Silicon smelter a bad fit

Regarding the silicon smelter planned for Newport: Who in their right mind would consider, promote or ignore siting of a smelter on top of two rural communities, which includes schools, hundreds of rural residents and a major river system. Local government’s approach seems be to pass the responsibility to other agencies, boards and councils so they will not have any blame when things go wrong

This smelter is wrong from so many views, it is hard to see how this issue got this far. Things will go wrong eventually and irreversible damage will happen to workers and townspeople. It’s not complicated. Local officials need to step up to the plate and explain why the citizens seem to be collateral damage in their race to get on the jobs bandwagon. Anything less than opposition to the smelter looks like other interests or disinterest at work, either unbecoming a sworn public official.

Jim Malcolm

Blanchard