Charles J. Chivis
433 Lincoln Street
Middletown, PA 17057
Phone 717 944-2059
Comments on the Incinerator
I am here today to express my outrage at the Department of Environmental Protection for its lack of concern for the people of Harrisburg and their welfare. My outrage is only surpassed by my deep heart-wrenching dislike for the Ridge administration that it allowed the dictatorial city government of Steve Reed to continue to pollute its citizens with an out-of-date, out-of-compliance incinerator. The ill-conceived idea that burning was the answer to the city's waste problem was at best a bad idea. It was never a financial success and never will be. Recycling must become a part of our daily lives if we are to save this earth for our children.
The media shares in this heinous process because it never did the investigative reporting required to bring the truth to its readers. Speakers from other parts of the country came here to share their knowledge and facts with Harrisburg but only small parts of their reports ever made it to the reading and listening public.
I mention there was an editorial titled, "The Big If," that alluded to the truth of our situation here in Harrisburg. It talked about the "stiff price to be paid if the incinerator's added investment fails to pay off." It also asks, "What if the releases of dioxins continue to be a problem?" Then finally it asks, "What if the $80 million borrowing estimate proves to be low? May Reed once estimated the cost of the retrofit at $110 million. If the estimate isn't on target, do the revenue numbers still work?"
The rest of the article goes on to say, "We don't envy Reed's predicament - nor City Council's for that matter, which has to sign off on any new borrowing. But the Council and the public should be fully briefed on the range of options - including the good and bad scenarios.
We come here tonight hoping that another backroom deal hasn't been worked out with the city movers and shakers that will allow this polluter to continue to spew its poison over the Steelton, Swatara and Harrisburg are. God knows we have had about as much of the ash, soul smell and dioxins that we can handle.
My last prayer is that on judgment day that God with the eyesight of an angry eagle looks down on those of you responsible for putting this carnage on his children and sends you straight to hell.