By Bethany Bray
A natural gas burning power plant proposed to be built on the Billerica/Tewksbury town line, would produce emissions from its 80-foot smoke stacks that would waft over Tewksbury, into parts of Andover.
But the Andover health director says he is not bothered by the level of pollutants.
"Residents should know about it, but the people who get paid (to study the effects), and this is their profession, seem to indicate that it's not a problem," Andover Health Director Tom Carbone said. "I'm not too concerned about it at the moment, based on what I've seen."
The Billerica Energy Center, the proposed power plant, is in the planning stages to be built at 134 Billerica Ave. in North Billerica, not far from Route 495. It would operate only during peak times of energy use and would burn diesel fuel as a backup.
A recent study by Environmental Health and Engineering Inc., a firm retained by Billerica and paid by the plant's developer, DG Clean Power, LLC of Thornton, N.H., to study the proposal, noted that prevailing winds blow northeast from the power plant's proposed location, bringing some emissions to Andover airspace.
The plant's emissions would include nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, both of which are "believed to be harmful to people at certain levels of exposure," said David MacIntosh, principal scientist with EH&E. But the plant would emit low levels of the pollutants, in accordance with existing environmental laws, he said.
"The proposed plant will release some of these pollutants, but as far away as Andover is, (the levels) are expected to be extremely low," he said. "We find that the plant, if operated in accordance with its stated plans, will comply with state standards in Billerica and every surrounding area."
MacIntosh was one of three experts to study the plant's effects and write the report. The study, which was presented to Billerica selectmen, stated the plant's emissions would be equivalent to the exposure of fumes from traffic or using a natural gas oven or stove in your home.
Andover residents would not be able to see, smell or hear the power plant, once operational, he said.
Andover officials react
Carbone studied the report by EH&E.
"The dispersion (of emissions) would bring it into Andover, without question. EH&E feels that there aren't going to be a lot of air quality issues. That company was paid for with money by the power plant people, but was selected by the town as an independent third party," said Carbone. "I think that it looks pretty good. According to the review, it's going to meet the standards set forth by the state for air quality. (EH&E) has also requested some guidelines, such as less operating hours. If they follow those recommendations, it doesn't look like a bad thing, not for Andover anyway."
Ted Teichert, chairman of the Andover selectmen, said he hadn't heard of the proposed Billerica power plant. The selectmen haven't talked about it at meetings, he said, and haven't received any comments from residents.
Town Manager Buzz Stapczynski said the only involvement Andover town officials could have in the power plant's approval process would be to send a letter from the Andover selectmen to the boards in Billerica.
Stapczynski was involved in 2000, when Baltimore-based Nickel Hill Energies wanted to build a 750-megawatt, natural gas-fueled plant off Route 110 in east Dracut, about a mile from Andover. Town residents approved $195,000 in 2000 and 2001 to help oppose that effort. That plant, which raised concerns among some residents about emissions drifting into Andover, was never built.
"I can't speak for the town," Stapczynski said, "but natural gas is clean burning ... (emissions are) very minor compared to coal or diesel. This country is in an energy crisis, a huge crisis. I haven't seen the data (the report by EH&E), but personally I burn gas in my house."
Community-based opposition
It is unclear how soon the power plant would be built. The plant's developer, DG Clean Power, is in the middle of the permitting process with the state Energy Facilities Siting Board. If the plant was approved by the EFSB, it would also have to seek approval and permits from several boards in Billerica, including that town's conservation commission, planning board and the zoning board of appeals.
"It could take years, or it could take a year," said Paige Impink, a Tewksbury mother of three and founding member of Billericapowerplant.org, a neighborhood-based group in opposition to the power plant. She lives near the proposed site.
Even though the plant will operate within environmental guidelines, as EH&E stated in its study, the emissions would still have ill health effects for people living around the plant, she said.
Ellen Foley, spokesperson for ISO New England, a regional transmission organization that operates the power grid for New England said in New England, consumer demand for electricity is growing 1.2 percent per year. To keep up with consumer demand, roughly 400 megawatts — the equivalent size of one power plant — needs to be added to the grid each year, she said.
READERBOXES
The Billerica Energy Center
r natural gas burning power plant, proposed to be built at 134 Billerica Ave., on the Billerica/Tewksbury town line
r The facility would operate only during peak times of energy use and would burn diesel fuel as a backup
r 348 megawatt facility — Massachusetts' 13th largest of 154 power plants in the state
r The plant will be unmanned, and is designed to be brought online, remotely, at times of peak demand by ISO New England
r Would operate on a 13.8-acre site, with eight engine turbine blocks and 80 foot smoke stacks
r Emissions include oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide
Source: Environmental Health and Engineering, Inc., DG Clean Power, LLC and www.billericapowerplant.org
Where to go for more information
r The Billerica town Web site lists all of the reports by Environmental Health and Engineering, Inc. on the proposed power plant's health and environmental effects. Go to www.town.billerica.ma.us (scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the "DG Power Plant Information")
r www.billericapowerplant.org is a community-based group in opposition to the plant
r Plant details and more information about the plant's developer, DG Clean Power, LLC, available at www.dgcleanpower.com/Billerica.htm
