Students and faculty from Mercyhurst College joined more than 50 other protesters to demonstrate against the proposed tire-burning plant last Friday.
The rally, organized by Mercyhurst Japanese professor Keiko Miller, was held outside the Boys and Girls near the possible site of Erie Renewable Energy’s future plant.
“The spirit of the rally was extremely uplifting, not angry, because we knew it was meant to benefit everyone,” Miller said. “The issue of the tire plant is the matter of life and death for all of us.”
Protesters stood near the road with pickets and posters while many passing drivers honked to show their support, and a high school guitarist played power chords while Mercyhurst students chanted “put your rubber somewhere else” and “save the tires from the fires.”
The plant would burn 100,000 tires per day for several decades, and release 23 chemicals including carbon monoxide, mercury, zinc and dioxin, on a daily basis.
For more information about the fight against the tire-burning plant, go to stopburningtires.com.