FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – People in Fernandina Beach are taking sides in the debate over a proposed bioethanol plant.
Rayonier Advanced Materials wants to expand its existing site, which is just south of downtown Fernandina.
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At a town hall meeting Thursday, speakers stepped up for both sides.
Some of those against the project said they acknowledge the significance and history of the mills in the area but are concerned about the safety of those in the community.
“I just don’t think that this is the right place to do what you’re trying to do,” one public commenter said. “We have 1.6 million people that live here. We do not have a fire department that can handle an accident of this kind. Where would we get that help from?”
The company says the new plant would provide stable jobs, boost the economy, and create a more sustainable future for the region.
“Second Generation (2G) BioEthanol is a cleaner, greener alternative to fossil-fuel based gasoline and will help sustain 300 good-paying local manufacturing jobs, be good for local property values, and support the economy in Fernandina Beach,” the company said on its website.
Supporters of the project agreed. They said the plant should be built to protect existing jobs at Rayonier.
“The thing that is so great about Fernandina is these two mills because there‘s almost a thousand people that work at those two mills,” one supporter said. “Most of them blue collar. Most of them non-college graduates that make substantial incomes.”
Earlier this year, a man who lives near the plant filed a petition asking the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to review the company’s air quality permit.
A hearing is set for Nov. 18.