Public Comment
New: Vallejo Poised to Cement Its Toxic Future
Tucked on Vallejo’s waterfront, less that one mile from our revitalizing downtown, is an old mill that the City wants to turn into a cement factory.
The draft Environmental Impact Report was secretly completed and placed -- without notice -- on the City website. Citizens now have about 40 days to respond and only one public meeting is planned.
According to the draft EIR:
- ships from China will offload waste material (called “slag” in the cement industry) into a three-storey grinder which will make cement.
- the grinder will operate 24 hrs. a day, seven days a week.
- 300 trucks a day, loaded with toxic dust, are expected to use the facility.
The company ORCEM, is based in Ireland and Texas. ORCEM will pay Vallejo about $360,000 a year in taxes. The ORCEM cement factory, once completed, will only employee about 20 people, according to ORCEM.
This is very bad for Vallejo a city still struggling to clean up the toxic sites left by the Navy.
Under pressure, ORCEM has admitted that it will make “regular” cement alongside its so-called lower emission “green” cement.
This facility is planned for a primarily African-American neighborhood.
Citizens are urged to send their questions to The City of Vallejo at: http://www.cityofvallejo.net/cms/One.aspx?portalId=13506&pageId=685362
