Wednesday, August 1, 2001
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Wednesday, August 1, 2001 |
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ARC to look closely at power plant By DAVE
HAMRICK
The Atlanta Regional Commission executive board has voted unanimously to treat a proposed power plant on the south Fulton/Fayette border as a Development of Regional Impact. Meanwhile, Fayette County's city and county officials are unanimous in asking for a full environmental impact statement on the project. Fayette County Commission Chairman Greg Dunn asked for the ARC board's action at its meeting Thursday, and said he was pleasantly surprised at the strong support coming from several members of the board, including Cobb County's commission chairman and chairman of the ARC board, Bill Byrne. Williams Company hopes to put a 1,230-megawatt power plant, to be known as the Fulton Energy Center, on a 288-acre site on Peters Road, between Ga. highways 138 and 92. The firm's rezoning application will be heard by the Fulton County Commission in September. Several neighborhood associations in north Fayette and south Fulton have banded together to oppose the plan, saying the plant would be too close to their homes. In a series of informational meetings, residents and local officials like Dunn have complained that the company hasn't been forthcoming with information, though company officials say all the information simply isn't available yet. Williams spokeswoman Paula Hall-Collins told The Citizen Tuesday that the company is working on a series of environmental studies that should answer residents' concerns. "Williams is very sensitive to the concerns that each of the communities have voiced," said Hall-Collins. "It's important that the community have full information on the project and the environmental process." The firm has delayed its rezoning request in order to make good on that promise, she added. Designating the project a DRI means the company will be required to give more detailed information, Dunn said following the ARC meeting. Dunn has been vocal in his concern that the plant will present an air pollution problem for Fayette and undue noise for its nearby neighbors. "This is just another attempt to get more and more information," he said. "It puts a heavier burden on Williams to get accurate information out." Because the project has been named a DRI, Williams will be asked to submit a variety of detailed information to the ARC, and counties in the surrounding area will be asked for comment as well. Also, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority also will be brought into the loop under new rules that require its input on DRIs. ARC will turn its information and recommendations over to the state Department of Community Affairs for its consideration. In the past, ARC has found 18 DRIs unacceptable, Dunn said, and although the planning agency didn't stop those projects altogether, "It caused changes in a lot of the projects" to make them more acceptable, he said. Also, the Fayette Association of County Governments voted unanimously to ask its member city governments and the county to approve a resolution asking Fulton County to require an environmental impact statement before the County Commission decides on Williams' rezoning request. The resolution asks that the study be done by a company not connected with Williams in any way. The resolution also will be sent to Union City, because a portion of the project is within the city limits. Again, Hall-Collins said company officials believe the studies they are conducting will assuage local concerns. If further studies are required, "We are going to do what is necessary and required," she said. "But it's our feeling the studies we're having done will answer those questions." She added the company will conduct balloon tests this month to determine how visible the plant will be to surrounding neighborhoods.
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