AES / Grand Terrace In the News:

Residents fight 'peaker' plant plan
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/02/2007 12:00:00 AM PDT
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_6522330

GRAND TERRACE - Residents on Wednesday criticized plans for a 300-megawatt power plant near the site of a proposed high school.
Opponents said the plant would pose a health and safety risk to students and faculty as well as the surrounding neighborhood.

"This is scary. Who wants a power plant in their neighborhood?" said Jeremy Samson, 29, who lives less than a mile from the project site.
The California Energy Commission hosted a six-hour workshop on Wednesday afternoon at City Hall for the public to ask questions about the plant.

AES Highgrove LLC has asked the commission for permission to build the so-called "peaker" plant, which would be used when the demand on the state's power grid is heaviest.

The plant would be powered by three natural-gas-fired turbines that would generate electricity.

The project is planned on a 10-acre property north of the intersection of Taylor Road and Main Street.

It would be in an industrially zoned area on the site of a former Southern California Edison power plant that was deactivated in 2001.

The old power plant, which was built in the 1950s, will be demolished.

The high school site is 100 feet from the plant's property line. But AES officials said the distance from the closest emissions' stack to the nearest school building is 1,200 feet.

The lengthy approval process includes several public meetings and reviews by state and local regulatory agencies.

The project could come before the commission for a vote early next year.

Colton Joint Unified School District board members passed a resolution in June opposing power plants near new or existing schools because of noise, air quality, traffic and other concerns.

Quoting from a 2005 environmental assessment prepared by a school district consultant, resident Roxanne Williams said the power plant would increase the cancer risk for students and faculty at the new school.

AES officials immediately disputed Williams' comments and said their own studies showed the cancer threat is extremely remote.

"We understand your concerns," AES project director Julie Way said in response to comments from residents. "We did all our analyses with the understanding that the school would be built there. The power plant is built to the most stringent standards in the U.S. It operates intermittently. It's very clean. If you look at the numbers, you'll see the emissions are very minimal."

Energy commission officials are conducting an independent air quality analysis of the proposed plant.

"I'm not going to recommend approval of this project if there are significant impacts to anybody," said Joe Loyer, an air quality expert for the commission.

Former Councilman Herman Hilkey said AES should consider other industrial areas for the plant away from homes and schools.


End of Article Now a Thought on the Subject

Now we have to wait to find out what Joe Loyer feels is “Significant”.

July Wade AES Project Director said: “Cancer Threat is extremely remote.” “Emissions are minimal”.

These statements neglect to assure a citizen that there is an appreciation for the fact we are already at the health tipping point for exposure to air pollution and cancer risks. A pinch more stress on our health may just put someone over the risk factor and become a real affected person. Are we willing to risk one or 14,000 citizens and 2500 students to this added “Risk”. I say no, turn off the power, put in solar PV Cells on Every Building before adding one pinch of air pollution to an already toxic environment.

IF the AES Power Plant is Rejected by the CEC, we must ask or remember that the Rail Road and the Industrial Zoning for the area still put HS#3 in an are that will put students at a higher risk than is prudent.