Join us TODAY - THURSDAY 5 PM, May 18, 2023
221 Belmont Ave. at W Rayen Ave., Youngstown, Ohio 44502
YOUNGSTOWN – On Thursday May 18, 2023, at 5:00 PM, SOBE Concerned Citizens (SCC) will hold a Press Conference at 221 Belmont Ave. across from SOBE Thermal Energy Solutions. We continue to take action to stop SOBE from being allowed to open a tire gasification plant at 205 North Avenue in Downtown #Youngstown, and a computer waste and plastics gasification plant in #Lowellville, Ohio. We invite the public, elected officials, neighborhood groups and residents of Youngstown and Lowellville to join us.
We will be reviewing the timeline of SCC actions against SOBE, describing the proposed pyrolysis project and process, explaining the designation of Youngstown as an “EPA Environmental Justice Community of Concern”, and sharing recent events including the zoning letter petition that has been signed by more than 550 residents. Council President Tom Hetrick will discuss his letter of concern to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency(OH EPA) on behalf of the Youngstown community and the OH EPA’s recent reply to Hetrick’s letter.
SOBE Thermal Energy Solutions acquired the defunct Youngstown Thermal steam plant, which is located in a mixed-use community zone intended for businesses, restaurants, apartments, churches and schools, and not for industrial uses. The existing thermal plant is “grandfathered in,” as an historic nonconforming use to provide steam heat for downtown businesses, but SOBE seeks to open a factory that will superheat tires to produce synthetic gas, which is an expansion and intensification of industrial uses not permitted in a mixed-use community zone. Furthermore, the synthetic gas is toxic and has been classified by the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard as highly explosive hazardous material. Air emissions and dangers of fire and explosions from this type of operation would threaten public health and safety.
At the press conference, residents will voice their concerns and welcome citizens to actively participate in protecting our community. SOBE Energy Solutions of Dublin, Ohio is a consulting firm who seeks to make money with the proposed process of thermolyzing tires next to downtown Youngstown. They have no operating business from which we can obtain air emissions data from the process. We are announcing that Youngstown and Lowellville residents are not Guinea Pigs. SOBE’s business proposal is untested, not proven safe, and not welcome.
For More information: www.stop-sobe.com
#SOBE Concerned Citizens: 330-333-8410, sustainableyoungstown@gmail.com
Read Zoning Letter Petition: https://tinyurl.com/sobepetition
