Mike Sauers

Delivered January 23, 1992 at Pottsville City Hall Council Chambers

This is an interesting piece of history. Much of what was presented then could be said again today. Not much has changed. At least one Republican Committee member at that time, Dave Argall, is still a legislator. While I have never been a big supporter of term limits, 30 years does beg a conversation. I recently sent Senator Argall a copy because at the time of its presentation he left the dias and did not return until the presentation was completed.

Good afternoon. My name is Mike Sauers and I’m here to offer testimony on behalf of the Greenfire Coalition. Currently, I am COO at Comprehensive Recycling and Waste Management Technologies, Inc., McAdoo, PA.

The Greenfire Coalition is a regional, non-profit umbrella organization of citizens groups and individuals. The Coalition is presently organized in Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne and Schuylkill Counties. 10,000 citizens are connected to Greenfire via their affiliation with 30 environmental and/or citizens organizations. We are concerned with and interested in addressing a broad spectrum of environmental issues. Our goals are to organize and network, conduct public education and community service projects, engage in lobbying efforts, establish and develop open lines of communication with other segments of the community and provide organizational skills and support to grassroots environmental groups.

At this point, I would like to offer the Coalition’s appreciation to the Task Force for providing this opportunity to address environmental concerns; specifically in Schuylkill County and generally throughout the State. The fact that we are here today emphasizes the reality of environmental awareness in relation to many issues, especially economic development.

The Greenfire Coalition strongly supports the positions taken by the Citizens For A Healthy Environment, Hegins Valley Environmental Association, Anthracite Regional Conservation Society, Citizens Against Incinerators and their technical experts. Based on the last election results, it is crystal clear that the overwhelming majority of voters also support these citizen groups. We believe that this same sentiment exists across the entire State of Pennsylvania. What it boils down to is that we are sick and tired of being dumped on. It is outrageous that Schuylkill County has been targeted as the importation site for contaminated soil, medical waste and municipal waste. Why should Schuylkill County, or anywhere for that matter, become the dumping and burning ground for outside waste? We believe the people of Schuylkill County, or anywhere for that matter, are willing to take responsibility for their own waste but are equally unwilling to become the dumping ground for others.

It is equally outrageous for citizens to bear the physical, mental, emotional and financial burden associated with investigating, negotiating with and fighting polluting industries. In reality, they are up against heavily financed projects with well paid experts of all sorts. It is unconscionable for this to be taking place in a democratic society and it must be stopped.

Many of our waste problems evolve from and revolve around four basic considerations: 1. the raw materials we use to produce goods and services 2. how we produce goods and services 3. how we package or deliver goods and services to the marketplace and 4. how we dispose of the waste from these goods and services.

It is with these four basic considerations in mind that we make the following recommendations to the Task Force. Some of these recommendations are part of the War on Waste Campaign which is being conducted across the country and are applicable to the State of Pennsylvania.

1. Start by reducing the generation of garbage and maximizing the recycling of municipal solid waste. This can be accomplished by reducing the use of PLASTICS, reducing the use of disposable products, achieving 75% recycling of municipal waste by 2000, establishing a state program to reduce packaging, promoting recycling and eliminating any state subsidies of virgin materials, promoting development of markets for recycled goods, legislating stronger government procurement of post-consumer materials, and utilizing the composting of organic waste as a waste management technique. Simply put, we urge you to fully utilize and exhaust the tools of waste reduction, comprehensive recycling and composting of organic materials before you give consideration to the problematic landfilling and/or incineration scenarios.

2. In reference to medical waste incinerators, support a moratorium on new medical waste incinerators. We ask you to support and promote waste reduction strategies at hospitals, clinics, etc., support and promote the separation of infectious waste from non-infectious waste, support, promote and provide funding assistance for on-site alternatives such as sterilization, high density laser treatment, high pressure steam treatment, chemical treatment and microwaving.

3. We urge you to support Senator James Rhoades’ (deceased) call for a 36 month moratorium on toxic soil incineration.

4. We urge you to support “Bad Boy” legislation so that corporations with criminal records are not doing business in Pennsylvania. Also, prevent monopolization of the waste management business.

5. We urge you to support “non-binding” referendums on environmental issues.

6. We urge you to hire additional personnel in the DER to assure proper enforcement of environmental laws.

7. Do not allow the permitting process for polluting industries to be shortened or streamlined. If anything, more public access to information and participation is needed.

8. Assure local citizen’s rights to protect their communities from polluting industries. Support “right to know” legislation. Support and fund a citizen’s right to technical expertise. Support citizen’s right to participate in all negotiations between government and industry. Support citizen’s right to say “No” to unsafe industries.

9. Promote and support clean technologies and a transition to a “SUSTAINABLE” economy.

10. Make environmental awareness a goal and priority in our public education system.

11. Legislate stiffer health based emission standards for incinerators as well as stiffer ash testing and disposal standards.

12. Promote and support mass transportation projects and a transition to non-polluting forms of transportation.

We make these recommendations to be helpful to those who bear the responsibility of making decisions. Decisions, which will have a tremendous impact on how people live and work. Decisions which affect the quality of life realized by all Pennsylvanians. We believe that many of our current activities, for example, burning fossil fuels or producing mountains of waste are not “SUSTAINABLE”. According to the EPA, Pennsylvania is one of the top 10 states in toxic emission, producing over 114 thousand tons. Also, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census we are the second highest state in terms of hazardous waste sites with 97 identified. According to the Council of State Governments we are 36th in total environmental protection expenditures.

In summary, we submit to you that this is unacceptable and dangerous. We encourage you and will support you in a strong effort to change the way we conduct our activities. The Greenfire Coalition does not see an insurmountable conflict between economic productivity and environmental quality. The conflict between economic productivity and environmental quality is driven by two considerations: 1. economic gain is defined as short term profits and 2. environmental improvement is defined as pollution control rather than prevention. The addiction to maximizing short term profits is what determines the means of production and, obviously, decides its environmental impact. We believe that environmental realities, such as pollution prevention, should determine the means of production. In addition to profits, private business should concentrate on pollution prevention, long-term economic planning and long-term investment strategies. By doing so, we can begin to move towards a sustainable society in terms of both environmental quality and long-term production. Contrary to what you may often hear, citizens involved in the environmental arena are pro-jobs and pro-well planned, long-term economic activity.