Mayor Bill Bain and the City of Newport recently announced the appointment of a task force to work on the license agreement between the city and Georgia Pacific for use of rights-of-way for the Mill's effluent line.
Click here or on the picture to link to a recent article from the News Times on the task force and effluent emissions. The task force members are: Charlie Plybon, Franz Cosenza, John Clark, Peggy Sabanskas, Gil Sylvia, Roger Hart, Sandy Roumagoux, Dan McCarthy, Tim Johnson and George Ragsdale. One of the many issues to be considered is the amount to be charged for the license to use City rights of way. The existing GP effluent pipeline system at one point splits so there are parallel pipelines for a substantial distance through the city. Another issue is whether GP has existing rights without further approval to continue to operate the northern effluent pipeline without the need for a license or other agreement. Those documents are an easement from the city, two private easements, and a county permit. The appraisal and the valuation both contain two different suggested amounts: one that assumes that GP does not have any existing right in the pipelines, and the other that assumes that GP has the right to use the northern pipeline to transport effluent without any further agreement. All of these documents can be found on the city of Newport's website at:
http://www.thecityofnewport.net/.