A multi million dollar plan to build a bioenergy facility in Kern County was approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, despite objections from residents of Lost Hills.
The $230 million project, called Liberty Energy, promises to produce renewable energy.
The facility would be built ten miles northwest of Lost Hills and would gasify 657,000 tons of biosolids every year.
The Association of Irritated Residents came forward at the meeting to protest the plant.
Liberty Energy said the project will create 106 construction jobs and 169 permanent jobs in the area. They also said it will generate $105 million in local tax revenue.
But concerned residents said it's nothing more than a huge sewage sludge and waste incinerator. Some said the community was not well informed about the project, and they're concerned about increases in air pollution.
"This project will worsen our air quality. It will also include more truck-in as the ash is taken away, even though it's half as many truck trips as the compost that's going away," said Tom Frantz, Association of Irritated Residents.
"It's been less than two months since we've learned about this project. How is it going to affect Lost Hills? How is it going to affect the health and the safety of our children?" asked Estella Cortez, Lost Hills resident.
"Renewable energy is a product of this project and the EIR has demonstrated no significant environmental impacts," said Steve Kettler, Liberty Engineering.
Project managers say the biosolids are never exposed to the outdoors and are always stored in metal silos.
Supervisor Ray Watson said the project is better for the environment than what currently exists, and he fully supports moving forward with a more efficient way of disposing of biosolids.
Construction on the project is slated to begin in 2012. The hiring process will begin in 2014.
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