Councilman Testifies on GenOn, Says City Taking Proactive Approach

Rob James testified on the effect would have on the city March 20. This week, he discussed his testimony and plans the city is taking in the wake of the plant probable shuttering in 2015.

He said the city was taking a proactive approach and acting on the presumption the plant will close.

“(GenOn) said the evaluation is continuing; it leaves an open discussion to what that means,” James said March 29. “It is a possibility it may remain open, but the possibility is slim. We have to act as if it’s going to close in 2015.”

He said the city stepping in and paying for scrubbers to keep the plant open under EPA guidelines would not happen. The cost for the improvements has been estimated at about $10 million.

“The city is not in any position to do that,” James said.

Whether the state or federal government steps up to help pay, the councilman couldn’t say.

James said council and the administration will need to look at other options for a closed plant, and start doing that sooner, rather than later.

“We need to begin to look at other ways for (for economic development), and treat this as an opportunity,” he said.

That might mean converting the facility to a cleaner natural gas or coal-fired facility, or another industrial or commercial facility.

He said city leaders were considering considering which sort of individuals they should talk to, such as brownfield consultants, developers, commercial real estate agents and other advisers who would be knowledgeable and in a position to assist the city on this matter.

He cited the Cleveland Aquarium in the Flats as an example of a former power plant that was successfully redeveloped. With the assistance o brownfield consultants, the site became a bar/restaurant (initially the Powerhouse) before becoming the city's newest attraction.

had just started talking with the Brownfields and Land Revitalization program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which assisted with the old power plant in the Cleveland Flats in becoming a bar/restaurant. The site is now home to the new 

“I’m sure there was all kinds of work that had to be done be for it was safe for public consumption,” James said. “It would be the same kind of consideration.”

The city buying the plant, assessed at $36 million, is also “not an option,” James said.

“It’s not like the city can just buy it from GenOn,” he said. “Helping someone else buy it could be an option.”

James testifies before Senate

On March 20, in front of the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee’s Oversight: Review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for Power Plants hearing about the plant's closing.

 “It was important to me to convey the grave effect the closure would have on the Avon Lake School District,” James said of his testimony.

James said he wanted to make sure the Senate also understood the impact on the entire community, including a financial loss of $325,000 to the city and a “staggering” $3.9 million to the school district each year.

James said during the hearing the senators were engaged and understood the impact the closing would have on the city.

“I was clearly able to elevate the significant financial difficulties Avon Lake will have of the closure of the facility in the mind of the senators,” James said.

The councilman said he understood environmental concerns the public had about the plant.

“Of course, I fully support clean air and a healthy environment in Avon Lake,” James said in a statement March 26. “However it is equally important to me the schools are able to provide the best possible education to its students, the city is able to provide important services to its residents and the employees of GenOn have good stable employment.

"I fully believe environmental regulation can protect Avon Lake while promoting worthy objectives.”

Avon Lake Mayor Greg Zilka said he appreciated James’ thoroughness at the hearing and his attentiveness to both environmentally clean air as well as the economic factors involved.

Zilka noted that the administration in the past has held environmental issues in high regard and has commissioned two studies with the Ohio Health Department of Health.

“We are continuing to monitor environmental issues that do affect us and the health issues that arise from time to time.”

“One ill child is too many,” Zilka said.

James said no votes or formal actions were taking at the hearing, which was to gather information.