Thread by @ternary_logic

Okay we are ending public comment. This is a concluding thread that will he precisely as long as my battery. I’m sorry these are getting a little frenetic. I’m exhausted. #NoCPS

I can’t believe the extent to which @VirginiaDEQ is, in all seriousness, treating what sounds like two newspaper ads as community outreach. It is also clear that no Af Am outreach was made at all.

The speaker at the mic now is arguing no African American outreach was needed because the Board is Supervisors included black members.

The attorney for the permit applicant is openly arguing that the letter of the law has been met and that further public comment will only derail the project.

Precisely.

DEQ will now make a formal recommendation to approve the permit. This is Mike Dowd again. Former lawyer for a private utility company.

The board chair is pushing for a motion. An audience member says “would that be a motion to deny the permit?” Board chair says no, it will be a motion to accept the recommendation of DEQ.

DEQ is making its recommendation. The audience is calling out for more community members to be heard.

We have a motion to accept DEQ’s recommendation.

We have a second.

We have a substitute motion! It moves for a 15 day delay for the targeted purpose of African American community outreach. Thank you Ray Hoagland.

No second. Not one additional member of this committee will second a motion to take two weeks for outreach to African American stakeholders proximate to the highest concentration of emissions from this plant.

Unbelievable cowardice.

Moreno has made a call to look at some additional documentation in support of a delayed vote I’m not clear on what she’s asking for.

@VirginiaDEQ staff is in a tizzy, unclear why but they’re demanding the board actually vote on changes to the draft permit, but there are several requests on the table and no one knows what is up.

@VirginiaDEQ is expressing some concerns about proposed changes that would make the permit stricter. The public is demanding to know what changes are currently up for debate.

Moreno is proposing the change of a few “may be” phrases to “shall be” to make some aspects of the permit enforceable. Honestly these seem like positive changes but like nearly nothing next to the harm of approving the permit.

Permit applicant seems fine with the changes. This concerns me.

Applicant confirms they’re fine with these changes. Seems like we are moving forward with an affirmative vote.

This is an unbelievable trespass on public trust and public good.

A board member is asking for the permit applicant to partner with the county to expand emergency response preparedness. To be clear: it’s an admission we’re all waiting for an explosion we’re unable to respond to.

No matter. The board has agreed they don’t have the authority to require their corporate overlords contribute at all to emergency preparedness. Unbelievable.

The public is refusing to allow the board to continue working. They’re shouting from the back that they want justice for the people of Charles City.

Meeting is recessed until “order can be restored.”

Public comment is not welcome at this public meeting.

During recess I spoke with the one citizen who attended the informational session. That is what he had to say “It doesn’t matter. All they see is the money.”

He also said this: the idea that they googled the churches and couldn’t tell which were black is not only absurd, it’s beside the point. “There’s only 3 white churches out of about 17. Anyway, they never called the NAACP. I haven’t missed a meeting in 10 years. They never called”

While I don’t condone the practice of treating one person as the whole of the public, I do really like this one.

Henrico County police has been called.

“If you won’t allow us to do our jobs you’ll be asked to leave this meeting.” #NoCPS

The motion is moving forward with police oversight. They’re adding a condition of ambient air quality monitoring. #NoCPS

More police still arriving.

Also I’m at 1%. I’m sorry y’all. I’ll buy a battery pack.

Hoagland will vote against.

Other Board members are grandstanding in how they have “heard” public concerns. But it appears only Hoagland will vote in opposition.

The board is hiring an environmental justice consultant to help with process. I will not deign to respond to this absurd statement.

But I’m sure a majority of the board and DEQ reps are happy to find a way for private agencies to profit off of environmental injustice.

The public is literally here saying what the justice would look like. The board is refusing to hear it. In lieu of that they called the police on us.

Board chair is grandstanding. WHO can say WHAT environmental justice “IS.”

Motion to approve is on the table.

Motion passes 6-1.

Honestly I could cry right here.

I sincerely hope this case will also go to court.

There are speakers in the agenda. I’m not joking the community could give af. They’re here to talk. They’re being chastised not to speak on the power station. I look forward to seeing this.

Speaker 1 “money talks. Have you been so defeated by money that you cannot hear human voices?”

Speakers are going hard. This board is designed to protect the public. It is inflicting harm.

“I am asking you to do your job properly. Deny permits to any project that would render our air toxic.”