Published on Monday, May 17, 2010

County severs ties with Fibrowatt

by Meghann Evans

In a surprise vote that took place before presentations from Fibrowatt opponents last night, the Surry County Commissioners voted unanimously to stop negotiations with Fibrowatt and pursue other businesses for the Elkin site.

The decision drew a standing ovation from the majority of the members of the large crowd gathered to hear the scheduled presentations from Dr. Bill Blackley, Lucy Chatham, and other Fibrowatt opponents.

Before these presentations began, Commissioner Jim Harrell Jr., who represents the Elkin district, spoke up to say that the Fibrowatt issue had been a source of division in the county and that the company had not done its part to answer questions. He made the motion that the county discontinue negotiations with Fibrowatt. Commissioner Bill Hamlin seconded the motion.

Harrell said, “This has become a very negative, negative issue ... How far will we go to put something that’s not necessary? The overriding opinion I hear is that people don’t want this thing.”

Commissioner Craig Hunter next commented and said that Harrell had been one of the leaders that he respected more than anyone.

“I still believe that,” he said. “I respect what you have just said.”

Hunter said he understood that Harrell didn’t want Fibrowatt to come and that he was trying to represent the voice of the people in his district. Hunter told him, “I’ll support that because of you.”

Commissioner Jimmy Miller also said he would go along with Harrell, but he added, “In the beginning we thought this was a great thing for the county.”

The vote was then taken, and it was unanimous, with all five commissioners present. Lucy Chatham next came up for her scheduled speech on the agenda, and she wanted clarification from the commissioners on their vote. Board Chairman Paul Johnson said Fibrowatt would be notified the next day that the county will no longer pursue negotiations with the company. He said the county will now begin looking elsewhere for potential businesses for the site.

“We will aggressively pursue someone to be on that property,” Johnson remarked.

“It would make a great vineyard,” Hunter piped up.

Chatham then followed with her remarks about Fibrowatt, that the company was a “very carefully and strategically concocted financial scheme.” Blackley then came up to talk about the pollutants and harmful particles that are put into the air by Fibrowatt incinerators. He said he has read more than 1,000 articles on the plant and related topics.

“Thank you for not having this,” he told the commissioners during his presentation.

Fibrowatt is a company that uses chicken litter to create energy and has proposed to locate a plant in Elkin. The commissioners approved initial incentives for the project last year, but the board recently made a motion to not give any incentives unless the company made a significant attempt to answer the commissioners’ and citizens’ questions about the company’s effects on the environment. Now the county will move forward with other businesses.

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