May 28th, 2019 by WCBC Radio
With the recent announcement that the Luke Milll will be ceasing operation at the end of the month- there has been overwhelming support and empathy statewide for those effected, employees and the community. There is, however, a faction of Marylander's- on social media, letters to the editor and elsewhere- are expressing an attitude of "good riddance" – suggesting the region will be better off without the environmental issues that have been linked to the mill over its long history. Delegate Jason Buckel said he is aware of those comments and editorial opinions coming from what he calls environmental extremists…
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May 28, 2019 at 12:11 pm, Jay said:
The coverage in the Baltimore Sun on the mill closing was completely different than the local coverage. Yes, a lot of environmental concerns were raised – especially regarding the burning of the “black liquor” residue left from the pulp process. The state calls it a renewable energy source but some are saying that the renewable designation is going away in a few years which would cause operating costs to skyrocket. Having grown up in the Tri-Towns area I know that the abatement of pollution in the air and the river has improved dramatically from when I was a kid but it’s still a smokestack industry that emits bad things into the environment. Maybe the Supreme Leader should have stepped in with a threatening tweet like he did when the Carrier plant out in the mid-west was cutting jobs.
May 28, 2019 at 1:56 pm, mac said:
> Jay, how many decades did Luke Mill/Verso pump effluent into the Potomac? It was a “dead zone” with nothing living in it.
It was environmental extremists that finally got the good old boys to change the way business as usual was done.
If any talks are in progress to keep the plant open I wouldn’t doubt that some sweetheart deals are worked out to ease a lot of the restrictions on such effluents.
That’s one thing Mr. Trump is good for eliminating regulations that big business doesn’t like.
May 28, 2019 at 2:43 pm, Jay said:
>In my youth, the mountainside above Piedmont was known as “old baldy”. It was brown and nothing green would grow there. After the tall stack was installed the mountain greened up and looked somewhat normal. Also, the Potomac flowing past Piedmont and Westernport was gross. There was this blue muck that collected along the sides of the river from whatever the mill was dumping. No one fished downstream from the mill. Not to mention the smell was much worse back then than it is now. Having said all that, it’s sad to see the place close. In it’s heyday the mill employed 2000+ people. My dad retired there with 41 years of service. Everyone that I grew up with had someone in the family who worked at the mill. The Tri-Towns have been dying for years but I think Keyser will be hurt badly by the closing as well as Allegany and Garrett Counties.
May 28, 2019 at 9:02 pm, Brian said:
In case you didn’t know the people of Maryland to pay electric bill are still buying black liquor electricity from paper mills in other states