants.
So, it is a fair assumption, that the JEA plant to be ‘inspected’ by our Senators will be burning good old Cruzan pet coke.
Jan & Steffen Larsen
Poli-tricks as usual. Hugo has been paid off……interesting how the players have changed on the ‘tour’. Barshinger is under the assumption that Paul will be negative instead of providing a balanced commentary. And Hugo and Kock will?
It’s all about who will benefit from money folks! Paul has nothing to gain and would have been objective…….Hugo and Koch have monetary incentives to promote AEG…….and about Barsinger’s comment? He must be just going through the motions touring the plant and has already decided he is in favor of AEG…..and with his home being entirely off the grid, all he has to do is have his hand out for greasing for his vote.
Shameful at best.
Chakroff WILL be going to Jacksonville. What is more interesting is that a consultation with the Sierra Club and a tour of a solar energy facility is also on the schedule; how many of the participants will attend the additional venues to get the opposing side of the WAPA/Alpine public relations effort? We’ll see how even-handed the attendees are by their choice to attend or avoid the additional venues.
Only two senators went besides Barshinger who really had to go to put up a front for the public…..and Sleazy Sammy don’t count. All the rest have been paid off……including Slick do nothing Sanes. He is just posturing for the majority.
Hi Gravy, Which two senators went? Any idea who else went along?
O’Reilly and Thurland. None fron STT.
Barshinger is the guy in the FRANKLINSTEIN movie, The mad scientist. I don’t know how this element was re-elected to represent the STJ community and such a” CRUCIAL VOTE” in any major decision. “GOD SEND HELP” pleeease VOTE HIM OUT. To Mr. Thurland,Jesse and Frank James,Usie,Insane Sanes we will be serving chinese Rice in November so you all come in for DUCK SAUCE. DeWolf we hope you have enough money to buy mafolie gate and inprovements. No, we don’t want the used equipment, you can keep it, just pay us fair price.
To “Good Grief”, “Gravy Train,” Larsen and all the other naysayers. You’re Sad!! Where is the proof that Hodge and Cornwall are being paid off? Because you don’t like the Alpine project, that means they’re thieves? What makes you all more great Virgin Islanders than them? More caring about these islands than them? If you are so sure they have been paid off, why hide behind anonymity on this website or on some of your talk shows? Stand Up. Say who you are and bring the proof!How come you have to be anonymous when you say these things? Widespread rumor has it that Stefan Larsen had a financial interest in one of the other companies that didn’t get the bid because they couldn’t come up with the money!!! He’s been on the offensive every since. Is he protecting his own crookedness? Why should Larsen and his buddies be trusted?
Gravy Train is another ‘feel sorry me-hate everybodyels’ name for Foncie The Whiner. Keep that Gravy Train Whining Senator Donastorg. Sounding like only you can.
Why does Donastorg name have to be bought up all the time .. That is sickening … Donastorg is not the only senator and isnt the worse…. Sanes seems to have a personal issue with Foncie and its sad.. Sanes just got elected and he acts like he has seniority , and always wants to be with the BIG boys…Sanes keep on your time will come pretty soon ,Start packing your office. For right now the only candidates i can see being reelected is Nellie Oreilly and Neville, the rest are joke. O and Nelson if he was to go for his seat again …. And yes its obvious I am a Donastorg in 2010 Supporter .
Does anyone know where I can find out about Donastorg 2010 For Governor? I want to sign up.
@ Ana F: I agree with you, Donastorg is NOT the only senator, and Sanes is just plain horrible. If I divulged what I have had in conversation with him, I would be marked on this site. I dont want to be marked just yet, anonimity has its advantages, yes? Sanes reminds me of the water-boy for the team: he’s just not big enough to play, so he’ll carry the water, and squirt it out like a devoted player, even though he’ll never be. Sanes is not necessarily a bad person, he just aint what we need, nor asked for, to represent us. We will definitely send him home this November…
Donastorg has gotten a bad rap via the idiocy and blind following by Sanes, Barshinger, and Wayne. These idiots who voted to oust Donastorg didn’t even really know why they needed to vote him out, they just did it. DUMB. But, I guess that’s what we get for believing in the candidates that we all voted in…”stupid is as stupid does”. Well, those days are over…
Donastorg has passion, maybe even a tad too much at times, but I will take that passion over intimidation ANY TIME. Donastorg does not see in “color”, and that is what I need in a leader of our territory.
A comment was made today on a talk show that insinuated that our youth are going stateside and not returning to the territory, and the bigger insinuation was that the Constitution would change that. Hello! The constitution as proposed will NOT keep our intelligent youth here, but maybe the torch-bearing, gun-slinging, middle or high school drop outs that will carry the torch for a demand from the USA for reparations not owed. Let’s look at the bigger picture: the youth are so smart and educated now that they want NO part in the bass ackwards way of the previous government administrations. These kids go to school here with black people and white people, but all they walk away with is fond feelings for whatever friends they had in school. They don’t see color, and they don’t see any humanitarian aspects in the proposed constitution.
Donastorg has the same way of thinking, color and race do not matter, and for that aspect alone, I fully support him, and totally disbelieve that negative crap that Hill has laid upon him.
Hill: you will be history, you play too many games, but we are becoming wiser for your ploys.
I did my info digging on the Donastorg removal and I was stunned to find out that he himself admitted to those close to him that the job of being the Senate President was more than he ever expected and he was overwhelmed by its responsibilities.
Word has it that he bragged that he’s better off being on the floor and that while he gave the impression that he was treated unfairly, he was actually relieved that his former Majority members did what they did.
Quite frankly, the embarassment of him being removed from the presidency was a short term blow for him because his primary focus for 2009-2010 was to position himself for a another run at Government House. Politics in the Virgin Islands huh?
@Anonymous,
You’re an ARSE!!!!! Like him or not, I’m sure the majority of people would agree that DONASTORG is too smart to come across that way to ANYONE! “Wah happen DEWOLF, FRENCHTOWN chicken wings have you so constipated that it messing wid u mind. NOW not only are you an idiot but u turning crazy!” Save the bull-sh** for Ms. Petersen (sir theif a lot), ain’t goin fly here!!!!
I guess all this banter from the educator means she not running for the senate this election.
Who would the vote go to, like in Which personality?
Only telling you folks what I was told.
Donastorg will be the least of their worries. They will be busy trying to save their own @$$e$ from going to jail. Just like the Alpine deal, a lot of people will be going down.
it is so sad how the people of the VI are… deJongh is now history, lets forget about him and focus on what the most important election in history that is coming up .This election will be a live or die one . It will be to continue with the Corrupt ones who fooled us in 2006 or to follow the ones who warned us of these corrupted individuals.. Many things i heard of Senator Donastorg caused me not to vote for him in 2006 and vote for deJongh, but ive now learned my lesson , dont listen to rumors but listen to the facts. Up to this day no one can show proof of any thing Senator Donastorg have done that is against the law or unethical. Unlike others we know who will be running . deJongh has been accused of many things also ken mapp . Positive is also a humble , honest individual but i feel it isnt his time. So say whatever you’d like to say from the senator from St. Thomas , i believe he can pull through this time .The numbers are in his favor. For the senators USIE , Nellie, Positive (if he runs), and Neville (depending on Mafoliegate) are looking good in my eyes . barshinger you’re going back to where you came from .
As I mentioned on another blog site,things are really heating up for the 2010 elections…and there’s still another 10 long months to go.What a melee!Seems to me we need another leader like the late Cyril king,a man who was about to clean up a lot of irregularities in government before his illness and untimely death.But,it’s yet early in the race and there may well be a few surprises before it’s all over.We shall see.