The Augusta Environmental Services Committee, on Nov. 29, voted 3-1 to oppose issuing a “letter of consistency” for a proposed green energy project planned for South Augusta.
Earlier in the year, the Savannah Riverkeeper organization whipped nearby residents and members of the historic Spirit Creek Baptist Church into a frenzy by claiming that Renovatio Solutions would be burning creosote-covered logs in its energy production process..
Naturally, no one wants to go to church and have to wade through carcinogenic smog to get into the building.
Only, burning creosote is illegal in Georgia, and the proposed green energy plant will not be burning anything.
The Renovatio Solutions plant is nothing more than a giant composting operation where organic material that would normally be dumped into the landfill is treated with enzymes that break the material down and the byproduct is natural gas.
Human beings produce virtually the same convertible methane in the digestion process.
According to the company, the operation produces no loud noises and bad odors.
There is not a cleaner way to produce energy and yet, ironically, the environmentalists are against it.
However, there are motives out there to keep Renovatio Solutions out of Augusta, that have to do with the color green, only it is the green color of money. Engineering Department Hameed Malik let the cat out of the bag when he told commissioners that the project “has great waste diversion potential” for the Augusta landfill, which relies on hauled-in garbage for revenue.
In other words, the landfill will get less fill and therefore lose more money.
So, after years of research, a careful search for the right property, making sure all the necessary zoning and permits are in place and attempting to hold meetings with the neighboring community to dispel the misinformation, the committee voted to toss a monkey wrench into the green energy plant in favor of propping up a mismanaged landfill that belches methane freely into the atmosphere.
The Augusta Landfill used to be one of, if not the, biggest profit centers for the city; however, since former director Mark Johnson was chased off almost a decade ago, the landfill has consistently lost money.
Augusta Commissioners would be wisely serving the community by asking the important questions, when this item goes before the full commission this Tuesday, that will dispel the fears of a largely misinformed community, reverse the decision of the Environmental Services Committee and allow this project to move forward.
