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Show lowei? PlaM To Be Buiiltt si Same Site By GARY R. HLOIXJETT News Kdilor BOUNTIFUL -- Despite protests from nearby residents, Bountiful City Council voted 5-0 last Wednesday night to rebuilt the Northeast Power Substation near the same location. HOWEVER, THE substation -- destroyed des-troyed in the early June flooding of Stone Creek -- will be relocated about 60 to 70 feet southwest of the site where the station had been for the past 15 years, the council decided. de-cided. Even though the station will be relocated on city-owned property only a short distance dis-tance from the original site, residents of the area signed a petition seeking to have the new (rebuilt) substation located at another site further from any residences and away from the nearby Hannah Holbrook Elementary Elemen-tary School. RESIDENTS who signed the petition and two residents who addressed the council emphasized the danger of the oil additive PCB that was found in the creek when the original transformer was damaged by the flood. PCB, although used in very small amounts, is thought to be connected with cancer or other body organ ailments previously pre-viously discovered in animals and humans. CLIEF MICHAELIS, acting manger of the Bountiful Power and Light Company, told the council that everything possible is being done to prevent any danger of this type. He said the precautions go far beyond those prescribed by the Environmental Protection Pro-tection Agency or recommendations outlined out-lined for construction of power substations. Mr. Michaelis explained that the substation substa-tion will be relocated on solid ground a few feet from the creek instead of down in the creekbed as was the original substation. "IT WAS RECOMMENDED by the Federal Fed-eral Emergency Management Act (FEMA) that the substation be relocated outside the creek's flood plain and that's what we are attempting to do while still remaining near the creek and in a somewhat isolated area," he said. "But we will still leave as much natural foliage as possible and will landscape the area to make the substation blend in with the natural surrounding as much as possible." pos-sible." HE ADMITTED that the structure w ill be more visible than the original substation, but should not be an annoyance to the near by neighbors. "Neither will the substation : be of any more danger to school children across the street than the original structure," struc-ture," said Mr. Michaelis. He told the council that the new location is about 30 feet closer to the nearest residence resi-dence to the west and 50 to 60 feet closer to : the school. "But the school is still several : hundred feet away, across 250 North." THE PROPERTY around the substation : will be fenced with a 6-foot high slated fence that will have two strands of barbed wire on : top. "We have had very little vandalism or : problems from outsiders at any of the other : substations and I can't see any reason for : this station being any different, even if it : isn't as well hidden from the street as the : original structure," said Mr. Michaelis. ALSO, THERE will be small reservoirs : surrounding the transformer so that any possible leakage (of PCB) will not leave the : area. Councilman Bob Linnell, representing : the council on the Power Commission, said the Commission gave its approval to the adjacent site after several alternative sites had been studied and considered. "EVERY PRECAUTION possible has been taken to make this plant as conducive to the area as possible while at the same time assuring the public that it will be safe," he said. Speaking for the residents, Jim Richardson Richard-son -- the closest neighbor to the proposed plant -- said residents are very concerned about the danger (of PCB) and the fact that such a plant relocated nearby will reduce the value of their homes. HE ALSO pointed out to the council the danger of the plant being destroyed by earthquake ear-thquake and PCB being a threat to the neighborhood, especially nearby Hannah Holbrook School. City Manager Tom Hardy said several alternate sites had been considered, but : economically or otherwise the site adjacent to the original site appeared to be the best : location. MR. HARDY suggested that a solid wall be constructed on the west side of the city-owned city-owned property. "We've got to get this substation completed com-pleted as soon as possible because we have had recent problems of rerouting the power and it's essential that this station be built to accommodate the residents of this area," the city manager explained. |