Update: Garbage to energy plant permit revoked

GREEN BAY - The Oneida Seven Generations Corporation has finally released a statement regarding Tuesday night's decision by the Green Bay City Council to revoke a conditional use permit for its new power plant.

FOX 11 received the statement from the CEO of Oneida Seven Generations Corporation Wednesday afternoon.

"We are obviously disappointed and do not agree with last night's city council decision," wrote CEO Kevin Cornelius. "The city has a process for obtaining a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). We have followed it every step of the way and have obtained every permit required and will meet every city regulation required."

"We have never mislead anyone nor lied about this project; a fact that was recognized when the City Plan Commission voted unanimously to uphold the Conditional Use Permit following a lengthy public hearing on the matter. A review of minutes and audio tapes from the original Plan Commission and City Council meetings where the CUP was issued clearly support that decision." 

"We are now in the process of evaluating our options. It remains our intent to build this waste to energy facility."

Tuesday night, aldermen voted seven to five to revoke the plant's permit.

The Seven Generations Corporation, the business arm of the Oneida Nation, was building the plant on Green Bay's west side.

It would have baked household garbage into energy.

Green Bay's City Council was greeted with yet another packed house. Plant opponents even lined the doors of city hall prior to the meeting.

And after months of debate, they got what they were looking for.

"We talked to hundreds of people in this whole process and the process, they sat down, they thought it and re-looked at it and they said we agree with you, it was rushed," explained plant opponent Bob Heroux. "And we appreciate it; we thank the council for their due diligence."

The plant permit was initially approved more than a year and a half ago.

However, opponents and even a few council members felt the public and city were misled about the initial plans, such as the use of stacks and emissions.

That's why it was brought back up for discussion.

"My opinion is, why would we take the risk to place the citizens of Green Bay as guinea pigs for this brand new technology," said Alderman Andy Nicholson.

However, those for the plant as well as some city officials felt the permit should stand.

"Oneida Seven Generations Corp. went through all the processes with the DNR, the city of Green Bay, the planning commission, all those entities that are required to uphold the law and make sure we adhere to the laws and to the process," said Bobbi Webster with the Oneida Tribe.

"People may not like it, they may have some questions that are better asked at the EPA or the DNR in terms of meeting requirements for zone, they've met every expectation the city laid out," explained Mayor Jim Schmitt.