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I am one member of a five person board. The opinions I express on this forum are mine only, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Escambia County Staff, Administrators, Employees, or anyone else associated with Escambia County Florida. I am interested in establishing this blog as a means of additional transparency to the public, outreach to the community, and information dissemination to all who choose to look. Feedback is welcome, but because public participation is equally encouraged, appropriate language and decorum is mandatory. Although this is not my campaign site for re-election--sometimes campaign related information will be discussed, therefore in an abundance of caution I add the following : Political Advertisement Paid for and Approved by Jeff Bergosh, Republican, for Escambia County Commissioner District 1








Tuesday, October 8, 2019

What Happens When Some American Manufacturers Are Forced to Go Offshore?

The PNJ Cartoonist HATES IP and wishes they were gone.  If he had an "easy-button" to make that happen unilaterally, I'd venture a guess that he'd press it fast---based upon his scathing, slanted, and sloppy attacks on this company..... But then what would happen?
The sustained attacks on International Paper's Cantonment mill from the Pensacola News Journal and their cartoonist are incredible and borderline surreal.  I wonder what caused this to erupt like Mount St. Helens?  I heard about the issues, I studied them, met with the Florida and Escambia County environmental experts, engaged with IP, and toured these IP wetlands facilities in person.  The PNJ, by contrast, has never once visited these sites nor have they asked for a tour of the wetlands according to IP officials with whom I met last week.  But this doesn't stop PNJ from attacking this company day after day, week after week.  Very strange....

But setting this aside for a moment, I can't help but point out the fact that if the PNJ and Andy Marlette got what they apparently want--a full and complete closure of that Cantonment mill---things would get WORSE for the environment.  Yes, WORSE!

You see, when manufacturers go overseas where environmental laws are much more lax, most of these companies obey the more lax local regulations on employment, pay, and pollution. That's why Apple subsidiaries came under fire for their labor practices overseas. That's why the Tijuana River is a sludge-filled mess that forces San Diego beaches to close for a half-year at a time.  There are hosts of other examples.  Anyone remember Union Carbide and Bhopal?

And when enough American and European firms "offshore" to get out from under US environmental regulations-- the planet as a whole absorbs MORE pollution in the process!  Will someone please wake Andy and the PNJ up and tell them this?

Granted this pollution is typically thousands of miles away and not in America's backyard, so to speak.  But it is more net pollution for the planet.  I wonder if those that want to shut this mill down get this concept?  Do they care?

Our history in the US on environmental issues is ugly.  Rachel Carson's Silent Spring woke a lot of people up.  We had some rivers that caught fire.  Yeah--we were not perfect.  But then we passed a lot of laws.  Lots of them.

And we're getting better, our environment is improving as we implement new laws, rules, policies, and regulations. We at least have standards and laws that must be met.  Other countries like India, China, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Mexico, and Bosnia  Herzegovina-to name just a few- well, let's just say they don't regulate like we do...

So if Andy had his way, the local Mill in Cantonment would close, 600 locals would lose their good jobs, The community would lose $250 million in yearly economic impact, the production of pulp and paper would move overseas, more pollution would occur, the workers in the new host country would be paid far less, the same products produced here now would be produced overseas and would subsequently cost the same as now-- as the company would factor in the shipping and other charges to the final costs for U.S. consumers (and the company would probably make a bigger profit to boot).

Does that sound smart to anyone other than this cartoonist?!?  Uh, I doubt it.

Thank God nobody lets the cartoonist make any real decisions other than what new tactics he will employ to unfairly attack President Trump and other conservative elected officials locally.

7 comments:

Mel Pino said...

Dear Commissioner Bergosh,

--What happens when an American company decides to do the right thing, and realizes that since they have received at least 200M in EDATES for economic development (not sure that's all of them), the least they could do is purchase the technology that has been available for 20 years to mitigate their effluent?

--What happens when people stop looking the other way about ECUA being one of the biggest polluters in Escambia, with very questionable "grey water," and ask them to start having some accountability?

--What happens when the elected officials and others who have visited the plant might be forced to admit they were given a smoke and mirrors tour?

--What happens when IP buys a boat to monitor their berms?

--What happens when IP posits the argument that the Ceriodaphnia dubia water flea isn't indigenous--both pointless and untrue--and elected officials won't recognize that it's false?

--What happens when our leaders realize that just because there's duckweed, it doesn't preclude the existence of blue green algae?

--What happens when people touring the plant realize that the reason they won't circulate the materials they give people visiting might be, just maybe--I couldn't possibly know--it might be crap?

--What happens when people address the fact that there are well-worn spillways built into the berm system?

--What happens when elected officials keep quoting "our scientists" on statements that 11-Mile Creek is doing great. Who are these scientists?

I've already debunked--publicly--any notion that County staff can speak to the health of 11-Mile Creek in terms of anything other than storm water runoff. I believe the testing is being conducted on two points on that note in the entire creek, but I may have misunderstood the visual.

--Jeff, what happens when you realize this community is looking for somebody on that dais to lead on this and we need you to do it. I'm serious.

Melissa Pino

Jeff Bergosh said...

Melissa:

The water flea does not survive in the local wetlands due to the low pH. Nobody said it wasn't an indigenous species. Don't know where you got that. Look, I have listened to the experts and toured the site. I feel like the process is working, and that's what I want people to know. But this holier than thou, you must "Shut them down!" attitude is ridiculous. It is crazy. The bay is becomming healthier, IP is working to meet all standards and following federally mandated processes and procedures to do so. Meanwhile, they are being smeared by a guy and a newspaper who have never even bothered to ask for a tour. Saying things like "Well, if only they would do X and Y, then I'd be fine with them staying here" Well guess what? We don't get to dictate to them what we feel they "Should" do. That sounds an awful lot like the talking points I hear from socialists that say "Millionaires should pay an 80% tax rate because I think they should pay more and I think they can afford it!" No, we don't get to just dictate to people what we "think" they should do, whether its millionaire businessmen or huge corporations. This is what we have congress for, to make laws. So once again I go back to my original talking point: If folks don't like this federal process--go to congress and tell them to change it. And as for someone to lead on this issue--hell yes I'm fine doing it. Frankly, I am doing it, that's why I'm investing time and energy into learing about this whole issue, and that's why I'm pointing out the BS in the media as it pertains to this situation. That's why I'm paying for independent testing to confirm or dispute IP results. This is what leadership does Mel. Leadership means telling folks the truth and not sugaring the pill; leadership is not pandering to a vocal constituency on a particular topic--that's not leadership.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Bergosh

Thank you for your thorough and intellectually honest account of your visit to IP and analysis.

Tom

Anonymous said...

Additionally, without IP, thousands of acres of forest lose any economic incentive for timber maintenance.

Tom

Betty Wilson said...

No-one wants the job losses that closing the paper mill would cause. We just want IP to clean up their act. The technology is available, IP just doesn’t want to pay for it. I can’t imagine that you want our county to remain as the eleventh most contaminated county in the country on the Forbes Magazine list!

Anonymous said...

Betty

Specifically. what technology, for what degree of improvement, at what cost.

Tom

Anonymous said...

Would really still like to know what "technology" is available...

Tom

Political Advertisement Paid For and Approved by Jeff Bergosh, Republican for Escambia Commission D1