Alert #47
American Cancer Society lobbyist promotes Philpower incinerator Port Penn, DE. January 13, 2000. Communities in Delaware fight battle after battle to protect themselves from cancer-causing incinerator pollution. Philpower Corp., from North Carolina, is trying to put a "construction and demolition debris" incinerator in New Castle County, DE. Philpower has hired lobbyist Robert Maxwell (302.777.7445), who also works for the American Cancer Society (ACS). (Maxwellâs filing with the Delaware Public Integrity Commission calls Philpower an "environmentally advanced power company.") The Mission Statement of the ACS (www.cancer.org) is: "The American Cancer Society is the nationwide communitybased voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service." Philpower, according to permit applications, would put out as much as ten thousand pounds per day of health-threatening air pollutants. The Total Trace Metal Emission, including cancer causing chromium, arsenic, lead, cadmium and nickel, would be up to 625 pounds per day (over a quarter of a million pounds per year). Pat Scarborough, ACS Regional Executive said: "He does a great job for us, what else he does is up to him." We were not able to get a response from ACS national offices. Maxwell and Philpower President Wayne Coverdale are meeting with politicians and offering contributions. One state legislator returned a contribution after finding out who it was from. Some contributions may intentionally be below the $100 reporting limit, but we will publish a dishonor role of officeholders known to have accepted contributions from Philpower. CALLS and EMAILS NEEDED The Cancer Society depends on contributions. Please contact these ACS leaders and indicate you WILL NOT contribute to the ACS as long as it uses lobbyists who promote incinerators. John Seffrin, Chief Executive Officer, 404.329.7601, jseffrin@cancer.org Maxwell also works for the Del. Association of Counties and the League of Local Governments. Contact New Castle County Ex. Tom Gordon, 302.395.5102, FAX 302.395.5268, tgordon@co.new-castle.de.us, and say the County should not employ a lobbyist who promotes incinerators. Green Delaware will pay for long distances calls opposing incinerators. Note: The Delaware DNREC, ignoring a law passed in 1998, seems poised to issue a permit for an incinerator in the Coastal Zone. Look for more details in upcoming Green Delaware News. (C) Alan Muller
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