No Ethanol Fernandina counters RYAM efforts to overcome city's denial for production plant

The grass roots citizens group opposed to a Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM) bioethanol plant announced new measures to blunt renewed efforts by the corporation to build its alternative fuel plant at its Gum Street complex.

RYAM already has filed a lawsuit in Nassau County court questioning the legality of the City of Fernandina Beach's denial of its application to build the $51 million production facility that would yearly make 7.5 million gallons of bioethanol.

RYAM recently filed a second lawsuit, this time in U.S. District Court in Jacksonville, claiming the city treated the company unfairly in denying its application. RYAM lobbyists have also worked state legislators to submit a pending Senate bill that would define bioethanol production as fermentation and not chemical manufacturing. The city prohibits chemical manufacturing in its Land Development Code.

No Ethanol Fernandina has responded to RYAM's latest tactics according to a press release this week.

"We've retained the services of Ballard Partners, a well-connected lobbying firm, to assist us in Tallahassee. We believe this is necessary because this effort by RYAM to finesse legislation to override our City's ability to enforce our Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code is far from over," said Tom Budd, President

Fernandina Wins, Inc., DBA No Ethanol Fernandina. "Ballard has the knowledge, access and connections to give us the best chance to prevail in this fight. A lobbying firm of this caliber is a significant financial commitment."

The proposed Senate bill - SB 1118 - is currently stalled before the Senate Regulated Industries Committee. which has not considered the legislation.

Within the bill is a clause that defines ethanol as fermentation, which if passed, would negate the city's authority to deny RYAM a building permit to build and operate the ethanol plant.

Budd said the group was able to marshal citizens to call legislators in opposition to the inclusion of the ethanol definition in the proposed bill.

"NEF Supporters generated over 600 phone calls to legislators showing our opposition to SB 1118 Thanks - Great job and it made a difference!" Budd said.

No Ethanol Fernandina also sent a representative to the first committee meeting considering the bill.

With just weeks remaining in the legislative session, Budd said No Ethanol Fernandina is closely monitoring SB 1118 and other bills.

"We're working with Ballard to watch each and every bill currently in the legislature to discover any attempts to get the offensive ethanol language into a bill this legislative session," Budd said. "And, we're organized on the fly additional phone campaigns to oppose any bill enabling RYAM to challenge the City's denial of their application."

Budd said No Ethanol Fernandina also is positioned to address RYAM's lawsuit in federal court.

"RYAM has filed another lawsuit against the City, this time in Federal Court. It regurgitates the same egregious factual allegations in their February filing in state court, but recast them as discriminatory actions allegedly supporting an equal protection violation - quite a stretch!" Budd said. "We think the filing is another attempt to bully the City of Fernandina Beach, and perhaps unjustifiably gain sympathy for a legislative fix. We are prepared for this."

Budd said No Ethanol Fernandina's legal support team is reviewing RYAM's federal lawsuit.

"We're doing a complete legal analysis of the Federal Suit RYAM has brought against COFB and layout a plan to best use the insights uncovered," he said.