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Kansas Department of Health and Environment
1000 SW Jackson - Topeka, KS 66612
Phone: 785-296-1500 - Fax: 785-368-6368
EMail: info@kdhe.state.ks.us
http://www.kdheks.gov/index.html

The Division of Environment
1000 SW Jackson, Suite 400 - Topeka, KS 66612-1367
Phone: 785-296-1535 - Fax: 785-296-8464
http://www.kdheks.gov/environment/index.html

Bureau of Air and Radiation
1000 SW Jackson, Suite 310 - Topeka, KS 66612-1366
Phone: 785-296-1593 - Fax: 785-296-7455
http://www.kdheks.gov/bar/index.html

Terry Tavener. Air Quality Engineer
Phone: 785-296-1570 or 785-296-1581
Fax: 785-291-3953
EMail: ttavener@kdhe.state.ks.us

John Ramsey
Phone: 785-296-1992
EMail: jramsey@kdhe.state.ks.us

Clark Duffy, KDHE Director
Phone: 785-296-1593
Fax: 785-296-7455
EMail: cduffy@kdhe.state.ks.us

Dear Mr. Tavener:

We (signed below) have several urgent concerns regarding the impact of the construction and operation of the Ethanex Ethanol Plant at Jeffrey Energy Center on the surrounding environment and residents and their property.

We therefore ask for a public hearing on the permit application for the proposed Ethanex Ethanol Plant at Jeffrey Energy Center to address these concerns and to make sure there is ample time for local residents to participate, even those with limited time in their busy work-schedule.

Concern for Impact on the Environment
1. More analysis of the environmental impacts of the current and proposed emissions of Sulfur Dioxide and other pollutants (with increases possibly up to 40%) is warranted in a public hearing, with particular care to give the surrounding community of neighbors ample notice to become familiar with the details.

Concern for Impact on Traffic
2. Traffic levels to and from JEC are already high, and building the Ethanol plant will have significant traffic of its own, further straining the local roads, affecting the driving of the local residents, and adding noise to the countryside, even at night. These concerns regarding traffic, congestion, and noise pollution warrant a public hearing to allow local residents to learn the details and to consider their impact.

Concern for Taking of Private Property
3. The increased traffic and resulting demand for increased road capacity will also likely require the taking of land from some area residents to widen and improve roads. The potential taking of private property and its negative economic impact on area residents warrant a public hearing.

Concern for Limited Availability of Important Details
4. While the permit application process has been in development for almost a year, the details of this Ethanol plant and its environmental and economic impacts have not been readily available to the local residents until roughly one month ago, and the details of the HAPs (hazardous air pollutants), which is nearly 100 pages long, were not available without special request from the Kansas Department of Health. In order to inform local residents of the details of the HAPs to be emitted and allow them to investigate the impacts of each one individually and in combination on their health and on the surrounding agriculture, livestock, and farming community, a public hearing is warranted as well as time for independent research with other experts.

Concern for Redress and Damages
5. In the event that the Ethanol plant is constructed and the local environment is negatively impacted (the health of residents and/or the destruction of crops, plant-life, and livestock), what process of redress and recourse will be available to the residents and what mechanism for requesting reimbursement for damages and losses will there be?

We Request a Public Hearing on the Ethanex Ethanol Plant Permit Application.