The Way Ahead for the Page County Economy

There is a Page County Board of Supervisors meeting on March 16, 2009 – next week. An anticipated moment that may occur at that meeting is a vote on whether to continue the discussions about bringing a Fibrowatt plant to the county. At least I hope this discussion and vote make it onto the agenda – the BOS knows how important this is to the citizens they serve.


For my part here at the Hawksbill Cabin blog, I’ve done enough independent research to come down firmly on the “against” side of the Fibrowatt proposition. While I didn’t set out to advocate, it did turn out that way in the end. The risks of damaging our scenic Valley with the plant, which could affect one of our two key economic engines, tourism, seemed too great.

And because of the geography of our Valley, my sense is that emissions from a proposed plant would not dissipate into the atmosphere, which is the function of a tall stack – instead they would concentrate here in a bathtub-like basin, creating health risks. This may be less of a problem elsewhere, in other topographies, but with the pinching off of this Valley to the south and north, it seems very likely here.

Virginia production farming also would find itself at risk from the presence of this plant. I’ve written about this in two recent posts – calling it the “farmers’ squeeze” because of pressures on farm revenues as well as costs – and I sent a letter to the BOS that included this analysis.  With the plant would come some new economic pressures that these small production farms probably cannot deal with - and therefore might not survive.

I do hope that we are nearing the end of this discussion in Page County, and that talk will now turn to how to address economic in a more proactive way, that is focused on the strengths of the region – tourism and agriculture – balanced with appropriate industry and commerce. I think the answers are in the EDA’s 2004 plan; they are present in the 2008 plan as well, except that somehow the concepts there got mixed up into misguided, almost speculative, land deals, which in turn have led to the desperate need to get a “big” deal like Fibrowatt to justify them.

It is a good moment for the BOS, EDA, and County at large to turn their thoughts to this matter and plan a new way ahead. That’s what I’m hoping for March 16.