Families Against Cancer & Toxics

Concerned Cochise County Residents
For immediate release: February 24 2005

Contact:
Joni Adamson, Concerned Cochise County Residents (520) 378-4217
Terry Nordbrock, Families Against Cancer & Toxics (520) 795-7228
Teresa Leal, Concerned Nogales Residents (520) 331-2689

Residents & Public Interest Groups Express Alarm at “Back Room” Plasma Arc Incinerator Meeting and Vote

Community Coalition to Step Up Opposition to Global Energy Resources proposal

Bisbee, Arizona - Cochise County residents and public interest groups today expressed alarm at last week’s meeting of the county Landfill Rate Review Board where a vote was taken recommending that the Board of Supervisors sign a 20-year letter of intent with a California company that proposes to build a “plasma converter” incinerator in Sierra Vista to treat 100,000 tons of garbage and 100,000 tires a year. Many are not happy about this meeting and vote.

“The County is really fast-tracking this approval,” say Joni Adamson, a Sierra Vista resident. Adamson is a member of Concerned Cochise County Residents, which formed in January. “Community members are calling on our government officials to hold a series of public hearings in each community in Cochise County before there is a decision made whether to sign a 20-year letter of intent with Global Energy Resources for this proposed waste plant.”

“Apparently the promoters think that rural equals unsophisticated and we won’t notice the overblown claims and lack of data,” said Jean Eisenhower, resident of Sunizona. “We have no intention of being their guinea pigs.”

“I was furious,” says Cochise County Supervisor Paul Newman. “I was led to believe this would be a public process, but I didn’t even hear about the meeting and vote until a week later when I read about it in the paper. I am concerned about the lack of transparency in this process.”

The Cochise County Landfill Rate Review Board voted based on the recommendation of a self-appointed “Landfill Alternatives Committee” that formed after concerns were raised about the lack of data submitted by Global Energy Resources about their proposed plasma arc facility.

“Why do they claim to be a landfill alternatives committee when they only looked at one alternative, were biased in favor of the plasma arc proposal, and failed to look at safe alternatives to landfills and the plasma arc incinerator,” said Terry Nordbrock of Families Against Cancer & Toxics, which has members in Sierra Vista and Tucson. “We cannot take chances with the health of residents.”

Concerned Cochise County Residents are alarmed that this “Landfill Alternatives Committee” did not investigate any alternatives other than the proposed plasma arc facility. The LAC failed to investigate the numerous and effective alternatives to landfills and incineration, including expanding recycling, pollution prevention and composting programs on a community and county level.

“It sounds great to claim that a plasma arc facility can make toxicity disappear, but unfortunately it is not true,” said Bradley Angel, Executive Director of Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, who gave a detailed presentation about the proposal at a public meeting called by Supervisor Newman in December. “The public should be alarmed that the company and the Landfill Alternatives Committee failed to provide the readily-available information proving that plasma arc facilities do emit dioxin and other pollutants into the air. The public has a right to know the truth.”

Concerned Cochise County Residents urge the county to investigate safe, non-polluting alternatives that will protect public health, including dramatically increasing recycling and waste prevention programs. Residents in Nogales are concerned that a similar proposal is being considered there.
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