RACINE — Similar to the thunderstorms that rolled through the county Tuesday evening, the atmosphere at last night’s meeting dealing with American Municipal Power-Ohio’s proposed coal-fired power plant for Letart Falls was just as tumultuous at times.

At one point, Jed Thorpe, moderator of the meeting for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, cautioned the audience to be respectful of the person at the microphone or he would end the hearing portion of the meeting. Thorpe’s warning was a reaction to what was a palpable division between those who are for and those who oppose the American Municipal Power-Ohio Generating Station as it is currently presented.

During the question and answer period, Ohio EPA officials were getting asked questions about the use of best available pollution controls and emission limits by many who would later question the plant’s draft permit modification during the hearing portion. Also during the Q&A, a man stood from the audience and asked “the silent majority” who was in favor of the plant to stand up, to which most of the room stood, showing what appeared to be a physical, lopsided divide.

The purpose of last night’s meeting was to have an informational session on and public hearing about what the Ohio EPA calls a draft modification to the AMP-Ohio air permit-to-install which was approved in 2008. The air permit, which remains under appeal by various environmental groups, required a modification because one of the rules relied upon in the original permit is no longer applicable on a federal level. The original air permit to install relied upon the Clean Air Mercury Rule later vacated by the government in favor of Maximum Achievable Control Technology requirements related to the emissions of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP). MACT is meant to establish emission limits for AMPGS; limits which are designed to ensure compliance with federal and state clean air standards to protect public health.

Though AMP-Ohio and the Ohio EPA called the modification ”administrative,” people like Nachy Kanfer with the Sierra Club said by using that “administrative” terminology, this was a missed opportunity to fix problems in the draft permit modification. At the meeting, Kanfer said Meigs as well as surrounding counties were “overburdened by hazardous air pollutants,” adding he was particularly concerned about the affect and inclusion of manganese as one of those pollutants permitted, citing this as a public health issue. Kanfer asked that every measure be taken to protect the public health, adding he felt not everything had been done to reduce pollutants in the draft. Rachael Belz from Ohio Citizen Action also spoke, saying there were aspects of the draft permit modification that her organization was appalled by and spoke about her concerns in regards to mercury emissions that could affect the Ohio River. Loraine McCosker of Athens, who also identified herself as a nurse, spoke about her concerns about pollution’s affects on children, asking how much is enough when there are already 42 coal-fired power plants between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, Pa. along the Ohio River.

Greg Sheets of Pomeroy and Local 650, said he felt the country was at war with environmental groups that wanted to “take the country backwards” by stopping the burning of coal and other fossil fuels. Sheets maintained the country’s ability to produce it’s own food and electricity is a matter of national security.

“Let the lawsuits end and construction begin,” Sheets said in his speech which later received a standing ovation from many in the crowd.

Sheets was joined in his support by many local tradesmen and union members who asked the Ohio EPA to consider their opinions on the plant and the boost they feel it would bring to the local economy. Julia Sayre, also of Meigs County, reminded the Ohio EPA that “people are our most valuable resource.” Sayre, who said she was also a farmer who lives green and attempts to recycle all that she can, spoke in support of the plant and the new economic and educational opportunities it might bring.

Anthony Cremeans of Local 356, who is in support of the plant, pointed out he has five children and asked those bringing up pollution concerns and children: “Do you think I want them (his children) to die of cancer?” Cremeans said just because someone is diagnosed with cancer doesn’t mean it will be because of AMP-Ohio’s power plant. Cremeans then pointed to the side of the room, the right side, which overwhelmingly favored the plant and told the left side, “we all on this side (the right) stick together, you (on the left) need to stick with us.”

At press time the meeting was continuing. Those still wishing to make their opinions known on the draft permit by mail can send written comments to Ohio EPA’s Southeast District Office, Division of Air Pollution Control, Attn: Dean Ponchak, 2195 Front Street, Logan, 43138. Comments must be received by Friday.