Madison County Biomass Energy Plant - Colbert, Georgia

Benjamin P.

Worked here with EnerMech and let me tell you EnerMech should never do boiler work... it is out of their league and they are as stupid and unorganized as the day is long.

Rhyse P.

The plant is not a good neighbor! The sound has reached over 7 decimals & the burning of creosote railroad ties is not clean it is a know carcinogenic. I live 1 mile away and it has completely changed my ability to enjoy my home & 40 acres.

Larry H.

This plant has little regard for the health and safety of those who have the misfortune of living nearby. Their practice of burning old railroad ties treated with creosote has raised alarm in the surrounding communities. People continue to express concerns about the toxicity involved when burning creosote (a known carcinogen) to plant management and county officials, but still, nothing has been done to halt the practice. We live eleven miles East of the plant and when the wind is right we can smell the burning ties... it stinks, it’s noxious and overwhelming.

Georgia Renewable Power (GRP), who own the plant, sold local officials a bill of goods that changed after the sale. When company officials first showed up in 2015, they promised to burn only forest products, like remnants from clear-cutting property. But in 2016, the EPA rolled back a previous federal rule that banned the burning of creosote treated wood and cleared the way for old creosote-treated railroad ties to be used as fuel in some power plants. In 2019, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division issued permits to both plants allowing them to burn crossties. The plants can use crossties for up to 20% of their fuel.

Locals also complain about residue that’s “basically coal ash” blanketing their properties. Heavy rainfall on a pile of shredded wood at the GRP's sister plant in Franklin County caused a fish kill last year, documented by state inspectors. The Madison plant then got a notice of violation for unpermitted runoff and another for air pollution.

Constant complaints from constituents have prompted a bill (House Bill 857), proposed by Georgia state Rep. Alan Powell in the Georgia General Assembly. It directs the EPD not to write any permits to allow power plants to burn creosote or naphthenate treated wood. He intends that it cover crossties and power poles and that it applies to the existing plants.

County Commissioner Jason Macomson said, “In retrospect, I don’t believe there is a single board member who, if given the opportunity, wouldn’t go back and try to reverse the decisions made over the last decade to allow GRP into our community to begin with.” And even if the State passes a creosote-burning ban, it won't stop the problem of noise pollution that distressed neighbors of the plants must endure.

Just because an energy plant labels themselves as "green" and throws around words like "renewable", doesn't make them any less harmful to the environment. It may be difficult for many people to accept, but burning biomass is just as bad, if not worse, than burning fossil fuels. Communities living near biomass plants suffer similarities to those living near coal plants... with lung problems, asthma, and heart issues. Generating bioenergy by burning wood pellets and creating biofuel from crops such as soy, palm and rapeseed sounds like a sustainable alternative. Yet in reality, biomass energy does more harm than good to our climate, ecosystems and communities. Producing unsustainable food-based biofuels and burning biomass serves a handful of wealthy corporations like GRP... not the general public. This system distracts from truly green solutions like solar and wind power. Don't be deluded... biomass is not a renewable energy source.

Sarah J.

If the company is so proud of the work they do, then why is there no telephone number posted. I come out to beautiful sunny skies and the smell of burning chemical. Now my nose is burning from the scent.

Brent D.

They are considered Green Energy.

Johnny ?.

From the crows nest tower.

ayman S.

Love this place

Charles P.