IS IT TRUE April 9, 2012

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IS IT TRUE April 9, 2012

IS IT TRUE that paying the utilities for two homes during a transition period gives one a real appreciation for the price differences in two locations?…that the unoccupied residence in SW Indiana used a total of 171 kWh in March and the Vectren charge for that amount of electricity was $37.41 or 21.8 cents per kWh net?…that the home in the supposedly high cost location of Southern California used a total of 990 kWh for which the bill was 116.82 or 11.8 cents per kWh?…that it will come as a surprise to many that electricity in Evansville as supplied by Vectren is 85% more expensive on a net basis on actual bills than it is in Southern California?

IS IT TRUE that the State of Indiana is now the water pollution capital of the United States?…that in a recently released report by Environment America Indiana was cited for dumping 27 Million pounds of toxic chemicals into the Ohio River from industrial waste?…that AK Steel in Rockport that has long been touted as a dream attraction opportunity by economic developers is the most guilty business on the entire Ohio River dumping 24 Million pounds or 66% of all industrial chemicals that were dumped into the river over its entire length?…that the words “don’t eat that two headed catfish” should be heeded as pollution of levels like this can really mess up the fishing and boating businesses?…that between the 27 Million pounds of chemical and the EPA violating discharge of raw sewage by the City of Evansville all of this talk of tourism and clean air may just be meaningless?

IS IT TRUE that we are wondering what is going on with the design to bring Evansville’s sewer system into compliance that is due in 7 short months or the fines will start again?…that Mayor Winnecke was truly dealt a rotten hand of cards on this issue but that we hope he is doing as well with getting the plan ready to submit and he is with inspiring people to pick up litter?…that while Mayor Winnecke is the first Mayor in years to tangibly address the surface issue of litter and that we appreciate his work, he is also the latest Evansville Mayor to inherit the $500 Million problem known as Combined Sewer Overflows?

IS IT TRUE that it has now been 11 days since the City County Observer submitted a list of simple but important questions to Debbie Dewey of GAGE regarding the VETTING of the Earthcare Energy loan that was passed under duress by the Evansville City Council 2 weeks ago today?…that a similarly practical but more detailed list of questions asked publically by Councilman John Friend has also gone for the most part unanswered?…that it is about time that the City of Evansville and its surrogate GAGE fesses up and lets the people of Evansville know just what went into the decision to make this recommendation?…that it is a miscarriage of duty for the City Council to be denied answers to real and relevant questions?…that it is even worse that 5 of the members of the Council bent over and succumbed to an explicit threat by the loan applicants that was delivered in a Courier and Press interview?…that the City of Evansville right now is looking both weak and dumb?

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9 COMMENTS

  1. As to the water pollution (and air, for that matter) why is that a surprise? John Blair has been telling us that we live in a sewer for 25 years, and been told he was a nutcase for his trouble. Vectren bills are higher and so is our cancer and asthma rates. At least on the next super polluted day in LA it will make you feel at home. 🙂

    • I personally live about 120 miles from LA and seldom venture there. As a matter of fact I have not been there since December and that was to catch a flight. Where I live has as much in common with LA as Evansville does with Brown County.

  2. In response to the April 9 edition of “Is It True,” let me say:

    The renovations of the “back 40” parking lot behind the Civic Center is a good start toward reducing the storm water flow into the City’s combined sewer system, and should be recognized as a good first step toward complying with the EPA’s mandate regarding the CSOs.

    Secondly, what is most aggregious about Vectren’s price gouging of customers in Evansville is that so much of the electricity produced in Southwest Indiana is transmitted to larger metropolitan areas and sold at much lower rates (as Joe Wallace points out) … yet we have to deal not only with the outrageous prices of electricity, but also all the poisonous fallout from the coal-fired plants.

    • Yes Soon2B, one could say that the ratepayers of Evansville are treated to “the worst of both worlds”. High prices and terrible pollution should not go together and in most cases they do not.

  3. It would be hard for me to comprehend that any city council member who cast a vote in favor of passing the EarthCare proposal, and later found out that vital information on the company and the technology, that was known at the time of voting but was not shared with council members, would not want to amend their previous vote.

    It is likewise incomprehensible that those council members would not have some choice words for the head of GAGE about her responsibilities when dealing with the Evansville City Council.

    To date, this has been a most unprofessional performance by nearly all involved. At tonight’s meeting of the city council there will be an opportunity to rectify that performance.

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