The letter by Don Vig (Sept. 26) reminds me of a story about how dihydrogen monoxide is a leading cause of calamities such as acid rain, corrosion and erosion. Turns out, dihydrogen monoxide is better known by its simple name, water, certainly one of the staples of life.
Vig tries to tell us that carbon dioxide and fly ash from power plants should be viewed only as pollutants while others describe them as valuable coal combustion byproducts.
Most recently "coal country" has completed an eco-industrial study to define the potential of coal country's material, energy, infrastructure and intellectual assets as levers for new business development that will grow North Dakota. The principal investigators in the study were Trilium Planning & Development Inc. and the Yale University Industrial Environmental Management Program, two independent entities that have global knowledge and experience in industry project development. Not at any time were any of the numerous byproducts and other resources identified as creating a hazardous environmental impact.
Value seems to be in the eye of the beholder, such as the construction companies who are scrambling for limited supplies of cement. They can substitute fly ash and make a concrete that is stronger and easier to finish than if they used only cement. You might have recently read Great River Energy established record sales of fly ash to companies located all over the United States. I am certain all these states have environmental controls and if they felt the material would be hazardous to the environment it wouldn't be permitted for use.
Also, the North Dakota Department of Health has no problem with fly ash being used as a cement substitute, so I'm not sure why Vig does. With the current shortage of cement, that is severely hampering development in the region, this is one way we can use an available resource to further our concrete supplies.
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Likewise, carbon dioxide, which of course is the same gas plants and trees need to survive, can be used to put the fizz in soda pop and also to extend the life of partially depleted oil fields. Again a resource being used to enhance crude oil recovery and lower the cost in addition to providing an increased oil field life. Shouldn't we be supporting these efforts as we drive up to the "gas pump" and see the negative economic impact it creates in all our communities?
Through extensive R&D projects conducted by EERC, a leading research center housed at the University of North Dakota as well as national research company efforts, both fly ash and carbon dioxide are sold every day to companies willing to pay for these products. To view them as pollutants seems shortsighted.
Phillips is development director for the city of Beulah, N.D. E-mail jpbeulah@westriv.com
