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A supplement to The Press June 17, 2013
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One Voice outraged at pool razing By J. Patrick Eaken Press Staff Writer news@presspublications.com
Vietnam memorial The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall came to International Park last week which included a display of military vehicles. Pictured, Tyler Harper, Martin, Ohio, points to a name as his brother Zach and their friend Anthony Williams of Northwood look on. (Press photo by Harold Hamilton/HEHphotos.smugmug.com)
Power plant
Air permit expected this month Developers of a planned natural gasfired electric power plant to be built in the City of Oregon anticipate approval this month of a final air emissions permit by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and a start to the construction of the $860 million project by the spring of next year. William Siderewicz, a managing partner of North America Project Development, said Wednesday he expects the EPA to issue the air permit “within the next week or two.” There is a one-month appeal period to contest the air permit – the last of the major regulatory permits needed for the project, he said, but to date no one has contested the project during public hearings. NAPD is building the 800-megawattt plant through a subsidiary, Oregon Clean Energy, LLC. Siderewicz and William Martin, also a managing partner with the development firm, said they plan to complete requests for proposals by the end of this month for
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Everything we need for an energy project is right here.
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By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com
the hiring of firms to handle the engineering, procurement and construction phases of the project. Martin said Oregon Clean Energy is committed to hiring local contractors and union labor to build the plant, which will be located on a 30-acre parcel on N. Lallendorf Road. Oregon Clean Energy has an option on an adjoining parcel if there is a need to expand the plant in the future, he said. A construction schedule of 32-34 months is likely, Siderewicz said, adding it will require 475 to 525 workers and about 1.5 million worker hours.
“Everything we need for an energy project is right here,” Martin said of the local pool of skilled workers. The plan is to have the plant operating by May 2017. Energy Investors Funds, a private equity firm, is providing about 40 percent of the financing for construction costs and the balance will be covered by loans from commercial banks, Government funding won’t be involved in the project, Martin said. He and Siderewicz plan to retain an advisory firm by next month to assist in the structuring of loans. A preliminary analysis of the electrical market by NTE Solutions indicates the plant will have no trouble finding demand for the power it produces, Siderewicz said. He and Martin intend to meet in the next few weeks with PJM, the regional transmission organization responsible for coordinating the movement of wholesale electricity over all or parts of 13 states that is conducting a technical analysis of the plant’s connection to the local grid. The analysis is due to be completed by Sep-
Toledo’s District 3 city councilman Mike Craig and councilman and mayoral candidate Joe McNamara discussed their outrage at the Mayor Michael Bell administration for the city’s demolition of the Ravine Park pool. Craig said he found out about the demolition, which was already underway, on Wednesday from photos posted on the East Toledo Historical Society’s Facebook page. East Toledo leaders believe the razing began Monday. “There are walls down, there are pieces of cement literally down and it’s just the pool part of it right now. They are going to work their way up to the rest, I imagine,” said Jodi Gross, East Toledo Family Center community builder and spokesperson for One Voice for East Toledo. McNamara and Craig hosted a press conference Thursday morning at the corner of Dearborn Avenue and Colorado Street in East Toledo. “The lack of communication from the administration is not acceptable. At the very least there should have been a community meeting and advanced notice to the district councilman before any demolition occurred,” Craig said, McNamara, who will run against Bell in the next election, said, “Mayor Bell should be fighting for community anchors in Toledo, not tearing them down. This decision shows a complete disregard for local members of the community and a lack of vision for strong neighborhoods.” Andrea Martin, leader of Block Watch 410G (Garfield neighborhood), co-chair of One Voice’s housing and economic development committee, and an East Toledo Family Center trustee, says she believed that demolition of Ravine Park pool was supposed to be put on hold for further exploration. “Our councilman was not informed of this through official channels. He was informed of this via Facebook last night. It is a slap in the face from the current admin-
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uote of The Week
...there is an unspoken commitment to build a better man than the one he sees in the mirror. John Szozda See page 11
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