TICONDEROGA, N.Y. (July 31) — The New York Department of Environmental Conservation has given International Paper Co. approval for a two-week test burn of tire-derived fuel at its Ticonderoga, N.Y. facility.
International Paper´s request now goes to the Environmental Protection Agency for review; the company hopes to have word from the EPA by mid-September, a spokeswoman said.
The news was received angrily by Vermonters, including Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas and Sen. Jim Jeffords, I-Vt., who want International Paper to spend $10-15 million on pollution control equipment before any test burn commences. "If IP wants to burn tires, the solution is simple: it should upgrade its outdated plant with the proper equipment to ensure that its tire burning will be safe," Sen. Jeffords said in a press release.
International Paper, however, says the scrubbers it has installed should be at least as effective as the equipment Douglas and Jeffords want, and the company won´t know until after a test burn whether additional equipment is needed.