How politically expedient and well-timed for David Struhs to resign a few days before the plant’s closing.

But firing him would not have been an option, as his brother-in-law is President Bush’s Chief of staff. I still hold Mr. Struhs responsible for this mess, which worsened during his tenure and which he should have resolved.

Because he failed to enforce environmental quality, local residents are sick. I’m anxious to see how Governor Bush collects the estimated $57 million in cleanup costs from the foreign plant owners.

-- Will Walsh, Brandon

Well, I’m sure you are quite proud of yourselves.

You’ve joined forces with the EnviroNazis, sleazy bottom-feeding lawyers and uneducated opportunists, to close down yet another industrial company.

Ninety people will lose their jobs - but you don’t care. It is a small price to pay to achieve your anti-business objectives. But those 90 persons, directly affected, are only part of the story. How many others will be disadvantaged, suppliers, contractors, service personnel in the industry? Do you have any idea what the probable real economic impact of Coronet Industries amounted to?

You likely do, or can find out rather easily, but you will never publish, broadcast or reveal the full negative impact you have caused. You report claims of rampant health problems supposedly caused by Coronet, yet there is no real published evidence that any of these claims are true. Coronet Industries, like second-hand smoke, is bad simply because it exists, and you say it is bad.

Are there definitely health risks for those living near the plant? Yes, danger to their economic health. And corporate owners are smart enough to halt operations, close down and leave before they can be syphoned dry by nuisance lawsuits and fake claims.

No, I am not concerned about the plant cleanup and who will pay for it. Even an imbecile should understand we will all pay for it. The Envorinmental Fear Mongers will have the land declared a hazardous waste site and toxic dump, and milk the system for billions of dollars in so-called cleanup and remediation, most of which is entirely unnecessary. Then, eventually the land can be turned over at distressed price to developers like Civitas with yet another scheme to create Camelot here in Florida - if you will only give us tax breaks and subsidize our development and pay back the bonds when we default.

The anti-business vendetta of TBO, The Tampa Tribune and Channel 8 News is disgraceful. Some day you will learn that America cannot survive if the only job opportunities are flipping burgers and bagging Big Macs. The Phosphate Industry was a proud industry that helped feed the world, and brought great economic advantage and prosperity to Florida, but there is no one left in your combined organizations that even has a clue to scientific reality. It’s much easier to jump on the NIMBY band wagon.

-- Earl M. Edwards, Tampa

I have been to the Coronet Plant as an engineer, and am familiar with the animal feed process.

In my opinion, the writing on the wall for Coronet was underlined by three events: Firstly the construction of the third kiln and AFI process improvements by IMC New Wales, a competitor; the ridiculous increase in phosphate rock prices mainly from unecessary regulatory pressures on the industry; and thirdly, the proposed mega-merger of IMC and Cargill, already very competitive against the tiny, outdated Coronet Plant.

I seriously doubt there is any health threat to the public from recent decades’s activities, but the site will be extremely expensive to properly close and reuse.

-- Jim Hebbard, Lithia

Is our regulatory system failing us still, when companies can evade their responsibilities of producing and dumping hazardous waste, leaving the mess for everyone else to clean up?

It seems so.

I believe these companies have caused at least as much damage to the economy as the likes of Enron. Perhaps serious jail time for those at fault would help bring this disastrous trend to an end.

-- Luke Weaver, Lutz

Coronet has been there 100 years and did not make the people buy and build houses next door.

Phosphate is a natural product contained in the earth. In this area everyone is exposed, plant or no plant.

Radon gas is everywhere, but most people do not know that Radon is higher in the northern states. Check the web sites. I think Coronet is being used as a scapegoat by the people in the area. Let it be known I have no connection to Coronet. But I have lived in the area for 53 of my 60 years.

-- Robert A. Lewis, Valrico

I was born in Plant City in 1923. For many years during the 1930’s, I remember all that Coronet did for the community.

As a young boy I remember how Coronet provided us with many things like giving us a place to swim, baseball fields for kids and adults, a golf course where I learned to love the game.

They also gave to the community a campground for the Boy Scouts and also a boat for us to use. I was in Troop #5 and we at one time planted 40 acres of pine trees around Coronet.

I have many good memories of this area and it is sad to see what has happened.

-- W. D. (Dub) Palmer, Brooksville

During your coverage of the Coronet plant closing, you spent little time on the 75 jobs that will be lost.

Also, you reported that the plant is 98 years old. Who was there first, the plant or the homes?

I would guess the plant was there first. You must consider that any industrial, especially the old ones, could be dangerous. It's like the farmer who plants crops on a flood plain and then complains when the floods come. - Terry E. Hobt, Tarpon Springs

Well just as I figured.

Coronet will close, leave the mess for the government to clean up and put a bunch of people out of work. Just once it would be nice to see a corporation do right and clean up their own mess, while keeping jobs for their employees.
-- Barbara McMurphy, Plant City