TOP 10 REASONS ABACO CARES CONTINUES TO OPPOSE THE WILSON CITY BUNKER C PLAN:

Straight from the horse’s mouth:  

1. “The corporation reiterates the fact that the Wilson City Site in Abaco was chosen after careful and extensive review”  

- Expansion of the Marsh Harbour plant was not plausible because subdivisions were built next to the plant while it was in operation. Snake Cay was eliminated due to environmental sensitivity and to allow for a development. However, Wilson City is just as ecologically important, if not more important, than Snake Cay.  Snake Cay had some advantages, including a greater distance from the National Park and safer docking facilities, and would have cost less and been built sooner than Wilson City.  It is apparent that the site was moved to Wilson City solely to benefit the Snake Cay developer. Furthermore, the additional costs to move the plant to Wilson City will be born by Bahamians solely to benefit this developer.  

- There are communities closer than the stated 7 miles from the plant. These include Little Harbour, Cherokee Sound and Casuarina Point, along with the Winding Bay Development and the proposed Lynyard Cay Development.  

- Fuel transfer at Wilson City will require expensive dredging. 

1. The Wilson City site sits on a fresh water aquifer that supplies all of Marsh Harbour, as well as in proximity to a dense network of blue holes and undersea caverns. A fuel spill, in the words of the EIA, “could, in the worst case scenario, be catastrophic and permanent”.
2. In the end, there are other potential locations on Abaco that should have been considered, with local input during any “careful and extensive review”.  If Wilson City was the best site, it would have been proposed during the “careful and extensive review”.  Abaco CARES challenges BEC to publish  the site selection process.

2. “Further, all of the Bahamas borders on ecologically important locations.”  

This is absolutely true.  There is no place in the Bahamas where Bunker C would be an acceptable fuel.  More importantly, the areas adjacent to the Wilson City location are considered by the Bahamas National Trust to be some of the most environmentally important locations on Abaco.  

3. “The corporation and the government are concerned about the health and welfare of all residents and visitors to the Bahamas in general and Abaco in particular, and for the health and welfare (sustainability) of the environment.”  

With population centers, schools and farms downwind of the site, any government that would consider using Bunker C does not appear to be “concerned” with the health and welfare of the environment and people.  A simple internet search, beginning with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website, provides ample scientific data on this subject.   

4. “The Wilson City Power Station will not cause any undue health risks to employees or residents of Abaco. The emissions from the plant are in accordance with international standards and would not cause the problems as alluded to in the Ad [sic].”  

Emissions from Bunker C contain NOx and SO2.  According to the National Toxics Network, these can trigger serious respiratory problems, lead to emphysema, bronchitis, aggravate existing heart disease, and also contribute to the formation of acid rain.  Also, Bunker C contains 73 times as much Benzo(a)pyrene as No. 2 fuel oil.  This is a Class A carcinogen.

5. “The statement suggesting that there is no transparency or that the people of Abaco were not involved is erroneous and irresponsible as is the claim that the process was done in secret.”  

The government was not forthcoming in involving the citizens of Abaco until the site had been selected and construction had begun.   FRIENDS made repeated requests for public meetings with the government, beginning in November 2008.  A meeting was finally held on September 10, 2009.  This was over a year and a half after ground was cleared for construction of the power plant, and over a month after construction began.

The EIA report was not made available to the general public for review until November 2009, over three months after construction began in earnest, without permits.  

6. “Interested persons have been invited and we reaffirm the invitation for Renewable Energy Technology.”  

Abaco CARES’s position is that renewables are viable now as a partial solution, at minimum, that will reduce the Bahamas’ dependency on fossil fuels.  

A feed-in tariff system that would allow solar electricity to be sold back into the grid is viable and proven to work in other countries. There is at least one entire community on Abaco that is 100% solar-powered, which demonstrates that renewables will work on Abaco.  These laws should already be in place.  Without putting the laws in place first, there is a disincentive to propose renewable energy projects so Abaco CARES will continue to advocate for renewable energy legislation, ad nauseam.  

7. “Stakeholders have been invited to partner with BEC as it relates to environmental issues. The Power Station at Wilson City is being built to the highest standard for fossil fuel burning plant.”  

What exactly BEC’s ideas of the “highest” standards are for the construction of fossil fuel plants only it can be sure. The main reason to doubt the veracity of their standards is the lack of the full set of environmental controls required to protect public health, as would be necessary to meet emissions standards in developed countries.  

8. “Government [sic] is determined to investigate all sources of fuel and the Wilson City Plant is capable of burning Automotive Diesel Oil (ADO) as well as Bunker C. This has been explained ad nausea [sic] to those opposed to the Wilson City Power Station.”  

Until diesel fuel is officially chosen as the fuel for the proposed Abaco power station, Abaco CARES will continue to educate the public--and BEC--on the dangers of Bunker C “ad nauseam”.  

Furthermore, the government claims diesel generators would result in a consumer rate increase per kilowatt-hour of electricity. Use of diesel should, if anything, result in a decrease in consumer rates due to the use of larger more efficient engines. We consider these rates increases to be purely punitive on the following grounds:

-The current plant uses diesel, so there is no reason why doing so at the new plant should cost more.

- “Because of all the complications of heavy fuel, a large portion of the savings from the lower cost of HFO-perhaps a third or more-will be soaked up by construction and operating costs.” – National Mariner

-When costs to the Bahamian economy from reduction of income from sources like taxes and tourism are factored in, the true cost of Bunker C is higher than diesel.  

9. “The Wilson City Plant is not ‘yards from the shore’ as stated but a couple of miles inland. It is our confirmed view that Norman’s Castle, Snake Cay, Sandy Point, Dundas Town, Treasure Cay, Sandy Point, Wilson City and anywhere else in Abaco would face the same environmental challenges.”  

Driving down the road from the plant, it is 0.9 miles to tidal mangroves.  From the SE corner of the fenced-in plant area, it is 2050 feet to tidal mangroves.  From the SE corner of the 100 acre BEC property, it is 690 feet to tidal mangroves.  These distances were measured by GPS, on the ground.   

10. “The corporation confirms that the construction of the Wilson City Power Station was properly planned and is in the best interest of residents of and visitors to Abaco. Contrary to statements made, it will enhance the opportunities for development and growth.”  

Everyone can agree that providing reliable power is in the best interest of residents of and visitors to Abaco, and will enhance the opportunities for development and growth. Unfortunately, BEC’s site selection and fuel choice to provide this reliable power is more likely to reduce development and growth than enhance it. The Sea of Abaco is the economic engine of Abaco, and reintroducing tar balls on beaches, reducing fish stocks, and locating an industrial site next to a pristine tourist area can only deplete the economic potential of Abaco. This cost to the Bahamas economy is just one of the reasons that a switch to diesel fuel is in the best interests of and less costly for Bahamians.  

About Abaco Cares

Abaco CARES was formed to fill the need for an organization that will provide a common voice about local issues important to all Abaco residents including Bahamians, foreign residents, second homeowners and property owners. The organization cares about the interests of Abaco's people, economy and environment and we have a vision for Abaco's future. The mission includes protecting human health and the environment, promoting sustainable development and economic growth and ensuring local participation in decisions that affect Abaco residents. Visit http://abacocares.com to learn more or join our cause.