Here is the map of the proposed land for sale for the power plant. The red circle marks our homestead.
$900 million power plant proposal advances in Kershaw County amid public concerns | wltx.com
https://www.postandcourier.com/columbia/business/kershaw-county-bethune-sc-power-plant/article_a45538b8-397f-43aa-8fba-a8cad89c9a93.html
I should have been posting about this all along, but have really busy trying to organize opposition in the community.
Last night was the 2nd reading of the FILOT (fee in lieu of taxes) to be awarded to the "company." It passed 4-3 to go on to a 3rd reading an public hearing.
Some of us spoke last night in the public comments. I had prepared a 5-minute comment, but got pared down to 3 min 30 seconds as there were more than 6 speakers.
You can watch the actual meeting at the Kershaw County Council website. But below is basically what I had planned to say, but had to edit due to the time constraint.
****
Good Evening.
My name is Jim Curley.
My family and I stay on Timrod Road about 2 miles outside of town. I am an
Adjunct Instructor in Physics and Astronomy at Winthrop U and York Technical
College. We moved here from the city for peace, quiet, and rural living.
I am here today to talk
about a plan to rupture the peace, quiet and rural living; which is the Natural
Gas-fired power plant proposed and to be located on about 800 acres between
Boise Cascade Road and Timrod Road. While I don’t live in the closest house to
the proposed plant, I am in the top 3 or maybe 4.
About 2 weeks ago I
received a letter from Beaufort Rosemary inviting us to a meeting about a power
project in our area. I emailed Beaufort Rosemary and received the information
that it would be a Natural Gas fired power plant between Boise Cascade and
Timrod Road.
Going to the meeting, Beaufort
Rosemary gave us an overview and offered us financial incentives if we signed a
letter of support for the project and came to meetings to support the project.
While many questions
were asked about safety and logistics, Beaufort Rosemary answers were not
convincing. Research with the EPA and numerous other energy and power sources
reveal that there are health, environmental, and economic issues with these
types of power plants.
I am most concerned
with health issues, but I would be lying if I wasn’t concerned about the
decline in my property value if this plant happens or the decline in the
quality of life for folks in our area. There is another issue. The footprint of
this plant is proposed to be about 100 acres. What is planned for the future on
the remaining 700 or so acres? Data Center? Solar Panel Farm? Another power
plant? I can’t believe it is just a buffer; for now yes. But in 5-10 years?
But I am here primarily
to talk about the health risks this poses for the immediate and wider
community.
For example, a study
(2025) by the Dominici Lab at
Harvard University’s School of Public Health issued a report on the newly
proposed power plant in Colleton County at Canadys. In part it says, (I quote):
“Emissions modeling revealed that more
than two million people would be impacted by additional particulate matter
exposure from the gas plant, with the plant emitting annually at least 164.3
tons of particulate matter (also called PM2.5) – a harmful form of
air pollution unsafe at any level of exposure. Colleton and surrounding
counties would face the brunt of the air pollution, but it would travel as far
as Georgia.
This pollution could
result in up to $28M in healthcare related costs annually due to increased
disease burden on impacted communities, increasing to $36M annually by 2040
with inflation. “
This plant will be
bigger than Bethune’s, but the point is the same. This a brand-new plant with
the latest technology in clean emissions, presumably, and yet will still cause many people many health
problems.
From
the EPA:
“Natural
gas fired power plants can have significant effects on the health of members of
the close community. Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter (microscopic
solid or liquid particles suspended in the air, which can be harmful to health
when inhaled) all
contribute to respiratory problems (exacerbating asthma and other conditions)
and Heart Disease. “
This plant in Bethune
will destroy our way of life in the Timrod/Boise Cascade Road community, if not
our very lives.
I understand there are
financial benefits for the county if this plant goes in. But if you weigh that
against the health and very lives of some (even if a minority) of the Kershaw
County residents, there is no bargain; there is no scale which balances the
results.
Thus I strongly oppose
the construction of this plant and any encouragement and financial incentives
given to the Beaufort Rosemary in this process.
Finally, I ask how much
money the County will lose in tax revenue is they award this FILOT?
***
Several years ago we got a "FIXD" engine code reader. I tend to usually drive older cars, so check engine lights are not exactly rare.
Now, I have a flip phone. Some people get mad at me for continuing to use one. (I had a nurse in the hospital who actually yelled at me because I didn't have a smart phone to monitor a sensor they wanted to put in my arm - I refused!) Others, usually men, comment that they wished they could go back to the flip phone, but just can't bring themselves to do it.
I have to admit that I actually do have a "smart" phone which I use for 2 things only: downloading and listening to audio books in the car and to hook up via Bluetooth to the FIXD sensor when the check engine light comes on. It is actually a Tracphone I just never activated.
This past week, the check engine light came on. It had been at least a year since I had used the sensor. I hooked up and the phone told me it was now incompatible with the FIXD app. Apparently if I don't update my phone to newer than an Android 10, I no longer can use the application and sensor which was bought and paid for. (I had an Android 8.) I wasn't too happy.
This forced obsolescence, especially with tech, is unfair. It confirms my commitment to use the least amount of tech as possible in my life. This is both an economic and environmental reason. There certainly are more important reasons - spiritual for instance.
*********
Indeed, the natural gas fired power plant is real; its location to be less than 1/2 mile from my place, may be 1/4 mile. It hasn't been approved by the County Council yet, but I am sure it will be an uphill fight to oppose it. What I am finding in SC is that what is best for families is always trumped by the promise of revenue. (What do I expect? I am sure it is the same everywhere.)
Of course, the power company is offering nearby landowners, such as myself, cash to support the project in writing and promise not to oppose it in any way. (While not a public official, the money is being paid to me to try to influence a public official. This is pretty close to bribery.)
Oremus pro invicem!
I have plenty of stuff I want to write about - some of it inspired by some of Charlie's recent posts on forced technology and the homesteading movement. I also have garden stuff and livestock stuff to record here.
But, the big news around here this week is that one of these may be coming soon within a few miles or less to our humble homestead.
There is a "information" meeting in Camden next. I will be there.
Oremus pro invicem!
