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OHIO EPA ISSUED AIR POLLUTION PERMIT TO SOBE ONE YEAR AGO ON VALENTINE’S DAY DESPITE PUBLIC OPPOSITION AND ONE YEAR MORATORIUM ORDINANCE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: SOBE Concerned Citizens 330-333-8410
Lynn Anderson, SOBE Concerned Citizens 330-792-0428
Susie Beiersdorfer, Ohio Community Rights Network 330-881-1050
February 11, 2025
YOUNGSTOWN – A press conference and observance of the one year anniversary of the Ohio EPA issuing an air pollution permit to SOBE will be held on Friday, February 14, 2025 (Valentine’s Day) at 1:00 to 1:30 pm. Youngstown citizens will gather in front of the sign in front of the Dorothy Day House of Hospitality garden, 620 Belmont Avenue, holding their “Valentine Greeting”.
The Ohio EPA ignored the citizens of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley who overwhelmingly opposed the DRAFT permit being issued at a public meeting called by the Ohio EPA on August 10, 2024. They ignored the one year moratorium ordinance that the Youngstown City Council passed in December 2023 against pyrolysis plants in Youngstown.
The Ohio EPA did not seem too concerned by the lack of accurate data submitted by SOBE in their application. See the thorough and critical analysis from an air emissions scientist of SOBE’s application on our website:
Comments by Sustainable Youngstown to Ohio EPA
Additionally, the US EPA reviewed Ohio EPA’s draft permit and responded with concerns, emphasizing that granting this air emission permit would cause environmental justice issues. The surrounding community already faces high pollution levels and has a significant population of people of color, low-income households, and other vulnerable groups in close proximity to the proposed location. Justifiably, the US EPA suggested that civil rights concerns may be relevant in this case due to the community's existing environmental challenges, and encouraged the Ohio EPA to complete a more extensive environmental justice review as well as a review of its civil rights obligations prior to issuing this emissions permit.
Despite ALL this, the Ohio EPA granted an air pollution permit to SOBE on February 14, 2024.
It is unacceptable that the Ohio EPA, charged with environmental protection in our state, would champion a polluter’s desire for profit over the people’s best interest.
The citizens of Youngstown are calling for the Ohio EPA to rescind the air pollution permit to SOBE.
Since the mission of the Ohio EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is to protect the environment and public health by ensuring compliance with environmental laws, SOBE Concerned Citizens demand that the Ohio EPA do their job!
You can view this Press Release online here:
Contact and information: 330-333-1264 sustainableyoungstown@gmail.com
LIVESTREAM from event February 14, 2025:
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