YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Before the Youngstown City Council meeting on Wednesday, about a dozen people protested outside the Mahoning County Courthouse, urging council members to stop the proposed SOBE Energy Solutions plant near downtown from using a thermolyzer unit.

SOBE wants final EPA approval to incinerate tire chips to produce synthetic gas to sell and some to augment the burning of natural gas to fire the boilers for steam heating and cooling.

At a meeting two weeks ago, Mayor Jamael “Tito” Brown said he opposed the use of the thermolyzer unit.

“They’re going to have to have the zoning changed, so we’re saying zoning department and elected officials don’t allow them to do that because there’s commercial, there’s restaurants, there’s the dorms. It’s a populated area,” said Susie Beiersdorfer, rally organizer.

Beiersdorfer said the EPA has given no indication of when it will make a final ruling.