Antis in West Virginia who filed an appeal of a permit allowing US Methanol to build a plant in Institute, WV have been rejected by the WV Air Quality Board. Earlier this month US Methanol broke ground in Institute (Kanawha County), WV for its very first methanol production plant (see US Methanol Breaks Ground on First Plant in West Virginia). This is the first of what is rumored to be up to five such methanol plants to be built in the Mountain State by US Methanol. Methanol plants convert natural gas into methanol, used as a chemical feedstock (or raw material) to create other things, like gasoline, antifreeze, plastic bottles–even LED and LCD screens. A number of dignitaries attended the groundbreaking in Institute, including colorful WV Governor Jim Justice. People Concerned, a Big Green group, has painted nightmare scenarios that “if” a 1.2 million gallon methanol holding tank explodes, it’s the end of the world for anyone and everyone in the Institute area. In an unbelievable act of disgust, the attorney for People Concerned “reminded” the Air Quality Board that the location of the US Methanol plant is located next to “a historically black university”–implying there’s something racist about the plant and the so-called safety threats it may hold for black students. Loathsome. Fortunately the Air Quality Board refused the appeal by People Concerned, meaning the plant will continue construction as planned, going online by mid-next year…
