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Slow down on ethanol plant idea

Local agencies did a lousy job alerting the public and assessing the impact of an ethanol plant proposed for Tampa. A region struggling to provide drinking water to millions might have to provide that precious commodity to a plant that could guzzle 500,000 gallons a day. Officials need to find a better solution before the plant is built.

The Tampa Port Authority's governing board voted 4-2 Tuesday to give Port Sutton EnviroFuels more time to close a deal to build the plant off U.S. 41, southeast of downtown Tampa. Two of the board's elected members, Mayor Pam Iorio and Hillsborough County Commissioner Rose Ferlita, wanted to slow down the project to give residents time to vet their environmental concerns. A former port official warned in 2005 that smells could drift west from the plant and reach neighborhoods on Harbour Island and Davis Islands, south of downtown. But the company has nearly all its necessary permits, and its president said the concerns about odor were unwarranted.

Two things should happen. The port needs to follow through on promises to hold public hearings. It also should renegotiate the lease to accommodate any reasonable health and safety concerns. Port director Richard Wainio said Wednesday he is confident any odor would not pose a nuisance. "We're sympathetic," he said. "Our goal is to get out there now and get this information out."

The company, meanwhile, should work with city and county governments to explore how quickly reclaimed water could meet the plant's production needs. With consumption expected to average 390,000 gallons daily, the plant would be Tampa's fifth-biggest customer. The city is only now examining how to provide reclaimed water to its biggest industrial users. It also must provide water to customers inside its service area, giving it little leverage to force EnviroFuels to wait. To its credit, the company has expressed interest in using reclaimed water. Working with local government to expedite the hookup would be smart PR for the company. A deal could also be a model for getting other industrial users to switch to reclaimed.

[Last modified February 21, 2007, 23:47:30]