Archive - Sep 7, 2006

By JOHN FLOWERS

SHOREHAM — Opponents of International Paper Co.’s (IPC) proposal to conduct a two-week trial burn of tire chips at its Ticonderoga, N.Y., mill are busy planning the next steps in their fight should the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) give its green light to the IPC plan. A decision that could be released as early as next week.

The EPA is in the midst of a 45-day review of the IPC proposal to burn up to 72 tons of tire-derived fuel per day in one of its boilers during the two-week test period. Company officials hope the trial burn will pave the way for IPC to eventually replace 5 to 10 percent of its traditional fuel source annually with the tire material, a cheaper alternative to oil.

Vermont officials and environmental groups have argued that IPC should not be allowed to conduct its test burn until it installs an electrostatic precipitator on its smokestack to capture the smallest, toxic particles they believe will otherwise waft over Lake Champlain and into the lungs of Addison County residents.

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By JOHN FLOWERS

VERGENNES — Addison County voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, Sept. 12, to decide a variety of statewide primary contests and sort out a spirited GOP runoff in the Addison-3 House district.

The one competitive local primary involves Republicans Greg Clark, Tom McGrath and Kitty Oxholm, who are among those competing for the two house seats representing the district that includes Vergennes, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Waltham and Addison.

The two Republicans finishing with the most votes on Sept. 12 will earn spots on the Nov. 7 general election ballot, joining a field that already includes Progressive April Jin and Democrats Elizabeth Markowski and Diane Lanpher.

Addison-3 is the exception in an otherwise humdrum primary election scene in Addison County this fall. There are no local races at all for state Senate and in the Addison-1 and Addison-2 House districts.

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