Opponents argue against waste-to-energy facility
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13.8000001907349px;">Just ahead of a public hearing this Friday, the trash talk continues on the proposal for the waste-to-energy project. </span>
December 10, 2014Updated: December 10, 2014
By KUAM News
By KUAM News by Ken Quintanilla
Guam - Just ahead of a public hearing this Friday, the trash talk continues on the proposal for the waste-to-energy project. Today before the Mayors Council of Guam, several opponents presented their argument against the project including Guahan Waste Control chairman Phil Flores who says there are critical elements of the costs that are left blank in the contract before the Legislature.
"We are the recycling business, we want to protect our investments, we want to protect our employees, but the real special interests on Guam, are the people in your village the person on the street, the person who has to pay the tipping fees," he explained.
Consolidated Commission on Utilities chairman Simon Sanchez meanwhile says the Guam Power Authority has read the contract and says it doesn't resemble any power purchase agreement they would ever bid out, much less even sign. "We think its way too expensive, we think it's a very unusual agreement, it doesn't have competition and it doesn't give the community the best chance and the best value," he noted. Sanchez adds if this project moves forward it would be too risky and took expensive for the ratepayer.
It was last week when Senator Tina Muna Barnes introduced Bill 433 to ratify the settlement agreement between the Government of Guam, Guam Resource Recovery Partners, and GEDA along with approving the waste-to-energy project.
GRRP's Dave Sablan appeared before mayors last week. He has said some of the naysayers have special interests in protecting their business concerns and the effects it could possibly have on their contracts. Sablan further noted the proposal makes sense economically and environmentally. The entire issue has been lingering over the last 14 years, which has resulted in litigation, mediation and memorandum of understanding and is now once again before the Legislature.
The public hearing is set for Friday at 11am in the Legislature's Public Hearing Room.
Guam - Just ahead of a public hearing this Friday, the trash talk continues on the proposal for the waste-to-energy project. Today before the Mayors Council of Guam, several opponents presented their argument against the project including Guahan Waste Control chairman Phil Flores who says there are critical elements of the costs that are left blank in the contract before the Legislature.
"We are the recycling business, we want to protect our investments, we want to protect our employees, but the real special interests on Guam, are the people in your village the person on the street, the person who has to pay the tipping fees," he explained.
Consolidated Commission on Utilities chairman Simon Sanchez meanwhile says the Guam Power Authority has read the contract and says it doesn't resemble any power purchase agreement they would ever bid out, much less even sign. "We think its way too expensive, we think it's a very unusual agreement, it doesn't have competition and it doesn't give the community the best chance and the best value," he noted. Sanchez adds if this project moves forward it would be too risky and took expensive for the ratepayer.
It was last week when Senator Tina Muna Barnes introduced Bill 433 to ratify the settlement agreement between the Government of Guam, Guam Resource Recovery Partners, and GEDA along with approving the waste-to-energy project.
GRRP's Dave Sablan appeared before mayors last week. He has said some of the naysayers have special interests in protecting their business concerns and the effects it could possibly have on their contracts. Sablan further noted the proposal makes sense economically and environmentally. The entire issue has been lingering over the last 14 years, which has resulted in litigation, mediation and memorandum of understanding and is now once again before the Legislature.
The public hearing is set for Friday at 11am in the Legislature's Public Hearing Room.