Business
Dynamis Circles Wagons, Conservation League Opposes Waste-to-Energy Project
August 8, 2012 
The GUARDIAN has been skeptical from the beginning about the so-called trash to energy plant proposed at the town dump. Now it looks like just about everyone is against the project.
Conservatives and libertarians oppose the financing, the neighborhood greenies question the environmental issues and now the Idaho Conservation League is on record against issuing a permit to Dynamis. The DAILY PAPER‘s Cynthia Sewell can’t get them to answer questions or substantiate public claims.
Fortistar, the operator of an existing methane gas fired electrical generator, has filed a tort claim which asserts that trash diverted to Dynamis will lower the amount of methane to run its plant.
Dynamis Energy approached the Ada Commishes two years ago, got a no bid deal and a cool $2 million hand delivered at least in part by Commish Sharon Ullman. Ullman and Commish Rick Yzaguirre recently inked a 30 year contract with the project promoter in a move that was unusual to say the least.
Both the Commishes and Dynamis are under investigation by a special prosecutor and that probe could take at least six months–long enough to stall the project until well past a December 30 deadline to get assorted federal funds.
We cannot see how it will ever come to be, but there will no doubt be more economic benefit for the Idaho legal community as events unfold and the odor of trash in all its permutations wafts over the valley.
UPDATE 8/9/12
While Dynamis doesn’t have anything to say, those opposed to the project issued a press release Thursday claiming potential mercury pollution. Read more for their release.
Contact: Dr. Richard Llewellyn
Telephone: 208-853-1924
Email: [email protected]
DYNAMIS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The following scientific research is based on Dynamis’ data submitted to the IDEQ. Dynamis technology is
far from their “No Emissions” claim. It earns an “F” when compared to other Waste to Energy facilities.
Mercury
Dynamis Will Be the Second Largest Source of Mercury in Idaho: According to data provided by
Dynamis, it would become the second largest EPA regulated source of mercury air emissions in Idaho.
No Mercury Controls: Dynamis is not planning to use emission control systems which would remove
mercury from their air emissions despite claiming on its website that “Dynamis Energy will employ the best
available technology and work very hard to reduce mercury air emissions”
Dioxins
Dynamis Earns an “F”: Dynamis would rank among the worst 5% of large-scale municipal waste
combustors at their permitted level, releasing 40 times more dioxins per ton than the Spokane regional facility.
If the Treasure Valley chooses to implement a Waste to Energy facility, wouldn’t the residents insist on the
safest technology available?
No Pollution Controls: Dynamis has no emission control system designed to reduce dioxin emissions.
Nitrogen Oxides
Dynamis Nitrogen Oxides Emissions are Equivalent to Adding 60,000 Vehicles to the Treasure Valley:
Dynamis originally submitted its potential to for nitrogen oxide emissions at 96 tons per year. After public
scrutiny, Dynamis has reduced their potential to 58 tons per year. Even at this reduced level, it is equivalent
to adding 60,000 modern autos and light trucks to the Treasure Valley.*
Summary
Dynamis is NOT What They Market: Dynamis sold its planned facility to Ada County as a clean plant that
would use the best available technology and would virtually eliminate hazardous emissions to zero, or ‘near
zero.’ In reality, Dynamis is planning to avoid the expense of installing emission controls designed for two of
the most dangerous products of waste combustion: mercury and dioxins. If Dynamis builds its plant, toxins
such as mercury and other metals, dioxins, and smog producing nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide will be
dispersed into the Treasure Valley’s air on a daily basis
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Aug 8, 2012, 10:47 pm
What wagons? Did they make a deal with the electric bus people? Are they real wagons or just plans for wagons?
Aug 9, 2012, 7:21 am
Thankfully the citizens of Ada county have intervened in this boondoggle orchestrated by Sharon Ulman.
Aug 9, 2012, 8:00 am
BG, if it seems everyone is coming out against the project, it is not by chance, thanks to your hard work of getting the facts out, and not letting the public forget about this mess! If you are not nominated for some press honors for your work on this story, I will be amazed!
Aug 9, 2012, 9:24 am
It should be Wagons circle Dynamis, man!
Aug 9, 2012, 12:05 pm
Dynamis attorney Ron Williams still in there pitching to the Idaho Public Utiliy’s Commission on behalf of Dynamis. Also haven’t heard that Raul Labrador has returned the large contribution from MaHaffey. Wouldn’t be the first time political considerations outweigh what the general public wants. B a lurt this isn’t over yet.
Aug 9, 2012, 4:41 pm
Second JJ. Thanks, Dave; excellent work.
Cynthia’s been a bulldog on this as well. We’re in your debt.
I just hope there’s a way out of this mess, once the votes are there in January. Presuming it doesn’t go, what’s your speculation on whether any of that $2 million ever comes back?
Aug 9, 2012, 7:34 pm
I think Idaho Power needs to step up the PR on how silly these ideas are for a micro generator network of windmills and trashburners etc.
Just think; if this trash-burner thing gets built, in addition to air pollution, we will still have increasing trash collection fees AND Idaho Power will have to buy their electricity at 3x the market rate for base power.
I suggest Idaho Power open its new NG-burning peak-power facility to public tours so that all these green freaks can understand the difference between a 400MW peak power plant and a bunch of wind thrashers that produce 1% of that at 3x the cost and at the wrong time of day.
IPUC: You are not looking out for me when you approve projects that sell power at 3x the going rate for power.
Aug 10, 2012, 8:50 pm
My asthmatic lungs are not dealing with all the smoke from the fires as it is. I can only hope this goofy projects gets nixed before they start burning all those used tires and belching out more foul, air loaded with all the byproducts of combustion “permitted” by the DEQ. They will not be a clean operation from what I have read.
Aug 11, 2012, 10:51 am
This is great reporting and an issue dear to my heart. Health dangers are a big issue. So are fires bringing smoke and soot to the valley? NPR featured reports from Boise public radio this past week. Sounds serious with a dry summer. In Minnesota we have been spared the drought. I favor Butch or Buster Otter for Willard Romney’s VP choice. Lock in Idaho for the GOP.
Aug 12, 2012, 6:20 pm
After reading the pollutants that could be added to our air I say we bring back burn barrels and spread the pollutants around in more of a blanket manner. My daughter is an enviromental exonomist and works with EPA I wiill ask her to read the info I have and issue an opinion.
Personally my lay oopinion and instincts tell me this is not a “good thing”.
Aug 13, 2012, 6:31 am
It’s obvious David you know nothing of the Butch or Buster Otter as you call him.
Aug 13, 2012, 10:10 pm
There are three states of matter.. solid, liquid and gas. some would argue for “plasma” to be added. Dynamis is doing nothing special here and to promote it as “propietary techology” is just hogwash. They won’t get out all the energy they put into this unless they think they can beat the laws of entropy and thermodynamics.
The commissioners have really pulled a financial blunder by giving $2MM of our tax dollars to these people. Perhaps some time out in the state pen might give them the time to come to this conclusion. What were they thinking and where is the “due diligence”?
Aug 14, 2012, 12:33 am
Slightly off topic… but Idaho Power and others do not want you to know what this backyard scientist discovered with a lightbulb experiment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pCvSXGRXhQ&feature=relmfu
Aug 14, 2012, 6:34 am
Very interesting study Zippo
Aug 14, 2012, 2:24 pm
Odd isn’t it? The government and industry is pushing an expensive and ineffective lightbulb so hard even though it is a huge source of Hg pollution. Meanwhile on the other hand, in a different government department, they are crushing any industry which adds to the Hg pollution problem(which is good to some extent). All the while they are getting paid on average twice the private sector wage/benefits.
PS: George W. Bush made the 100wt incandescent lightbulb illegal in the USA. The 75wt is next.
Aug 15, 2012, 6:39 am
All Bush ever did was what corporations told him to do.
Aug 22, 2012, 11:19 am
Robert has it right. Politicians are the marrionettes of the giant corporations.
Aug 22, 2012, 4:32 pm
The other problem is the US makes very few bulbs, cfl or incandescent. All that manufacturing has been sent overseas. Buying US manufactured bulbs is like trying to buy US manufactured shoes.
About the only thing the US is good at these days is maufacturing a crisis. A corporate approved crisis is the best economic tool to make fast, cheap money.
Sep 19, 2012, 10:37 pm
I have had the pleasure of meeting the leadership of Dynamis and taking a very detailed look at their technology and processes. I can say without a doubt that the team and its technology are first rate. The fact that all of this negative media, lies, and outright campaigning against everything we need right now is completely appalling. If I were Dynamis I would pack my bags and move on to a community that wants clean air, soil, and water. Dave Case and Cynthia Sewell apparently had nothing else to talk about here in Idaho so they made something negative out of something great. To the Dynamis Team I extend a heartfelt THANK YOU from the far too silent majority here in Ada County. When it counts we will be there for you and Mr. Case will be TERMINATED! That is a promise.
Sep 20, 2012, 8:52 am
Shawn,
How does the average citizen learn more about the Dynamis process. Should I trust you to say it is okay?
Sep 20, 2012, 2:03 pm
Shawn what is your interest in this? Do you or did you benifit in some way by this business deal?
My interest in this deal is: 1) Environmental concerns. 2) The rule of law is most important for political leadership. Leaders need to avoid even the appearance of breaking it. 3) I’m very pro-business, tend to be conservative, and dislike most government regulations. However, the big clue here was that the business and the county basically said it was not the public’s business to snoop. Either something is very wrong here or someone is very bad at PR and should not be a commisioner.