Senate Denies Alpine Lease For St. Thomas Waste To Energy Plant
Public Opposition To PetCoke Sinks St. Thomas Agreement; Sanes Blasts St. Croix Dissenters
Sen. Sammuel Sanes
The Virgin Islands Legislature voted Monday to deny a lease to Alpine Energy Group for land to construct a waste to energy plant in the Bovoni area on St. Thomas. In a vote of 11 against and 4 in favor, the action sends the Territory back to the drawing board for an acceptable solution to the issue of solid waste.
Those opposing the lease cited community resistance to the potential public health and environmental concerns raised by the use of petcoke. Those in favor cited the need to close the Territory’s landfills to avoid sanction by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that has mandated that landfills on St. Thomas and St. Croix be closed within a specified time to avoid hefty fines.
And Sen. Sammuel Sanes, who voted in favor of the lease, chastised those activists on St. Croix who opposed the deal for not mounting the same level of opposition to the Hovensa refinery.
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The lease under consideration was for the land Alpine was going to use to construct the plant that would convert solid waste into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). A second lease for the land to be used to construct the power generation plant, the process that would use RDF in conjunction with the hotly contested fuel petroleum coke to generate electricity, was not on the agenda today.
In recent weeks, information had surfaced that indicated that an alternative plan, one that did not involve the use of petcoke, was in the works and was being discussed with both the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) and the VI Waste Management Authority (VIWMA), both of which are parties to the agreement with Alpine. No such plan had been submitted to the Senate prior to today’s hearing.
Today’s action leaves several unanswered questions about the Alpine project and their contract agreement with WAPA and VIWMA. While Legislative approval was needed to lease the land on St. Thomas for construction, no such approval is necessary for St. Croix, as the south shore location designed for that facility is not government land. Can Alpine move ahead with the St. Croix portion of the project on its own?
The entire project is currently under review by the EPA for permitting purposes and that review must be positively completed before the project can proceed.
We have previously questioned the wisdom of a process that allows contracts to be signed before all reviews are completed. It has never made sense that ANY contract or Power Purchase Agreement could be signed with Alpine or any provider prior to all necessary reviews, permits and leases being completed and/or approved.
Voting against the leases were Sens. Craig Barshinger, Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg, Carlton Dowe, Neville James, Shawn Malone, Terrence Nelson, Nellie O’Reilly, Usie Richards, Patrick Sprauve, Celestino White and Alvin Williams.
Voting in favor of the leases were Senate President Louis Patrick Hill, and Sens. Wayne James, Sammuel Sanes and Michael Thurland.
So the question is now what?
Just after the vote was completed, Sen. Craig Barshinger encouraged officials of WAPA and VIWMA to continue to work on a proposal to eliminate the landfills and address the solid waste problem.
We look forward to Plan B.
I am a young adult from the island of st.thomas and i must say I give it to STX! As i tried to put away the books and try to keep up with Politricks its quite difficult. I see that STX means business the way they elect new officials and try to do things different compared to STT who keeps the same losers in! I honestly only voted for 2 old senators and the rest was new. We really need new faces especially if their going to be doing the same thing over, over, and over again. First we have to start from the top (Governor) and work our way down to the different Commissioners. I still don’t feel like I can come home and have a decent job because we gave it to the same old hag or dog (no offense) JUST BECAUSE they’ve been Working in a department FOREVER!!…I am going school so i can GIVE BACK! I feel that i am competent enough to at least be a director…but hey thats me DREAMING once again! The world is changing and updating every day and we are going school so we can give back that knowledge we have attained. Give us the Young people a chance! We have a voice as well!!
@ Jumping Ship,
HA ha ha!!! Thank you for clarifying our three inept senators here. I busted a gut!
I have a vision of Sanes right now. He is pounding himself on his chest, repeating over and over “I am NOT an idiot, I am NOT an idiot, I am NOT an idiot”.
Sanes, look at the poll results, seems most of us voting and community minded citizens think you are. I bet Julie Fricks couldn’t be happier about that either, she be cummin to take your office!
Regarding the overrides that happened yesterday, I believe it was all a BIG FAT PLAN, the big man did not really want the sham vetoes, so he got together with some of his “buddies” like White and Dowe and maybe a few others to have vetoes overriden. His vetoing of the bills was all a SHAM. He Had his buddies knock down the sham vetos,so don’t begin to think that he will be suprised or mad, try more like real happy. What a sham, shame on you White and Dowe, we seeing through both of you clear like a looking glass, and see you real soon in November 2010.
This is for Senator Hill, his vote yesterday on the Alpine lease was one more strike against him. This is strike No. 4. I guess he really want us to send him home in November, keep it up, he is going along quite good with the send home plan for November.
Yeah, send Hill home along with White, Dowe, In-Sanes, Turdland, and our friend, John P. deJongh, Jr.
Who is Pedro Cruz?
Pedro Cruz is Senator Nellie O’Reilly’s UNCLE. NOW YOU KNOW
You can tell it is an election year. What happened to the Democrats who acted like they were supporting the deal?
My most humble apologies “Anonymous”…I know of Senator O’Reilly…however I am not sure that Mr. Cruz relations to her give an indication as to “who HE is.” I hope that will not be “HIS” platform…
Not on St. Croix.
Anonymous…you and I are going to be great friends!(lol)
Pedro Cruz is campaigning for senator based on what he did 10+ years ago. What has he done lately?
I want to vote-in someone who speaks english, and does rely on a translator to get the details of a conversation.
Pedro Cruz does not impress me. I went to one of his meetings, and whatever he said was just too vague.
Speaking of Pedro Cruz, I stumbling upon his campaign website: http://www.pedropeicruz.com.
From what I have read on his website, he looks like a decent choice for the Senate. Beside, would you put on two more years with the likes of Thurland and Sanes, or would you at least take a chance with somebody new.
The problem with these elected officials in the V.I. is that non of them, correction only a small handful, like Senator Malone, Senator Richards and Senator Oreilly that are Statemen or Statewomen, all the others are a bunch of politrickians. The difference betwen the two, is a Stateperson honestly looks out for the masses of people, and work for the GOOD of the country or island. The Politrickians on the other hand are always up to no good, strive to enrichen themselves, always involve in some underhanded or backdoor scheme where they stand to gain, while pretending to be what they are not, honest and hard working for the people. The Politrickians need to know that we are tired of their nonsense.
Now that Alpine is in trouble, some of us who supported it are waiting for the alternative options. Please don’t take too long.
Where is Nellie O’Rielly? She seems soooooooo quiet. Please tell me they did not get to her. God help us.
No one has gotten to Nellie. She is doing her homework so she can informatively do the people’s business. No one can be everywhere and still get their work done. Her voice is always heard, very clearly. Her positions always come with supporting facts and a passion for what is good and right for the people.
The Senator will definitely have my vote in November.
a real crucian in focus April 6,2010 No one will ever get nellie.she is really doing her homework so she can informatively do the people’s business.infact she is about one of the few senator looking out for the people’s intrest,with honesty and dignity.Nellie will never sell her Islands or lest her people,she have to mush pride as a virgin islander. SHAWN MICHAEL MALONE FOR GOVERNOR. NELLIE R. O’REILLY FOR LT. GOVERNOR. 2010 ( thats the way to go )
A crucian in focus J.C. APRIL 6,2010 That’s true no one gotten to Nellie,she is doing her homework and taking care of the people’s business.She have to mush pride to let her people down,she’s a true virgin islander and a (CRUCIAN PRIDE).Honesty and dignity is what she’s all about.a women that deserve and gain all the respect in the senate floor.Nellie is #1 crucian senator.Bring back honesty and transparency to goverment house. SHAWN M. MMALONE FOR GOV./NELLIE R. O’RIELLY FOR LT. GOV. 2010.