Hopefully by now you're up on what ReVenture is, who's involved and what it may mean for our city and county's air quality, trash and recycling, landfills, etc.
It's a big deal though it keeps "evolving" and it touches every inch of this county and beyond, since the actual incinerator/gasfication hybrid trash-eating plant will be on the Gaston County line, and since weather patterns don't give a rip about our arbitrary boundary lines.
If you need to get up to speed, you can catch up by reading my article from the February issue of Charlotte magazine, "ReVenture Under Review." That will fill you in on many of the larger details, though some have changed.
For instance, the company has decided that they'll no longer produce as much energy as they once planned to after it became less attractive to Duke Energy. (Read this: Incentives reduction key to trimmed ReVenture facility Charlotte Business Journal).
Also, the company also decided not to pelletize the trash they plan to feed their energy-producing plant, neither will they add lime to the trash something they claimed would help reduce air pollution emissions.
There was also a big hoo-ha recently about where the plant's leftovers (ash and possibly trash) would go. (Read this: Foxhole critics want long-term solution South Charlotte News)
And, the company was working on a contract with the county for trash, but they dumped that after Duke got cold feet (see above). Now it's unclear where the trash will come from, though it will most likely come from apartment complexes and other area businesses. It will then be sorted for recycleables, which they'll sell, and the rest will be put on the conveyor belt to be turned into electricity.
That last part is what tonight's meeting is about. The facility the company plans to use is just off Graham Street, near Uptown. It's "the rest" part that has people concerned about their lungs, and the lungs of their loved ones. Here's why: Some plastics simply aren't recycleable, and burning them puts off toxic emissions like dioxin (think Agent Orange) but no one knows how much will be emitted since there haven't been any studies conducted, and there may not be any conducted before the plant is in operation. Note: There's a brand new CMS elementary school next door to the property where the plant will be located and downtown Mount Holly is just across the river.
The Central Piedmont Sierra Club sent us details on the meeting, so here they are:
There will be a public hearing June 2nd at 7:00 PM for citizen comments regarding the ReVenture separation and fuel generation plant proposed for Amble Drive. The separation plan will determine the materials that will be burned in the gasification incinerator and the amount and types of pollutants emitted at the Clariant site. If you have questions and/or want to have your concerns heard, plan to attend this meeting! Bring a neighbor or friend and carpool.Meeting Information:
June 2, 7:00 PM
Mecklenburg Recycling Center
1007 Amble Drive
Charlotte, NC 28206
Materials to review for meeting at:
Notice of Public Meetings and Comment Period on ReVenture