Following last week's meetings on Lafarge's plans for its Hudson Valley cement plant and the first phase of an ongoing state Department of Health review of the facilities history, local coverage has started to shift somewhat, acknowledging opposition to and concern over the plans and studies that belied Lafarge representatives' predictions, while meanwhile Lafarge has started beefing up its behind-the-scenes dissemination of its own materials to local press. Recent editions of The Daily Mail and Register-Star have run stories about the informational meetings held last week at Ravena High School, leading off today with a prominent mention of how the main Wednesday meeting saw a crowd of "roughly 50 people turned out" and emphasizing Lafarge's "recently completed DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement)" and the fact that the state Department of Environmental Conservation "recently renewed the Lafarge air permit for its existing plant,and the company is now focusing on moving forward with the modernization which requires its own set of permits." Comments are being accepted by the DEC until Feb. 22, 2011. DEC has also scheduled a Legislative hearing Jan. 20 for all “persons, organizations, corporations, or government agencies which may be affected by the proposed project to submit oral or written comments.” DEC will then determine whether “substantive or significant issues” were raised during the public comment period and legislative hearing warranting an Adjudicatory Hearing/Issues Conference. Project documents including the DEIS and draft permits are available for review at http://lafargeravenafacts.com, a company-sponsored website being promoted by the daily newspapers at present.
•WGXC recording of DOH Lafarge hearing Dec. 9 at RCS High, Ravena.
•WGXC recording of Lafarge Environmental impact Statement Public Informational Meeting Dec. 8 at RCS High School, Ravena.