March 8, 2005
Contacts: Christopher Childs, Clean Air Co-Chair: 651-312-1216
Cesia Kearns, Clean Air Organizer: 612-659-9124
Citizens and Sierra Club Celebrate Tire Burner Victory
Proposer of tire burner in Preston, MN drops planPreston, MN — On Monday night, a letter delivered to the Preston City Council with no signature, no return address, or letterhead brought a ray of hope to citizens and environmental groups that their struggle to protect human health, the local economy, and the environment of the Preston area was worth it all. On Tuesday morning, Elaine Maust, wife of the proposer of Heartland Energy and Recycling, confirmed the tire burner in Preston, which planned to burn 10 million tires annually, would not be built.
"When I saw the letter, I almost didn't believe it," said Fran Sauer, President of SEMEP and Preston resident, "Hundreds of citizens have invested their time, energy, and money into this." Without the tire burner looming over the community, SEMEP looks forward to working on developing environmentally-sustainable economic opportunities for southeastern Minnesota. For instance, on the topic of waste tires, alternatives to burning tires include recycling them into products like gym floors, more durable roads, and linings for irrigation systems.
"The truth of the matter is burning tires doesn't make sense," said Christopher Childs, Sierra Club Clean Air Committee Co-Chair. "The environment and economy don't have to be at odds. Minnesotans want to invest in an environmentally-sustainable economy that reflects their values."
South Eastern Minnesotans for Environmental Protection (SEMEP), Citizens Against Pollution (CAP), Southern Minnesota Action Committee (SMAC), Sierra Club, Clean Water Action Alliance, and hundreds of residents and politicians from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa made up the coalition raising concerns about the tire burner. Concerns about the tire burner ranged from environmental and health issues to questions about economic viability and tax subsidies.
For more information, please contact Cesia Kearns, Clean Air Organizer, at 612-659-9124.