SOUTH POINT -

Biomass Energy, located adjacent to The Point industrial park, will continue plans to burn more than 112,000 tons of surplus tobacco for the United States Department of Agriculture, despite the concerns of local and state officials.

The issue was a major point of discussion at Tuesday's Lawrence County Commission meeting as representatives for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, South Point Mayor Bill Gaskin and a few concerned South Point residents aired their concerns, Commissioner Jason Stephens said in a phone conversation Wednesday morning.

Mayor Gaskin expressed his concerns over the damage that this could cause to the air, and said he is worried that the material could negate all the work that has been done to clean up the site and the village, Stephens said.

The commissioners opposed Biomass' application for a wood-burning permit two years ago because they were concerned about this type of problem, Stephens said.

Clint Shuff, a representative for the Ohio EPA, informed commissioners that Biomass is under contract with the USDA to destroy the tobacco for $19.25 a ton, totaling more than a $2 million deal. Shuff also reported that the EPA instructed Biomass to stop bringing in the tobacco, Stephens said

However, Mark Harris, a spokesman for Biomass, said this is not true, and is just another example of the local politicians pushing their own agendas.

"There was no order by the EPA to stop anything," he said. "We are planning to meet with them sometime next week to discuss it with them."

Overall, Harris said it is a political issue more than an environmental one. He said he is disturbed that they have been met with so much local resistance.

"I think there are some local people using their positions to push this issue," he said. "When the politicians quit, maybe some jobs can come to Lawrence County. This is a very important project to the state of Ohio and will create the biggest biomass facility in the United States."

Harris said there is no second-hand smoke issue or solid-waste dumping problems and that Biomass will meet all EPA requirements.

Biomass currently has a permit to burn wood and wood waste, but will have to get a modification to burn the tobacco, Cindy Charles, permit supervisor for the Portsmouth Local Air Agency, said last week.

The company has not applied for a permit modification, but plans to do so before they start burning the tobacco after the renovations are made, Harris said.

Biomass is working on a $100 million renovation of its plant that will begin in April. It could be completed in 12 to 15 months, he said. The project will create 40 to 50 permanent jobs, 400 ancillary jobs and 250 to 400 construction jobs during the project, he said.

Tobacco will only make up a small percentage of their fuel supply. It will be mixed with wood when the plant is operational after it completes the complete renovation project, he said.

Untreated tobacco is not a hazardous material, even when it is burned. If people can buy air cleaners at Wal-Mart that work, why would they not trust

the plant's $10 million in air quality control equipment, Harris asked.