FeedsHistory of firm could stall new biodiesel plan
At least one Inkster council member has questions about the future of biodiesel manufacturing in the city.
Councilman Ron Johnson said Monday night that he opposes a change to the city zoning code that would allow the manufacturing of biodiesel in the community because the company that requested the change, Alternative Resource Recovery on Princeton Avenue, has had a troubled history in the community.
“They’ve had problems at that site,” he said. “There have been complaints about odors. I’m not sure we should be approving this when there’s been a problem in the past.”
Johnson could not offer any specifics about the site.
Councilman Ernest Hendricks, who is in favor of allowing biodiesel to be processed at the company site, said he thinks the problems have been resolved.
“I live about two blocks from there – I live closer to the site than anyone else – and there have been times I’ve gotten out of bed at 2 in the morning to ask them to turn the furnaces down,” he said.
“But I think they’ve resolved some of those issues.”
Hendricks said he’s heard few complaints during the past five years.
Biodiesel is a substance that officials at a state and national level believe could help the United States curb it’s dependency on foreign oil. It is derived from feedstock that is brought to refineries by rail to be mixed with petroleum.
It can be combined at any level with petroleum to create a “blend” that can be used in typical compression-ignition engines without any modification. It’s also “greener” because it emits very few harmful fumes, which makes it more environmentally friendly, according to manufacturers.
Mayor Hilliard Hampton has backed a measure that would allow the city to recruit biodiesel refineries, citing the city proximity rail systems and the need to shore up the sagging industrial base of Inkster, which took a beating when Carrion and Co., a small automotive supplier, folded.
Johnson said he doubts biodiesel is the answer to the city’s troubles.
“Biodiesel is a farce,” he said. “It’s not going to do a thing to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It’s not going to make fuel any cheaper. It’s like a bandwagon that everyone wants to jump on.”
Inkster isn’t the only city hoping to land a biodiesel facility. The City of Romulus is currently negotiating with a firm called Alternegy to build a $14 million facility on land owned by RKA Petroleum on 4 acres of land near Wick Road. That facility, if built, would refine 10-11 million gallons of biodiesel per year.
Council members were unable to approve the zoning changes because they must do so by making changes to an ordinance, and the paperwork submitted was not in ordinance form, said City Attorney Milton Spokojny.
Council members, however, are expected to approve the changes by a majority vote on May 21, their next regular meeting.
