Catch UD's STAR Campus TDC Talk About Their Power Plant Proposal 2PM On WDEL This Afternoon

http://www.nonewarkpowerplant.org/

From facebook, Amy Roe writes ~ 

I will be on WDEL Monday sometime after 2, right after The Data Centers (the company that wants to build the power plant in Newark).

And ~ 

Doug Rainey, how do you know what I have taken into consideration? Especially as you have never asked me a question. Yet you seem to know? This seems to be a bold claim.....

(NewsWorks) Doug Rainey writes ~ "Delaware way" given a black-eye in Newark mayor resignation

The Data Center is a “dream big” project that involves combining a secure data center with a power plant at a cost that could run $1 billion. It's the kind of bold proposal that Delaware needs to embrace. But keep in mind, we are talking about a lot of money and few indications that financing had been secured. The West Chester, Pa.-based developer of the project has been talking with the city from time to time. News about the plant eventually got out when the developer made preliminary requests to the state regarding infrastructure for the project.
That news prompted Sierra Club activist Amy Roe and State Rep. John Kowalko to demand a public hearing and full disclosure of all discussions. Never mind that any new power plant requires a lengthy approval process and many hearings. The city initially issued a press release on the situation, claiming a hearing was not needed.   In the end, officials relented to some extent and decided to hold an information session early next month. Still, the whole exercise smelled of grandstanding.
Roe has been a fixture at City Council meetings, with her critiques of a city electric power utility. Her efforts did lead the city to add more alternative energy, a decision that drew wide support. At the same time, she did not take into consideration the added costs of alternative energy to ratepayers, many on fixed incomes. In last couple of years, Roe has become a fierce foe of natural gas “fracking” in Pennsylvania and would clearly like to see a public hearing that would become a forum over the controversial practice.
While Roe is not always comfortable in the limelight, Kowalko loves the attention. His favorite target is Delmarva Power, but with his decision to move to Newark , the city utility became another pet project.
Kowalko also hit the local radio talk circuit, claiming that the natural gas power plant would cause excessive noise, a claim not at all backed up by facts.
None of this is to suggest that the mayor is a babe in the woods when it comes to these matters. Funk has not been afraid to use his political skills and arm-twisting skills to move initiatives forward. And Funk, like other members of the council, has to abide by zoning ordinances. If a project meets requirements, the council has little choice but to grant approval or face costly litigation.
Funk clearly did not deserve the treatment – intended or unintended - that led to his decision to resign. He deserves the praise that is beginning to be voiced about his nine years as mayor. And neighbors should give the man the respect he deserves by taking down those lawn signs.

YEESH! Civil Rights anyone?

The lack of transparency over the power plant has led to a growing distrust and a new website No Newark Power Plant. They linked to this April 2013 Newark Post story ~ Data center could bring 300 jobs to former Newark Chrysler site

Andrew Lubin, director of real estate for the university, said The Data Centers is completing its due diligence on the site and expects a final decision by June. If it indeed decides to build in Newark, construction would begin within 6 months, with the project slated to last 15 months.
Company officials did not respond to a request for comment, but according to their website, The Data Centers would house cloud-computing services for industrial, government and academic uses. However, unlike similar facilities, it would generate its own power. “No other company in the world has co-located a high-density data center together with a high efficiency cogeneration plant off grid to cost effectively provision electricity and cooling within the data center environment,” the website states.
The company has asked the Delaware Economic Development Office for a $7.5 million infrastructure grant to build a high-capacity gas line from Pennsylvania to the Newark site to fuel its generators. Once it is built, other companies would be able to tap into the gas line, said DEDO Director Alan Levin. “The line would not only aid here, but also aid other companies in the region,” Levin said Friday as he toured the Bloom construction site with other state officials..........Maureen Feeney Roser, planning director for the city of Newark, said the city has been in talks with The Data Centers for more than six months. The company looked at several other cities before settling on Newark, she said. “They wanted to be in a college community,” Feeney Roser said. “It will be unlike anything else built in the United States,” she added. “We’re very hopeful they’ll move forward.”

 

Meanwhile, News Journal letter today ~ Why poison Newark Mayor Funk's reputation over Wawa disagreement?

We live in Old Newark and have used Vance Funk as our lawyer for four closings. We re­spect him as a lawyer. We worked enthusiastically on his initial campaign and voted for him in each of his elections.
We have supported his en­deavors to expand Main Street and have enjoyed his positive in­fluence on the thriving liveli­hood of downtown Newark. We favor the proposed Wawa, though we do not support a vari­ance allowing gas pumps ac­companying the Wawa. It is on this point alone that we differ in opinion with the vision for South Main Street.
We expressed this by placing a sign in our yard that reads, “No More Gas Pumps on South Main Street.” There is no mention of the mayor on our sign, or signs like it in our neighborhood.
We are baffled that this single difference of opinion has result­ed in the mayor deciding to leave office and move from our neighborhood. He cited repeat­edly that our yard sign is part of an unfriendly and threatening atmosphere in his neighbor­hood.
It is disheartening that our well-liked mayor has felt threat­ened by a visual expression of difference of opinion. We are disappointed that it has resulted in his leaving his post as our rep­resentative. The mayor I voted for will be missed.
The neighbor our children waved to when walking through the neighborhood will be missed. I wish he had chosen a different response to our peace­ful expression of difference of opinion. He will be missed.

Heather Suchanec-Cooper and Jon Cooper

Newark  

~*~