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Petitions bearing the names of over 10,000 people opposed to St. Lawrence Cement’s coal-fired “Greenport proposal” were mailed today to twenty-four different officials in Columbia County and the Hudson Valley, as well as State and Federal officials. Residents who have yet to sign the petition can do so online by clicking HERE. “These signatures are one more sign of how widespread and determined the opposition to St. Lawrence’s plans has become,” said Sam Pratt, Executive Director of Friends of Hudson. “When we reached 1,000 petition signers a couple of years ago, we thought that was already a lot,” “Now we have ten times as many, and residents concerned about their health are still coming forward, eager to sign.” The text of the main petition reads: To whom it may concern: St. Lawrence Cement poses a major threat to our health, economy, and environment. In spite of its unprecedented size, the project offers no real tax or job benefits. It would reverse the steady progress we have all worked so hard for. With leadership, we can attract better jobs without shredding the fabric of our communities. Must we sacrifice our homes and families in favor of a Swiss/Canadian corporation with a bad track record? As parents, voters, workers, entrepreneurs, and taxpayers, we call on you to prevent this plant from destroying what we love about this area, and to work with us to find sound solutions to our common problems. The signatures also include copies of cards and other independent petitions that have been created and gathered by various residents at area businesses, events, and on the streets. Officials receiving petitions range from the Hudson Planning Board to the Army Corps of Engineers. ”We actually have nearly 11,000 names now, but the process of collating such a large number of petitions into two dozen sets is so complex that this mailing only covers through late September,” noted Pratt. “We will continue collecting signatures and bringing them to officials’ attention until this project is stopped.” Those who wish to help collect more paper petitions can contact Sue Bellinger at the Friends of Hudson office, (518) 822-0334. As goes New Hampshire... The Register-Star, which recently launched its website, reports that New Hampshire has joined the list of New England states challenging the massive, coal-fired St. Lawrence Cement plant proposed here in Columbia County, NY. New Hampshire State Represenative Martha Fuller Clark "has joined other New England officials, such as Maine Gov. Angus S. King Jr., and Connecticut state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, in raising concerns about St. Lawrence's plans," writes the Register Joseph Brill. In response, SLC's paid ghostwriter from Dutchess County, Dan Odescalchi, trots out the usual company lines about the project being a "replacement plant." Mr. Odescalchi fails to mention that: -- The company's alleged "replacement" would produce some 3.5 times as much cement as their Catskill plant; -- The new Greenport facility would include a stack over 4 times taller than their existing Catskill stack, and be moved to within 1 mile of the only hospital serving the Twin Counties; -- The Catskill "replacement" would include the waste dump for the new plant; -- SLC has also applied for the "replaced" Catskill location to become the site to a new GranCem bagging operation that would generate 6,600 extra truck trips per year. In addition officials such as Maine's Governor and Connecticut's Attorney General (who has signalled his intention to sue New York State if the Greenport proposal is approved), numerous Massachusetts officials and agencies have also expressed deep concern. New York's consideration of building a major coal-fired facility could be viewed as a slap in the face of its NorthEast neighbors, who have joined in common cause with New York to crack down on coal-fired power plants in the MidWest which dump acid rain and other pollutants in the Adirondack lakes and the Catskills. HOME | ARCHIVES BOX 326 HUDSON NY 12534 (518) 822-0334 TEL (518) 822-9435 FAX  |