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| The plant, rendered above, would be the country’s largest biodiesel producer.
(courtesy of Biodiesel Technology) |
By Mike Saewitz
The Virginian-Pilot
Chesapeake
The City Council voted 7-2 late Tuesday night in favor of building a $532 million biodiesel plant in South Norfolk, despite concerns raised over the past few months about the California-based developer.
Council members said the proposal by Smiling Earth Energy LLC would be far less dangerous than the jet fuel and gasoline tanks that already surround a nearby community of about 30 homes.
“In this case, we’re getting the benefit of a new company that’s going to be providing jobs, taxes and cleaning up a section of South Norfolk, and they’re not asking for anything from us,” said Councilwoman Patricia Willis. “That is just so unusual.”
If Smiling Earth follows through, the plant will be the country’s largest biodiesel producer. It will make 320 million gallons per year, more than the entire amount of the alternative fuel produced in the United States last year.
Company representatives say they will try to build the plant in nine months and want to have it running by next fall .
Smiling Earth also committed up to $5 million to revitalize or redevelop the community of South Hill and will be required to come up with the money before getting a certificate of occupancy.
Several City Council members who supported the project talked more about South Hill than biodiesel.
Others said that the 44 acres off Rosemont Avenue were a good fit for this kind of plant. Even Councilwoman Rebecca Adams, who expressed concerns about the project a month ago, said her decision to support the project was based on the land’s best use.
Smiling Earth will now have to obtain financing for the project. The company was evicted this year from a San Francisco suite and also missed key payments on the Chesapeake land. One of its principals spent four years in federal prison on a charge of planning to distribute large quantities of Ecstasy.
Council members, however, said they had been shown proof of the financing behind the project.
“I trust that the institutions will do a thorough vetting before ever offering the kind of financial backing that they have,” Adams said.
The developer also must obtain an air permit from the Department of Environmental Quality.
One of the most telling parts of the night came with testimony from Fire Chief R. Stephen Best , who told the council that biodiesel was a safe fuel. He also said some of the fuel tanks surrounding the community of South Hill contained 10 million gallons of gasoline.
Residents of South Hill had opposed the project at previous meetings but sat in silence in the back of the room.
“I can go along with the program as long as they do what they say they’re going to do,” said Marvin Hill, acting president of the South Hill Civic League.
Mike Saewitz, (757) 222-5207,
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My Two Cents Worth!
A project of this magnitude in such a short span of time, by a "Very" questionable company with "Very" questionable persons at the helm, mixed with the inherent by product dangers of said facility..is going to make one of hell of a mess! Across the board! The air in North Carolina smells ever so sweet when I read about VB and Chesapeake pols voting with dreams of off shore accounts being filled, rather than listening to the people. Rats are smarter-They leave a sinking ship!
Laughing Stock
As a former resident of the Hampton Roads area, I am embarassed by the leadership of one of the major cities in this region. For city council to ignore the planning commission and vote to approve a project run by a drug dealer is preposterous. It makes the city look like a laughing stock to anyone working or representing local governments. This project will die in a few months and most of those approving of the project will hopefully be removed from city council. To afford these phonies approval with their criminal track record and lack of a sound business track record is scary. I am afraid for the direction Chesapeake is taking under their elected leadership.
Wait and see.
Look. All the City Council has given them is permission. The developers are going to have to come up with the financing and are going to have to satisfy a whole bunch of stipulations. If this works out, it could be a great deal for Chesapeake. If it flops, other than some egg on some faces, what would be the lasting harm? Use the space for something else. At least City Council didn't hand over a big pile of cash and tax exemptions like the giggling and generous (with someone else's money) Norfolk City Council does when a developer comes to town playing his magic flute. Wait and see.
"After This Accident We'll Be Right Back"...
The best laid plans of mice & City Council often come to no good; especially when they are laced with greed, lack of understanding & are absent of good ole' common sense. The City Council accepted this proposal based on the $5million, I'm sure, so no other vote result should've been expected. In other words, the Quorum that voted "Aye" should be ready to warm up their resume`s come election time. As for the biodiesel plant itself, this was not the one that the Ches. Planning Commission voted "No" to last week. That "No" vote was for the ethanol plant over here near Craddock. I don't believe the media has been very clear about helping its public to know the difference between the two plants & about where each one is to be located. -Quagmire-
Wimps...
Geeze. You aren't worried about the millions of gallons of gasoline stored in South Norfolk exploding. But the smell in the air from the biodiesel plant will kill you. What a bunch of wimps. You all knew it was going to be approved. Move. Something we all will have to do if this crazy expansion without infrastructure continues...
Money over Morality
How embarassing is it that our city council apprves this plant, before the citizes of South Hill are moved out. This should be proof to voters that this city council, minus two, s willing to put money, over the public safety, health and welfare of their constiuents. We the citizens, though our vote must change the culture of governing in Chesapeake. Right now it is business first and citizens second. May 2008, is the time for change! Remember this issue, your high taxes, the shortage of police officers, and all the proffer money they passed on, that could of went to schools. We must remember this and hold them accountable in May 2008. They all seem to forget, By the people for the people!!!
Elected Officials
Once again, elected officials not listening to the people who voted them in (and might vote them out). They listen with the City's wallet and with the hope of having their names on something. Citizerns got together, neighboring cities chimed in and what does Chesapeake say? To heck with you all, we're going to do what we want, what we think is right, even if none of you want it. It just goes to prove - politicians are politicans. No matter what they say or promise when running - they only listen to themselves and the ka-ching of money once they get into office.
Mixed feelings
Someone has to do it, Norfolk gets high rises and tourism, and Chesapeake gets more factories and plants. Feels like filthy New Jersey across from New York City. Virginia Beach must be Philadelphia; funny all of this polution in a resort area there isn't any other commerce for Cheseapeake other than old industrial age brick and mortar from the 50s?
A NASCAR track
Perhaps a NASCAR track would have been a better bet for the land. Oh wait, Chesapeake had that possibility a long time ago and blew it.
Due diligence???
This company plans to harvest and process Jatropha seeds. Ever hear of Castor Beans? Or Ricin? This close cousin to Castor also produces a toxin that is poisonous. What environmental and emergency management issues are going to arise not only from the processing of seeds, but for the distant Mexican farmers who will tend the millions of acres needed to make this project viable? We don't know because no one checked.
A Chance for citizens to speak:
In response to Joyce B's question - the next election for Chesapeake City Council is May 6, 2008. The incumbents up for re-election are Mayor Edge, and Council members Hayes, Parker and Willis. All of these just voted in favor of the Bio-diesel plant. The only two who voted against the plant were Council members Krasnoff and de Triquet who won't be up for re-election until May, 2010. Let's hope by May, 2008, Chesapeake citizens will remember votes like this and the apparent priorities the incumbents have as our elected officials!
Unbelievable
Just so I get the facts right...$532M facility, built in 9 months, and "running" next Fall. Current status: need funding and no operating permit from DEQ. Who from Smiling Earth is willing to wager on these ridiculous commitments?
Ironic Twist
Just a year ago, Chesapeake filed suit against SPSA and one of the reasons was that Portsmouth dared to propose a container port just across the river from this site. This port would have brought in containers that would have been transported to SPSA and the contents dumped there for incineration in the waste to enery plant, thereby reducing the cost of municipal solid waste disposal for citizens in the SPSA service area. So what changed? This plant will increase barge and ship traffic and certainly truck traffic. It will increase carbon emmisions and impact the environment in much greater fashion that the W-T-E plant which already exists. My point is that Chesapeake has once again shown its parochial attitude for all to see.
Bums.....
City Council what a joke! Hayes et al , with his hand out ($5MIL) for the folks (votes) in the expanded community( can hear him now ...Look what I did for you folks). What a bad idea...these guys, Smiley Earth, will be laughing at Cpke all the way to the bank when thy pull the plug and run.
Better you guys than us!
I'm finally proud to live in Virginia Beach. At least this is one bone-headed adventure that I won't see in my next tax bill. Citizens of Chesapeake, I think it's time for you to gird your loins, grab your pitchforks, light your torches, and descend en mass on City Hall. I can't believe they seriously voted for this project. Better you guys than us!
City Council Arrogance
Chesapeake's council must have taken lessons from Portsmouth council. Both ignore the recommendations of commissions in the city who are paid to investigate and make recommendations for council to act on. All voting citizens should remember the 7 who voted for this come next election.
Why voice concerns???
Why bother voicing concerns if the city council bums don't listen? Has anyone even bothered to research the impact this plant will have on our local environment? Texas banned biodiesel because of the fuel's nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and their contribution to the formation of ground-level ozone in Texas' eastern counties. According to the EPA folks there, biodiesel does not meet the stricter NOx standards recently imposed on diesel and alternative diesel fuels under new regulations. I'm sorry, but chump change $5million to "revitalize" an area isn't worth the impact this plant could have. I guess I should be glad I don't live downwind of it or in that neighborhood!
Stupid
What has happened to common sense in the area of Hamptom Roads. I thought if it walked like a duck and quacked like a duck it was a duck. Jail birds and who knows what else and you welcome them with open arms? I suppose Micheal Vick will be able to open his dog fighting site next door and you can all have a jolly time!
The Council doesn't read
For anyone who has been reading the major dailies across country, especially the financial sections, there are already too many biodiesel plants nationwide. Prices are already dropping. Farmers who jumped into ramping up their corn fields are already feeling the pinch. Doesn't anybody in Hampton Roads pay attention to these things? Why is Virginia always the last to discover the earth is not flat?!?
Headline Should have said
"He doesn't sound like the kind of businessman we need in Chesapeake," said Planning Commissioner Betty P. Weaver, who cast a vote to support the project before learning the information. What happened? Why did the city council change there mind to get "in bed" with a convicted drug dealer who sold 16,000 tablets of Ecsatcy to our kids. Wait until campaign time. If this City Council is not wiped out by the voters it will only prove that people in Chesapeake have been sucking in too much Dismal Swamp Gas. Good luck Chesapeake.. if these people are your leaders.
Who voted no?
I would like to know who voted against the plant so that I can vote for them. When do the elections come around again?....
This is a scam
I'm disappointed in you Mike Saewitz. Why are you taking the readers on a tour of their obvious charlitanism???
This is the official Smiling Earth website.
Note the photoshopped pictures, superimposed logos on equipment, and the gibberish text.
http://www.se-energy.com/
http://www.se-energy.com/plantequip.html
http://www.se-energy.com/contact.html
Try calling thier offices...no answer. Check google maps, there's nothing there but a house.
Come on Pilot, break this open.
Industry near homes a bad idea
Industry and homes do not mix. Their will always be repercussions. Have we not learned from our past. Industry should be by itself and homes as well. Would you want this in your backyard?? This is the question and the main question for all Council to answer. Would you feel safe with your child near this property. Will we find out the health concerns when someone gets sick? Time will tell. The decisions you make now, will effect us all in the long run.
Can't wait for next election
Based on who voted for this resolution I know who will not be receiving my vote.
Something smells worse than rotten bio-diesel here
The Happy Smiling Funball Earth company is so ridiculously and obviously rotten to the core that they could not have actually conned a group even as inane as our city council. There must $ be some $ other factor $ at play here$. I wonder what it could be$ that influenced council $ to approve? Here is my prediction: The HSFE company will use our council's approval as a means to secure investors. Once they get a few million stashed away in their offshore accounts it will be "Happy Smiling who?" I'm sorry, that number has been disconnected. See the City of Chesapeake for a refund. We have been used, folks.
New Biodiesel Plant
Councilwoman Patricia Willis commented that it was "just unusual" for the developer to not want anything in return for building this plant in the South Norfolk community. I agree. But did anybody ask why? I happen to think if this was any other community, it would have never happened. With all the open land still undeveloped in Chesapeake, why is THIS community the best place for a biodiesel plant? I think the City did not have the community's best interest at heart when the decision was made, and the citizens that live there didn't have enough clout to get them to listen to their concerns and stay away from their homes. I live in South Norfolk, and I think it's an easy way for the City to make tax money at other people's expense.
Perfect
This makes great sense to me. A company that can't pay for its office suite, make payments on Chesapeake land, and has a drug addict convict for a principal certainly is the perfect candidate for a 532 million dollar project. It seems that the Chesapeake City Council must have been sampling some of their Ecstasy.
Figures.....
City Planning voted 'no'....City Council does the exact opposite. Every single time. Chesapeake is a junky mess and getting junkier. To heck with the master plan.
What Planning Commission?
The southeast is experiencing the worst drought imaginable. I wonder where Smiling Earth will get the water? These city councilmen need their heads examined, especially since their own planning commission voted to disapprove the project. The seven council members who voted for this project need to be removed from their positions.
Perfect
This makes great sense to me. A company that can't pay for its office suite, make payments on Chesapeake land, and has a drug addict convict for a principal certainly is the perfect candidate for a 532 million dollar project. It seems that the Chesapeake City Council must have been sampling some of their Ecstasy.