Mill Days Are Gone

Berlin NH is currently experiencing a cancer unlike other cancer created by the paper mill in the past. Where the cancer used to be the one caused by emissions killing Berlin citizens, it is now a political posse lead by county commissioners/ mayor elect Grenier, and James Brady. These politicians are like old school boys riding bucking broncos through six gun city in an effort to completely disregard a progressive future designed by professionals of a branding initiative to move us into a new economy, a new Berlin if you will. These cowboys need to be challenged in a big way. Their apparent lack of enthusiasm for the potential this area has to offer needs to change. The industrial nature of this city needs to change for purposes of curb appeal to attract people to this area. Industry needs to be moved away from the city center.

One of the key elements to any city center is a positive perception. The curb appeal of Main St. will be enhanced dramatically by focusing on two remaining segments; the Cote block and the Rite Aid blocks. If you take those two blocks out of the mix, Berlin's Main St. has already come a long way. With the addition of numerous businesses looking to build around the waste water treatment plant, the Burgess mill site no longer needs to be Berlin's industrial base and the city can enjoy a toxin limited city center as it should be where the area's population resides.

New England is becoming educated to the fact that big biomass plants that threaten forest sustainability and higher efficiency uses of biomass are not the bandade fix to the woods industry they were cut out to be.

Articles are appearing everywhere regarding efficient use of biomass within our cities and towns while proposals for large biomass plants offering no more than 25% efficiency are being questioned. It is good to see questioning prior to poor forestry practices much of New England has already endured through absence of law to protect sustainability. Perhaps we've learned a lesson this time around?

Remember, before you read any further that there will only be one biomass plant in Berlin.

Let's assume everyone ends up choosing the more efficient proposal around the wastewater treatment plant. Here's what could happen: Clean Power would build a plant that would look like a working farm. Chips would be housed in Silos. Loggers would be put back to work. 25+ jobs would be created through Clean Power. Additionally Steam from the plant would be supplied to nearby industrial facilities, such as the paper mill in Gorham. A variety of industrial users could tap into that steam at their desired pressure at a reasonable cost, without the capital cost of their own steam generating system, or the operational cost of oil, maintenance or staff. Synergistic companies are partnering with Clean Power to provide more jobs to a location (a waste water treatment plant) that couldn't ask for a better use.

Now the Burgess mill site. Numerous people have asked, what would you do with a Brownfield site like that if the last stack were to fall? Where would you get the money?
This author has researched the players behind the Burgess mill site and they are not just Laidlaw. These professional developers are well acquainted with developing the entire brownfield site into a center for a New Berlin. A Pease Berlin Tradeport if you will. A connector for ATV and Snowmobile access East to West. Home to computer age businesses not reliant on road access. A toxin safe, 60 acre, fresh slate to build upon with prestine presidential mountain views absent of any industrial eyesores within viewing distance. A rebirth of Berlin.

November 14, 2009 3:52 AM

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