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Resident urges comment on Rayonier biomass boiler, warns rate settlement may raise costs
Summary
Dr. Treba Gear told the Wayne County Board of Commissioners that a Georgia Power–linked biomass boiler proposed at the Rayonier site will increase pollution and costs; she urged residents to use a June 9 virtual hearing and the open comment period ending Friday to register concerns.
Dr. Treba Gear, speaking during public comment at the June 2 Wayne County Board of Commissioners meeting in Jesup, urged residents to review and comment on a Georgia Environmental Protection Division permitting process and a separate Georgia Public Service Commission-related rate settlement she said will affect electric customers statewide.
Gear, who identified herself as "Dr. Treba Gear," said a proposed project at the Rayonier site would replace the mill’s Boiler No. 3 with a much larger boiler that would supply about 70 megawatts to the grid while continuing to provide steam to Rayonier. “This operation is going to add a much larger boiler. … The energy that that whole production process is gonna add a whole lot more pollution to your community,” she said.
The public speaker said Georgia Power’s rate settlement—reported in local news—was being presented as a rate freeze but, she warned, would allow the utility to “solidify their profit of 10.5%” and could result in higher costs for ratepayers. She also told commissioners there is a virtual public hearing on the biomass proposal on June 9 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., and that the open written comment period closes Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Why it matters: Gear highlighted both potential local health impacts and statewide cost implications. She cited hazardous air pollutants listed in the permit narrative, including formaldehyde and methanol, and named particulate matter and nitrogen oxides as specific concerns for nearby residents with cardiovascular and respiratory risks.
Gear also flagged a proposed partnership between Rayonier and the Beasley Group and said the permit application does not project new jobs because current Rayonier staff would operate the new boiler. She said the permit narrative does not indicate use of the strongest available pollution controls and that the Beasley Group has compliance history at other wood-pellet plants in the region.
Board members asked procedural and outreach questions. A commissioner asked whether the county can request an in-person local public hearing, noting that a virtual-only hearing could limit participation for residents with limited internet access. County officials said commenters may submit written comments in advance and that Georgia EPD staff (identified by Gear as a contact) would be able to explain permitting details prior to the hearing.
Gear also referenced a separate carbon-capture project in the area and said she had concerns about its cost, technical feasibility and potential effects on subsurface aquifers. She urged commissioners and residents to monitor the public comment period and the June 9 hearing.
Quotations in context: Gear said, “We wanna make money, you want economic progress, but you don't want your people sick either at the end of the day.” The chair asked whether Gear had spoken with the general manager at the mill; the chair said the manager, Clay Bethea, had expressed willingness to meet with her.
What’s next: The Georgia Environmental Protection Division public hearing is scheduled for June 9, 6–7 p.m., and the written comment period identified by the speaker ends Friday at 4:30 p.m. Commissioners did not take formal action on the matter at the June 2 meeting.
