Posted on 04/28/2005 9:30:16 AM PDT by areafiftyone
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is backing a plan to burn old tires to supply energy to an upstate New York paper mill that will produce clouds of acrid black smoke - a proposal that has nearby residents in a panic over potential health risks.
In an April 13 letter to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Clinton urged that the agency approve a two-week test burn at International Paper's Ticonderoga, N.Y., mill – adjacent to environmentally pristine Lake Champlain.
"I know that some are concerned about the potential air quality impact of burning tires at the mill," she wrote, before explaining that she agreed with IP's claims that pollution from the tire smoke won't be too harmful.
The top Democrat said the health risks were worth taking for the good of the local economy.
"I am strongly committed to working to ensure that IP's Ticonderoga mill continues to thrive and provide hundreds of good-paying jobs in Ticonderoga and the surrounding communities for generations," she explained.
Clinton's support for the tire burn has prompted heated protest from Vermont Gov. James Douglas, whose constituents live downwind of the Ticonderoga plant.
"Governor Douglas believes we need people in the United States Senate who understand how important it is to protect and improve our environment," his press secretary blasted, in quotes picked up by the Barre Montpelier Times Argus.
Ironically, Sen. Clinton made air quality a cause celebre two years ago when she accused the Bush adminsitration of covering up dangerous levels of toxic air at Ground Zero in the days after the 9/11 attack.
"[The EPA] knew and they didn't tell us the truth and the White House told them not to tell us the truth," the top Democrat fumed at the time.
"This is a very big issue," she continued. "It not only has to do with the health and safety of the people I represent, it has to do with the credibility and trust of this entire government."
Like her fellow Democrats, the tire-burn-backing Clinton opposes drilling in ANWR.
In a open tire fire you have very poor combustion. High monoxide, a lot of soot. In a controlled fire -- and probably some pre-chippeer to cut the tires up into coal sized chunks, maybe a fluidized-bed for a fire pit, the combustion will be complete, soot -- which contains a lot of energy -- will be absent, as even the soot will be burnt.
Actually we can burn the recond high pile of bull excrement that is now being built by the left and Hitlery for energy -- that sucker is going to be BIG when 2008 rolls around. :-)
and has started a "SAVE THE OLD TIRES" nationwide campaign.
Oh boy. A liberal cat fight! Gotta love it!
Agreed. See post #11 ;-)
Hillary's Energy Plan: BURN OLD TIRES!
George W. Bush - Bad for environment.
Hillary Clinton (D-NY) Good Democrat will support party platform and protect the environment.
The only rubber Hillary has smelled is Bill's old condoms burning in the trash barrel outside the Arkansas Governor's Mansion.
Burn tires???
What a whack job
Burn baby burn. It's not like (open) burning tires in your front yard. Energy from waste. Is the problem the who or the what?
Burn tires to provide power to a paper mill? Ok..and lets recycle hospital waste into fast food.
Years ago i remember a story about used tires being shipped to an experimental power plant in Greece. The tires were shreaded first before shipping. It was part of a story about how old tires were going to be disposed.
i also remember something about converting the byproduct into some kind of useable oil.
it was a while ago.
I do think that this is perhaps the only thing she has ever done that is close to being sane actually. I'm sure if she realized that she would oppose herself.
Now before you all get nuts, lets clarify what I mean, if there was a way to burn it more completely, with an afterburner or whatever and clean the exhaust to the point that it wasnt irresponsible, I think it could be a good idea. We have tons of tires all over the place and lots are being buried. This should go for most household garbage too. We need to start burning this trash (in a clean fashion) and use its energy. We are probably the only country in the world that does not burn our garbage and I can promise you they aren't worrying about emmissions. Japan burns all their trash, you have to sort out the cans and non flamable stuff like that. Its a big deal and kinda a pain but you get used to it. If your area recycles, then you wouldnt notice a change.
Farmers operate incenorators to destroy dead animals. I have used one my parents farm myself. If you can burn a 270 lb hog to a hand full of dust, while producing minimal smoke, I think it is possible to do this and keep it somewhat clean. The incenorator uses an afterburner in the exhaust stack. What I would propose is to use the exhaust stack as a preheater for a steam cycle, so the afterburner is not just wasting energy. Obviously, this would require natural gas or diesel to fuel the afterburner and also to kick up the heat in the main burner, but would give it extreamly good 'gas milage' for a power plant since much or most of the energy would come from the trash/tires. I think it would be cool to design an exhaust system to do this. The key is getting it really, really hot, the hotter it burns, the cleaner. And as a positive asside, the more potential for thermal efficiency from the steam cycle.
Correct me if I am wrong, but, I thought that the old tires, rubber from shoes, etc, was now beeing used as covering for ground in playgrounds!
There are a few playgrounds that have a really nice bouncy feel with different colors and such---
Wouldn't that be a better idea than burning them?
YES!
Betcha she turns after the test and blames the government for it
If they used the right kind of scrubbers it might be a good idea. But somehow or other I doubt that they will. I suspect that International Paper has contributed a nice fat donation to her campaign fund.
Vermonters will not be pleased about this. We're already downwind of all those coal burning plants in Ohio. A tire burning plant right across Lake Champlain would be an abomination.
I suppose if she could get away with kissing Sufa Arafat right after Sufa accused Israel of secretly killing Palestinian children with poison gas, then I suppose she can get away with this. The MSM will give her the usual free pass. But it strikes me as stupid politics, no matter how much Internation Paper is paying her.
When I was growing up, we had a big barrel in the back yard and my dad always burned the trash!
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