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Firm replies to fear of lithium storage(Buffalo News, The (NY) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Mar. 25--Patricia Melancon of Clarence spent two decades battling a nearby hazardous waste plant that dealt in the storage, treatment and disposal of lithium batteries. A huge fire in 2002 at Safety- Kleen, off Wehrle Drive, closed the plant. But Melancon and other residents are worried now about a new proposal that feels like "Here we go again," she said. The proposal by Wilson-Greatbatch Ltd. would allow for lithium battery storage at 4096, 4098, and 4100 Barton Road -- not far from Buffalo Crushed Stone, which routinely conducts blasting. Melancon said she and others in the community are worried about the impact of the blasting on the lithium batteries. "I live miles from Buffalo Crushed Stone, but I can feel and hear the charges," she said. "What's it going to do to lithium batteries? They are, by their very nature, explosive." A representative of Greatbatch said she understands residents are concerned, but that the project envisioned is entirely different from the previous operation. The batteries will be transported to the plant, installed in wireless sensors, and shipped out, said Diana Robbins, marketing director for Greatbatch. "In terms of scale, it's very small," she said. "The expectation is there would be no more [lithium batteries] than you find in a Home Depot or Lowes." A public hearing on the issue before the Town Board is scheduled for 7:45 p. m. tonight in Town Hall, One Town Place. Greatbatch is seeking a "special exception use" permit, required because the zoning there has stipulations against companies using lithium or other hazardous materials. The hearing is also required because the plant would store hazardous material Melancon -- who headed Concerned Citizens of Clarence, a watchdog group that dogged Safety-Kleen back then -- said she will ask the board to reject the request. Clarence Supervisor Scott Bylewski said the board can vote after the hearing, although he said he doesn't know what will happen. "We will have to see what comes out of the meeting," Bylewski said. Among the questions are how many batteries will be stored and what precautions will be taken to prevent accidents. The fire seven years ago was deeply unsettling for Clarence. Residents had warned of the potential danger of the plant, which was near homes as well as Clarence High School and Brothers of Mercy, a provider of adult residential health care and rehabilitation services. [email protected] To see more of The Buffalo News, N.Y., or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.buffalonews.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Buffalo News, N.Y. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |