Amador County – The Amador County Air District held a public hearing Wednesday before approving the permit to operate and related documents for the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant.

Bill May of Jackson Valley Road told of biomass incineration power plants in Merced and Madera Counties, which last week were fined a total of $830,000 for emission violations. He said the plants likely had equipment that was not brand new like the Buena Vista Plant proposes.

Donna Ogelvie of Camanche Parkway said her property was black when the old lignite plant operated. She said: “I was told, face to face, I couldn’t prove it came from the plant.” Ogelvie said: “I would like to see before it opens if they can do what they say they will do.”

Supervisor Richard Forster asked if they could have a “test period,” or “put the authority to construct in place for a test period.” Air District Counsel Greg Gillott said Buena Vista Biomass Power will have to prove it can operate on their “authority to construct” before they can get a permit to operate.

Consultant Ray Kupai, one of the “drafters of the authority to construct permit,” said a “source testing plan” must be submitted to the district before tests are conducted. A continuous monitoring system will be used, and a “fairly lengthy due diligence process” will make sure that the plant can “meet emission limits which are in the permit.” Supervisor Ted Novelli asked about the “source testing,” and it if will have different items.

Kupai said plant operators will be asked to run the plant at maximum capacity and will be asked to use the highest emission material for fuel, so they can show that they will meet the permit limits at maximum operating levels, with the dirtiest known fuel allowed in the permit.

Air District Director Mike Boitano said “source testing is required annually. They have to do it every year.”

Ogelvie’s daughter, Vicky Martin asked about access to emissions monitoring data, and Forster asked if it would be accessible to the public online. Buena Vista Biomass developer Mark Thompson said they could place data on a website, but it would have a delay from live monitoring of about 15 minutes. Boitano said they should push for that, and make sure the website noted the 15-minute delay.

Thompson said online reports could be summaries, and “there would also be complete monthly reports that are delivered to the Air District.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.