Document oMeX7n9kE4VDN5KOxmeGY6w8g

HILL and KNOW!.TON, Inc. The Bayshore Sun Thursday, March 2, ..idustry Opponents Plead Case At Chamber Meeting Opponents of Texas Air Control Board applications for permits for two industries to build faculties east of State Highway 146 in the Bayport District presented their cases to directors of La PorteBayshore Chamber of Com*' merce. At the Wednesday, Feb. 22, meeting Stennie Madours, representing Galveston Bay , Conservation and Preserva tion Association, and R. A. Wright and Rufus G. Smith of La Porte outlined arguments against the facilities proposed by American Hoechst Corp. and B. F. Goodrich Chemical Co. "We (residents of the bayshore area) will pay in cost ' Dilution and loss of the L. front," Meadours said, despite economic advantages for the plants themselves. . Health hazards to residents here would be mitigated if the I plants moved west of the high way,she said, citing prevailing winds from the southeast that would blow emiaions over industrial areas instead of over residential areas. ; She insisted the object of the presentation was not to get the chamber directors to take a position on the matter, but to "communicate our concerns which may or may not be your j concerns". Several toxic substances allegedly to be produced or used in production by the. plants were listed by Meadours. -_ The type of pollution, she said, will be like emmissions . from a nearby plant at which , chain link fences around the ' plant are replaced annually because of corrosium resulting ` from chlorine emissions. "I would not risk that kind of pollution. I believe there will ` be an incremental decline in the community if the in dustries moves in," she said. She said her concern waa primarily with accidental spills, not normal production procedures. Meadours qualified herself as holding a BS degree in environmental management from the University of Houston at Clear Lake City and having worked on several en vironmental impact statements and other en vironmental data collecting. Wright made his presen tation a plea for better land use. ^1 make a living from in dustry," he said "but this area would be better served if we picked the type of industry to go into the last remaining bayfront property." He dted such Industries as could movers short distance support of the people's right to . west and not have to have protest. He said Bass has them," he said. received a "stack of letters" Employment figures at his from opponents of the plants ' company show a small per and none in support of the centage of workers actually plants. . living in La Porte, Wright said, "We are representing the arguing that economic ad people. We are not anti- vantages will not be as great as industry," he said. "The expected for La Porte and tax problem is whether people benefits will go to Pasadena. have the right of self- However, others at the determination. Can they object meeting noted other plants to the'plants?" have workers who live in La Smith made a strong pitch Porte. for alternate use of a four and a He noted the need for half acre area for top eschelon recreational facilities and this bousing, recreational boating land aa the last undeveloped facilities. He cited tourism that land on the bay front between would develop business from Baytown and San Leon for such facilities. recreation. He distributed information Brent Miller, representing sheets about Marina Del Rey Harris County Commissioner in Los Angeles, Calif., and Tom Bass, said his office has pleaded for planning here to joined the controversy in equal that. `Big S, liquid Air and Graver Tank Manufacturing as best candidates. The two proposed plants, be : said, would be better suited * inside the industrial complex west of Hwy. 146. where in dustrial workers will be prepared to cope with ac cidental or fugitive emissions : bettep than the "young, the infirm, schools and full time residents." He congratulated Goodrich . for "fantastic controls" to be employed at the plant ' "But I cant understand why they are proposing such elaborate controls when they | BFG16937 21889001