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Show tEfmeg-fflefo- Page 3 g Wednesday, October 27, 1993 IICpIll, Uldfl n was in a gas area. She said the council was proud of that fact. "Perhaps we should advertise, Nephi is a low radon gas area but, by the way, we also treat hazardous waste at our entrance." Dana Kelson said she was concerned. She spoke about the facility being of a new type. "How many years down the road will it be before we know what can be caused by it?" Birth defects, damage to a person, diseases did not always show up right away, she said. Sometimes they showed up 10 years later. Karen McPherson said her family was invited to a meeting, as a nearby property owner, on May 18. They sat down with the rest of the neighbors at that time. She said she read and studied about the plant. Her concerns had been ground water, the closeness to the town, and the chemical hazard. Renee Truscott asked if the owners of the plant came to Nephi councilmen first. "They came to us and presented their case," said Steele. Doris Newton said she was concerned about the way the wind blew in her direction. She was located near a cement batch plant and had come to the city to protest eight years ago to protest. "It was tabled then and its tabled now," she low-rado- ...from page 2 Nephi City Council News permitting process for a fuels-blendi- Envi-roChe- facil- ng for two and one-hayears. They had taken many hours of their own time to study the issues and had advertised in the public notices section of the lf ity proposed for the city industrial park. One new bit o information Steele said he would study and paper .the public meetings find an answer to was a quesheld. tion asked by Blaine Malquist, Dana Kelson questioned a chemistry teacher in Orem. where the mandate of the peoMalquist asked Steele about ple was if they could not have the release of Carbon Tetraan election on the issue. chloride. He asked about the Jens Mickelsen, city council closeness of the plant to the member, said most people Trail, Inc. building, a sheltered thought EnviroChem was a workshop for mentally disad- good idea. vantaged citizens. Malquist Many Nephi residents, some said he understood the chemiemployees of the city, are cal would exceed the legal against having EnviroChem limit for one hour when the vat build in the industrial park was opened. though they are not saying so "We will look into your allepublicly because they fear to He said Steele. said, do so, said group members. gation," Harmon asljed for the floor however, the reports from the state health and safety people to explain the state permitting and the Six County health ex- process, "it is the state that issues the permits and the state perts had been in favor of and had not found that has the experts." He said anything to object to in plant EnviroChem has the right to construction or public safety. apply for a business. "It is the Malquist said he had been right you all hold sacred, the attending council meetings as right of free agency." a news reporter less than two After he was interrupted several times, Harmon asked years ago. "My information was very misleading." He unfor the respect of the group. derstood the plant would be One of the things that concerned him, he said, was the handling used oil. Ellen Jenkins asked when lack of courtesy and respect. "I the next meeting where citi- didn't interrupt you." The group wanted one of the zens could talk to EnviroChem council members to go to the officials would be held. 'We can have one anytime state and say they no longer you would like," said Steele. wanted EnviroChem to site in The meetings needed only to Nephi. The council was told it would make a difference to the be scheduled. outcome of the permitting "These are public information meetings," said Harmon. board if just one council member voted against the plant lo"They are held so questions can be asked. They are not cation. Even if the council agreed to places to make statements." do Citizens at the meeting were that, said Harmon, it didn't mean the plant wouldn't build on still intent seeing the issue turned over to the citizens for in Nephi. When the regional a referendum vote. City offiprison facility, like the one in cials agreed the vote could not Cedar City, was proposed for be held in the city election on Nephi, the state withdrew after citizens objected. That was November 2nd. Steele said the city council state, not private, funding. A had been working on the issue different! type of prison was - t iMuiih , - . : r ' : ' i . s , ' II Tl.l built in Millard County after some citizens protested its being built and the county commission could not agree on its construction. The property for . EnviroChem was annexed into the city because the council wanted it that way so they would have some control. Jenkins said she and her family had 200 acres of prime farm ground and was concerned about the effect of EnviroChem on the property. 'We as citizens are crying for you as elected representatives to say something for us." Steele said he had eight acres of prime city land. There were benefits to the city to have EnviroChem site in the industrial park. The company will pay property taxes, buy power, buy water, buy natural gas and pay a sewer usage fee. "It brings money into the city that keeps the cost of living down for all of us," he said. Last year, because of the wise electric power decisions the city has made, he said, $600,000 went back into the city's pockets and $400,000 went back to run the, city. "Finally, we will get jobs," he said. When the plant is in full production there will be 40 jobs. Pay for those jobs will vary from the $6 range to the mid-$2- 0 range. Snow College will train for some of the jobs. Two managers will be from out of the area unless a local person can qualify with an engi- neering degree or a master's degree in chemistry. Vicky Jackson who has entered several strong protests against the siting of EnviroChem said she thought the citizens who were against the proposal deserved the respect of the city fathers. "None of you are chemical experts," she said. She said she had been interested to learn at the council meeting that Nephi -- said. The group continued to have problems with the exemptions the state had granted, said Shook. She wondered why the city didn't draft ordinances prohibiting EnviroChem., Harmon said the city was a legitimate business and was as much entitled to open a business as Midstates and NRP. Clarence Phillipson questioned the safety of the freeway exit at north Nephi and said the braking systems used on trucks made many of them unsafe on such an exit. ...from page 1 Emergency changes," he said. agement, he said. The manual includes chapThe program has been adapted to a PC computer and now will ters on hazardous materials be easier to revise as the need response, population protection planning, emergency arises. Winter said he has been evacuation, law enforcement, working with the regional per- firerescue, healthmedical, son over the program on the shelter and mass care, emerneeded revisions. gency resource management, "The Red Cross has to be the communications, warning, organization to implement the fallout shelters, radiological shelter program," he said. protection, damage assessment Chad Bowles, Randy McK-nigand analysis, state and federal and Winter are working support, hazardous materials with the officials of the Red analysis, and other items. Cross. Winter said even a list of all "If the Red Cross opens shelshelters is included. In case of ters," said Winter, "and if the natural, technical, nuclear, or expense gets large, they will other hazards, the plan will qualify for federal fluids. If we indicate where people may be open file shelters we do not get cared for, where they can be federal funding." fed and will set a plan for carArea people must receive ing for the emergency into both FEMA and Red Cross motion. "The plan is for the whole training, said Winter, in order to work with the program. county," said Winter. It inThe Juab County Emergency cludes the communities of the Operations Plan is under the county and addresses those State of Utah Division of Com- who live in unincorporated arprehensive Emergency Man- - eas as well. on-goi- ht Renters need it too.. Energy conservation Most energy conservation information is designed for home owners even though increasing numbers of people are renting. For those who rent, a short-timmentality may cause them to care little about ener ergy savings. Utility bills, however, do add up quickly. A general conser- vation awareness attitude is healthy for renters and home-owner- s. These are some guidelines for shopping for energy-efficierental housing. They are provided by Leona Hawks, Extension housing and equipment specialist in the Utah State University College of Family Life. nt Need Rubber Stamps? See The Times-New- s Checking utility records: Often you can just ask the former resident or a neighbor what the approximate utility costs are. If you want exact figures, you need to get written permission from the previous occupant, owner or apartment manager and go to the utility companies for past records. These records are a good guideline, but realize that your lifestyle and energy use may differ greatly from previous tenants. Heating and Cooling: These are the biggest users of energy. Ask these questions: Is there a central heating system for the Please turn to page 5... U- oi ' - We do whatever it takes. Convenient branch locations. Convenient ATM locations. 30-minu- 24-ho- te ur Loan By Phone r telephone banking. Hours. Access. People. Whatever it takes. 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