Wabash Valley Resources' proposed agreement for Vigo County disclosed
Wabash Valley Resources' proposed Community Benefits Agreement for Vigo County was revealed Monday afternoon after Commissioners Mark Clinkenbeard, Mike Morris and Chris Switzer met individually with representatives of the company earlier in the day.
The document, supplied to the news media by the commissioners, can be found at bit.ly/3LaFIRv or downloaded from this story at www.tribstar.com .
Commissioners are asking the community to review the documents and offer feedback by emailing thoughts or concerns to .
Comments will be accepted until noon July 8, at which point commissioners will review all messages and meet again with the company. There is no set date to take action on the proposal.
The commissioners will be available to comment on the CBA at Tuesday morning's regular meeting, which is 9 a.m. at the Vigo County Annex, 147 Oak St., Terre Haute, Clinkenbeard said.
Monday's meeting was rescheduled from last Wednesday, when commissioners were busy assisting with cleanup from the June 25 storm that left debris strewn throughout the county.
The company's proposed benefits package has been revised since an earlier draft. WVR's offered fund has grown from an initial $1 million to $3 million currently.
The proposed agreement reads, in part:
"WVR would endow a fund with the Wabash Valley Community Foundation for the benefit of the citizens of Vigo County, in the aggregate amount of $3 million. This fund would make an initial $500,000 contribution for emergency response training and equipment, and would distribute 40% of its income to support charitable activities serving Fayette and Sugar Creek Townships. The Commissioners would be able to recommend the distribution of fund income, subject to the Foundation's oversight and rules.
"WVR would commit to undertake road upgrades in the vicinity of its carbon dioxide injection facility, at a projected expense of up to $5 million. WVR would consult with you and key stakeholders to arrive at a joint designation of the roads or sections of roads to be upgraded.
"WVR would commit to working collaboratively with first responders serving Fayette and Sugar Creek Townships, to provide job training to former coal community workers, and to give preference in hiring to qualified applicants who reside in the vicinity of the Company's facilities."
In 2023, Senate Bill 451 authorized WVR allowing carbon sequestration in West Terre Haute and Vermillion Counties.
Since then, citizens have publicly expressed anger and outrage that WVR was able to embark on such a project without more input from local leaders and citizens, as well as concern about the possible resulting damages from a potential leak in the underground well.
Gregory Zoeller, WVR's vice president of external affairs, clarified a couple of points via email:
"The funding commitment is the same $3 million for each county," referring to $3 million each for both Vigo and Vermillion — likewise, the price tag for promised road upgrades is up to $5 million per county.
"The first $1 million comes at the beginning of construction (likely late 2024). This is split into two $500,000 amounts, directly to fire departments and public safety improvements and the other $500,000 to establish the donor-advised fund with the community foundation."
He added, "The $2 million goes into the donor-advised fund at future development milestones. Just to clarify some public confusion around this private funding, the Commissioners agreement for our community benefits are not a requirement of our project's development."
Zoeller also said, "WVR will respond to any comments that would go to improve our community benefits plan for the two counties."
Earlier, Zoeller had said there was a "misunderstanding from some in the community that believes the funds provided by WVR are public funds and not private contributions. This is confusing since the commissioners do not regularly receive grant requests from nonprofit organizations."
