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Monroe schools join fight against coke plant site
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
MONROE — Monroe Local Schools is joining the fight in opposing the site of a proposed $340 million coke plant in Middletown.
The Board of Education voted unanimously, 5-0, Monday night, June 9, to approve a resolution declaring that the board does not support the city of Middletown's actions in rezoning land for a proposed cokemaking and heat recovery plant.
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SunCoke Energy of Knoxville, Tenn., wants to build, own and operate the plant on 157 acres off Ohio 4 in Middletown near the Monroe border. SunCoke and AK Steel Corp. signed a 20-year agreement to be the sole customer for the coke and electricity produced by the plant.
The board now joins Monroe City Council in formal opposition to the project.
The resolution authorizes Board President Tom Leeds to send the city of Middletown a letter on the board's behalf expressing its opposition to the rezoning of the land for the plant and its and the concerns of the district's residents regarding pollution, safety, traffic and noise issues that may result from construction and operation of the plant. Leeds said the district will send the letter to Middletown today, June 10.
"We (the board) understand AK's need for it, but we don't understand the location," he said.
A group of Monroe residents living near the proposed site has vowed to fight for a different location for the project.
Attorney Frank Schiavone, who lives about 600 feet from the site, has sued the landowners to prevent the sale of the property. Meanwhile, Garden Manor Retirement Village, which also sits adjacent to the plot, has sued the city, claiming officials failed to follow the proper procedures and ordinances during the rezoning approval process.
Middletown City Council agreed last week to start the rezoning approval process all over again, rather than litigate Garden Manor's lawsuit through Butler County Common Pleas Court.
No date has been set for the rezoning do-over, which could take place before the planning commission next month. In the meantime, the zoning will remain as industrial until the process is redone, the city attorney said.
