WHAT HAPPENED IN PIQUA, OHIO?
The City of Piqua entered into an agreement with Bowling Green State University (BGSU) on January 17, 2018 for BGSU Fire School to lease the former Piqua water treatment facility for firefighter training and education. The citizens were led to believe this endeavor was for fire fighter education and would boost the local economy and would be a great way to repurpose the vacant property where Piqua’s former water treatment facility once had been. Seems innocent enough. Right?
JANUARY 16, 2018
PIQUA CITY COMMISSION MEETING
HOW DID FIRE FIGHTER TRAINING EVOLVE INTO BURNING LITHIUM ION BATTERIES?
When city leaders and government officials were approached with concerns and questions by Piqua residents no answers were provided. This led the frustrated community to investigate and through public records and FOIA requests it became clear that the fires seen and explosions heard were not fire fighter training exercises, but research and development for companies doing destructive tests on lithium ion batteries.
NOVEMBER 15, 2023
PIQUA CITY FIRE CHIEF QUESTIONED
did anyone complain or express concerns?
YES! Concerned community members reached out to city leaders, contacted Miami County 911, reached out to the Piqua Fire Chief, and were reassured that the activities at 9300 OH 66 were simply fire fighter training exercises and to disregard. The public was never notified that the plumes of smoke were not from wood pallets and kerosene, but lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles and transatlantic tankers.
BURNING BATTERIES FOR PROFIT WITHOUT PROPER PERMIT or zoning
Citizens discovered that batteries were the source of the toxic plumes of smoke in Piqua, Ohio and questioned if the EPA was aware of the li-ion battery burning operation. Assurances were given that the EPA was aware of the situation and permits were in place. Concerned community members could not believe that what they were seeing would ever have the approval of the EPA. When the OEPA was questioned about the permits it was discovered that the permit granted was not the permit required to conduct such research and the location was not zoned properly either. This raised even more concerns.
who was burning batteries in Piqua, Ohio?
After reading thousands of public documents, the opinion of the public is that instructors from BGSU Fire School were receiving money through businesses that were operated by these instructors. Over the course of time new businesses were formed and the former water treatment facility in Piqua, Ohio became known in the energy storage industry as the world’s largest destructive battery testing site and fire fighter training was not the core focus.
Where did the lithium ion batteries come from?
The batteries that were being burned in Piqua, Ohio came from all over the world. Regulations prevent this type of testing from being conducted in those countries. In 2023, it is believed that at least 7 different countries worldwide sent batteries to Piqua, Ohio and 30 large scale tests were conducted. The NFPA and FEMA were mentioned as being involved in these testing operations.
PIQUA COMMUNITY SEEKS ACCOUNTABILITY
The citizens in Piqua, Ohio desperately need your help to hold those responsible for open burning lithium ion batteries. Please, reach out to us by sending an email to: [email protected]