(this is open letter to Ms. Spotts, please feel free to publish)

Dear Ms. Spotts,

I am looking at the photos that go with your report on your visit to Crockett. In the interest of accuracy, I feel the need to make the following comments.

Photo # 1: This is the older part of the C&H Sugar refinery and shows the area of the old boiler house.

Photo # 15: This is a picture of the C&H Sugar raw sugar storage silos. The only portion of Crockett Cogen Plant in this view is the exhaust stack in the background. As I mentioned in my pervious note to you, the silos were painted in 1996 and the paint is in like new condition, and the exterior of the silos are coated with sugar dust, which gives the appearance of needing a paint job.

Photo #16: This shows the Cogen plant on the right (the light colored building) and the sugar silos on the left. And yes, the plant does 'block' the view. However, you should know that the view has been altered only a little by the plant. I don't expect you to know what was on the site prior to the plant. But the site was occupied by an old wooden warehouse which had been used to store sugar in burlap bags, which were unloaded from sailing ships. The warehouse was about 100 years old and had been unused for some years. There was also a very large fuel oil storage tank on the site. Both of these structures were removed in order to build the plant. The plant is taller than either of the old structures, so it does block more of the view.

Photo # 17: Same as #16.

Photo # 14: Again, this is not the Cogen plant, but is the sugar storage silos, which were built during the 1950's.

photo # 2: These look like the houses across the street from where I used to live.

Photo # 3: The taller house on the left is under construction, and it was started since the plant was built.

Photo # 4: The building in the center is a small apartment house across from the public viewing plaza.

Photo # 5: The building is an old church that has been converted into very nice apartments. It is located across from the plant's parking lot.

Photo # 6: The building on the left front, is an old store which has had the retail space converted to living space.

Photo # 7: The building on the right is the fire station. The buildings on the left are some of the worst in town. About half of them are boarded up. However, since the plant has been built, several of the buildings in that block have been renovated and are once again used for retail.

Photos 2 through 7: these are all on Loring Avenue, this is the street that the Cogen project paid to have the overhead utilities put underground. Prior to the undergrounding, the air space over the street looked like a spider web of wires.

photos 8,9,10: Nicer homes as you say, but closer to the plant , as Crockett is about one and a half miles north to south and about 3 miles east to west.

Photo #13: Again, this is not the Cogen plant. This is a view of the sugar storage silos, and has no connection to the power plant, except for the exhaust stack in the background.

Photo #11 and 12: Yes the viewing plaza is small. But the community did not want it made larger at the cost of removing the home that is next door. Also, the Town of Crockett is bordered on 3 sides by regional park land. The north side is bounded by the Carquinez Strait. I think the smallness of the plaza is an attraction, as I rarely see more than one family group there at a time. It is a nice, quiet, cozy place to sit and watch the water and the boats and wildlife.

.Ms. Spotts, would you please correct your report, so as to remove the misconceptions about Crockett Cogen? Thank you!

I am sorry that you came away from your brief visit with such a negative impression of the Town and of the Cogen plant. The town of Crockett is full of very nice people. I know several college professors and several public school teachers living here. I also know science researchers from both government and the private sector living here. In general, the citizens of Crockett are the most active in civic matters that I have ever seen. Crockett is unincorporated and therefore has no local town government. All the functions of a town government are performed by volunteers. And there is no shortage of volunteers!

I would like to extend an invitation to you and anyone else in San Jose to call and set up a tour of the plant and of the town. 510 787 4102. Or if you have any questions about the technology or operation of the plant, feel free to call.

Come and get to know the people here in Crockett. The Crockett Lions Club is having their annual Barbecue (tri-tips and chicken) on Sunday, September 5, 1 to 6 PM, at the historic Old Homestead on Loring Avenue. $10 adults, $5 under 12. Bring a crowd.

Sincerely,

Donald J Curran
General Manager
Crockett Cogeneration