Arguments against the Calpine Proposal

The City Planners of San Jose must not allow Calpine to build a power plant in North Coyote. This proposal would benefit the stockholders of Calpine at the expense of our family's health and welfare.

The most significant negative impact of the power plant to neighboring communities is the inevitable increase in smog levels. Calpine claims that bay area smog levels will be reduced as a result of cleaner fuel, but they have failed thus far to quantify the increase in local smog levels. We are being asked to sacrifice our family's health for the benefit of the rest of the bay area. The fact that Calpine is required to use a 130 foot tall smokestack implies the smog is significant. Smokestacks are designed to inject harmful gases high into the air where they can be dissipated and diluted before humans inhale them. Rather than being comforted by this fact we find the need for such a large smokestack evidence of the danger to our health.

The literature indicates the outputs from natural gas combustion are carbon monoxide (CO) and numerous oxides of nitrogen (NO+). These are also the majority pollutants from auto exhaust. With increased traffic along 101 and 85 we are already seeing more smog than in previous years. If other planned development is successful we can expect even more local traffic in the future. These effects can be expected to significantly increase local smog levels.

Claims that prevailing winds are northerly should not be generalized. The winds in the morning are often from the south. A fact to which we can all attest during garlic harvest time. Furthermore, smog is dispersed through diffusion in addition to wind (convection) so unless the wind is strong and consitent, we would still be affected.

A power plant will define the character of future business and future housing in the area. We feel that a power plant would attract similar heavy industry, and the development of lower cost housing. Both of which would degrade our property values and our quality of life.

Let your city representatives know you are against this ill conceived plan. Calpine should build it's power plants elsewhere.

Jeff Wade
> Jeff Wade,
> GN&C
> 743-7186