Brockton mayor comes out in opposition to power plant
BROCKTON - After months of consideration, Mayor James E. Harrington has declared his opposition to a proposed power plant 0n Oak Hill Way, saying a consultant's report he commissioned raised too many questions about the plant and its effect on the environment.
Harrington made the announcement Thursday, after reviewing the eight-page report's findings on how the proposed plant would affect everything from air quality to local traffic during construction.
"The information in the report is not information I can go along with," the mayor said. "I've said before, that if there is any potential for any negative environmental impact, I would be in opposition to the plant."
Harrington's declaration could be critical in Brockton's tight mayoral election Nov. 6. The plant has been an issue in debates and public discussions.
Jass Stewart, the mayor's challenger, long ago spoke out against the plant, saying its location would be too close to a neighborhood with senior high-rises and schools. He has promised that a vote for him would be a vote against the power plant, and he had called on Harrington to take a clear stance on the issue.
Harrington had said he had the responsibility as mayor to hear and research the company's proposal - and would oppose the project if environmental concerns were raised. He denied reports that he had earlier, as a member of a pro-business group, supported the project.
Harrington said he commissioned the report because misinformation was turning the plant proposal into a political decision, rather than one based on whether the city would benefit from it.
Now, he said, his opposition to the plant has neutralized it as an issue in the race, and the campaign should focus on other issues such as crime and education.
Thursday's announcement was timed so that the mayor could file his comments with the state Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, which is reviewing the plant's draft Environmental Impact Report. The deadline for filing comments was Thursday.
The Environmental Impact Report will be used by several state agencies as the official information resource during a lengthy permitting process, which will include reviews of air control quality and emissions.
The plant would be on a 13-acre site at the Oak Hill Way Industrial Park. The proposed 101,200-square-foot facility would be 130 feet tall, with a stack reaching 250 feet.
It would generate 350 megawatts, enough to power 230,000 households, and would be fueled by natural gas. It would also use diesel fuel at times when there's a shortage of natural gas.
Officials at Brockton Clean Energy, the company that wants to build the plant, have said the project could pump $200 million into the local economy over its 30-year lifespan, as well as generate tax revenue and jobs for the city.
The company aims to have the facility running by 2010.
Harrington said he was particularly concerned with the air quality issues the report raised, as well as the proposed use of water from the wastewater treatment facility as a cooling mechanism. Brockton Clean Energy has proposed paying the city for use of water from the treatment facility, but the consultant's report said the use of the water could have a negative impact on the facility and surrounding waterways.
The mayor said his opposition is only one step in what will be a long application process that will eventually be handled at the state level.
Milton J. Valencia can be reached at valencia@globe.com. 