For more than two years, communities in Columbia, MD have been fighting against W.R. Grace & Co chemical company’s pyrolysis plastic incineration facility. At every step, residents have pushed against this dangerous facility, yet Grace continues to imperil communities in Columbia with their so-called “chemical recycling” research.
The next stage of this fight was triggered at the end of June this year when WR Grace applied for a State Permit to Operate (SPTO) amendment in order to permanently continue operating their facility. Troublingly, MDE has allowed Grace to pursue this permit as an “extension” of existing air permits Grace already holds instead of as a stand alone permit application. This means that MDE is not required to provide, and therefore is not providing, either a public hearing or an official open comment period. MDE seems content to rubber stamp Grace’s permit, but the community is not letting that stand without a fight and they need our help!
If you have 2 minutes:
Add your information here to send a letter to the Maryland Department of the Environment letting them know you oppose the approval of W.R. Grace’s permit to operate their Pilot Pyrolysis Plant indefinitely into the future in Columbia, MD. It can be as long or as short as you need it to be but tell your story and make your voice heard! You can use this language provided on the next page - it can literally be just a few sentences!
If you have 5 minutes:
Read talking points here, and incorporate one or two into your comment letter to MDE!
If you have 10 minutes:
Dive in deep! Give the talking points a read as well as this information sheet on the issue. Share your knowledge as a community member and weave talking points into a full letter pushing MDE to protect communities.
If you’re fired up:
Write a powerful set of comments, then get involved with the Stop Grace Coalition fighting to protect Maryland from W.R. Grace’s plastic burning project! Sign their petition here!
