New EPA Regs on Cement Kilns Under Attack

In September 2010, the EPA established new standards for cement kilns that would drastically reduce the amount of mercury, hydrochloric acid, particulate matter and other harmful pollutants currently emitted by cement kilns. These new regulations are slated to go into effect in 2013 and will bring enormous benefits to human health, the environment, and will yield billions of dollars in health benefits by cutting toxic air pollution from cement plants.

Recently, however, Rep. John Carter (R-TX) is trying to build support for a congressional resolution to undo these EPA regulations before they have even gone into effect. These rules are long overdue: the EPA was actually required to set these standards for cement plants 13 years ago.

These regulations will reduce numerous toxins currently emitted by cement plants that can cause cancer, neurological problems, respiratory problems, cardiac problems, birth defects, and other medical ailments that can be catastrophic to human health. The EPA estimates that with these new cement plant standards, as many as 2,500 premature deaths will be avoided each year, and as much as $18 billion in health care costs will be saved just by reducing fine particulate matter emissions. And those numbers don't even include the health and savings benefits for the reduction of mercury, hydrochloric acid, hydrocarbons and sulfur dioxides which the EPA has not yet quantified.

The technology is here now and the cement industry can afford it. American companies build this equipment and America workers will be ones installing, operating, and maintaining it. These standards are not going to kill jobs - on the contrary, the EPA has estimated that the net effect of the rules could actually create jobs. Approximately 80% of the cement manufacturing capacity in American is owned by large foreign corporations (including French owned Lafarge in Ravena) with ample resources to install better pollution controls. Both Lafarge and Swiss owned Holcim are expected to report over $1billion in net income for 2010.

Rep. Carter's resolution would endanger thousands of Americans and waste billions of dollars every year. Even worse, if Carter succeeds, the EPA would be prevented from ever pursuing a similar pollution standard in the future.

Please take a few moments to contact your US Congressman and ask them to reject this outrageous attempt to allow one of our nation's dirtiest industries to have a free pass to pollute the air, harm human health, and cost this country billions in avoidable health care costs.

One easy way to help is to go here and send a message to Congress set up by Earthjustice.

DEC Hearing

For those who were not able to attend, a recording of the DEC Legislative Public Hearing on Lafarge's proposed modernization, held Jan 20th at the RCS High School, is now available on the WGXC website, here.

This was the last time to make a public statement on Lafarge's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the modernization of their Ravena plant. However, the DEC will continue to accept written comments until Feb 22, 2011. Information on how to submit written comments is below. The outcome of this modernization will affect this region for decades. It is vital that we speak up now and share our concerns with DEC during the public comment period.

Many thanks to Sam Sebren for recording this important hearing and making it available to the public online.

Tell It Like It Is!

On Thursday, Jan 13th, CASE Co-Founder Elyse Kunz and Executive Director of Friends of Hudson Susan Falzon sat down in the studio at WGCX with Sam Sebren and the gang for "Tell It Like It Is", talking cement for a full hour covering many important aspects of our concerns over the Lafarge Cement Plant, the Harvard study, and why it is important to get involved now with this issue. If you are interested in tuning it, it is archived here.

This is a new link that takes you directly to the portion of the show with Elyse and Susan with no need to fast forward.

Many thanks to Sam and everyone at WGCX for hosting this lively and informative discussion!

Harvard Meeting Recap - WGXC and TU

If you missed the community meeting last Thursday held by the Harvard School of Public Health at RCS to present preliminary findings from their bio-monitoring investigation of heavy metals in the Ravena area, you can still listen to the presentation and Q&A and learn first hand about the results.

Our friends at WGXC were in attendance and have made a recording of the event available on their website here.

For those who would prefer to read, Brian Nearing at the Times Union did a great job in covering the meeting. His article is here.

DEC Public Meeting on Lafarge - Jan 20th

The NYS DEC will host a legislative public hearing on January 20, 2011 on Lafarge's proposed modernization for its Ravena cement plant, 6 PM at the RCS High School Auditorium.

The outcome of Lafarge's modernization may impact this region for decades. This hearing is a critical step in the approval process. All persons, organizations, corporations, or government agencies which may be affected by the proposed projects are invited to attend the hearing or to submit oral or written comments.

The RCS High School Auditorium is located at 2025 Route 9W, Ravena, NY.

For more information, please see the post below.

Lafarge Modernization Comment Period

The NYS DEC is currently reviewing a proposal from the Lafarge NA to modernize their cement plant in Ravena, NY. This will include construction of a new kiln andsmokestack. The current kiln was constructed in 1962 so whatever Lafarge does with the new one will have long term consequences on this region.

A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and a Draft Permit for this project have been issued for public comment. This public comment period is the primary opportunity for the general public to express their opinions on this project. The comment period ends on February 22, 2011.

Info on the modernization can be found here. Hard copies are located at:

DEC Region 4 Headqrtrs
Coeymans Town Hall
Stuyvesant Town Hall
Chatham Town Hall
Kinderhook Town Hall
Schodack Town Hall
New Baltimore Town Hall
Kinderhook Memorial Library
North Chatham Free Library
RCS Community Library
Chatham Public Library
Valatie Free Library

Written Comments on the DEIS can be submitted by regular mail, email or fax to:

Sarah H. Evans
Project Manager/Environmental Analyst
NYS DEC
Region 4 Headquarters
1130 North Westcott Road
Schenectady NY 12306
(518) 357-2069

(518) 357-2460 (fax)
r4dep@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Written comments must be received no later than 4:45 PM on February 22, 2011.

DOH Phase One Comment Period

The NYS DOH has completed Phase One of a report on some of the communities surrounding the Lafarge Cement Plant in Ravena, NY. The DOH report can be found here.

The report is now available for public comment. This comment period ends on February 15, 2011.

Written comments on this report can be sent by mail or email to:

Bettsy Prohonic
Education and Outreach Unit
NYS DOH
547 River Street, Room 316
Troy NY 12180
(518) 402-7539
ceheduc@health.state.ny.us