Keeping an eye on St. Lawrence Cement
Many readers may have heard about a proposed coal-burning cement plant that would be located about 20 miles west of the Massachusetts border, in Greenport, New York. Currently, environmental regulators from the state of New York are reviewing permit applications from St. Lawrence Cement to build the facility, which would be one of the largest cement plants in the country. The plant is designed to replace an aging cement manufacturing plant in Catskill, New York. Since June of 2000, when I was first alerted about plans for the cement plant, I have worked with both community groups and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to ensure that the health and environmental concerns of residents in Massachusetts are voiced loudly and clearly to our counterparts in New York.
In June of 2001, I had the opportunity to testify before N.Y. Department of Environmental Conservation Administrative Law Judge Helene Goldberger at the St. Lawrence Cement legislative hearing in Hudson, N.Y. As part of my testimony, I stated that Massachusetts deserves a seat at the table during the environmental permitting process. DEP, which also testified at the legislative hearing, petitioned the New York regulators for inclusion in further hearings.
Unfortunately, on December 7, 2001, Judge Goldberger denied DEP's request to fully participate in the administrative law hearings designed to review St. Lawrence Cement's permit application. Recently, DEP appealed this decision that excludes our state's environmental agency from participating in formal hearings regarding the St. Lawrence Cement plant. If the Massachusetts appeal is successful, then DEP will take part in the upcoming hearings in New York, with the ability to call witnesses, present evidence and cross-examine the applicant's witnesses.
On a separate front, environmental experts from DEP and I continue to work with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) to assist in Massachusetts' involvement on a regional level. BRPC has spent considerable resources investigating the plant's impact on western Massachusetts, and has expressed its concerns to the New York regulators overseeing this project.
Likewise, Friends of Hudson, a New York environmental group, has played an active role in assisting our efforts in Massachusetts. A grassroots community effort has also surfaced in the Berkshires and has created even more public awareness about St. Lawrence Cement. Tyringham-based Friends of Clean Air, which includes a diverse membership ranging from farmers and students to business owners and seniors, is focusing on protecting our environment for current and future generations.
While I was disappointed with Judge Goldberger's initial ruling that prevents DEP from actively participating in the administrative law hearings, I am pleased that DEP, under the leadership of Commissioner Lauren Liss, and with the support of the Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, Robert Durand, has appealed the ruling.
Additionally, DEP has expressed its concerns to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about the proposed cement plant and is reserving its right to appeal the permit on the federal level. I appreciate DEP's commitment to western Massachusetts. The agency’s efforts to guarantee that the St. Lawrence Cement plant strictly complies with all state and federal laws and to ensure that the plant is as environmentally safe as possible under today's technology have been laudable. I encourage interested residents to contact my district office (413-442-6810) with any questions you may have regarding the St. Lawrence Cement proposal.
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