Foreign Covered Entity Company CNANO Technologies’ Purchasing of Building A at New Century Air & Commerce Center
When there is a perceived lack of transparency in government it drives everyday citizens to dive in, to research and to seek out truths…
On June 1st of this year, 2023 the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners was presented with an agenda item to vote to adopt Resolution No. 027-23 which would authorize the Commission to issue Taxable Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) in the principal amount not to exceed $34,150,000 to “a company” for the purpose of financing the construction of a manufacturing facility located at 16105 John Glenn Way, Building A, in the New Century Air/Commerce Center and to grant an ad valorem tax abatement on the constructed improvements and land for 10 years. If you are not aware, New Century Air Center is a medium sized joint Civil-Military airport located in the Gardner, South Olathe area, to the west of I-35.
PART ONE Video Overview (PART TWO Update Coming)
Who is “The Company”?
In paragraph four of the Resolution Brief, there was an easy to miss mention of the company’s name that was to receive the IRBs, CNANO Technology USA, Inc. I had never heard of CNANO Technology, so I dug in to find out who they were, and I became immediately concerned.
Citizen were not unable to find an official CNANO Technology USA, Inc. company web site with a list of executives or board members. They have no Google business listing, corporate phone number or mailing address. All that could be found was the Kansas Secretary of State Application for Registration of Foreign Covered Entity which provided no help as CNANO Technology USA, Inc. is cloaked in anonymity with the state of origin being Delaware and the Registered Agent listed as Incorporating Services, Ltd.
The only helpful piece of information on the Kansas Registration was the description of the full nature and character of business to be conducted in Kansas, which stated: Research, development, manufacture and sale of conductive and structural support additives that contain, but not limited to, carbon nanotubes. And the Signature of the Authorized Person was listed as Shawn Montgomery, President.
Has this Company Been Thoroughly Vetted? Does the Public Know CNANO Manufacturing Involves Toxic Hazardous Materials?
From what could be discerned CNANO Technology USA, Inc. looked to be an affiliate/subsidiary of China Company JiangSu CNANO Technologies Co., Ltd. a manufacturer of Hazardous Materials: Carbon Nanotube and Graphene Nanomaterial powders and pastes.
The Signature of the Authorized Person who was listed as Shawn Montgomery, President was searched extensively for and narrowed down to who was the best match to who the individual might be. On LinkedIn it shows a Shawn Montgomery as President of Stealth Startup US. His experience is in domestic and international manufacturing, multinational operations, and global sourcing. You can view his full resume here.
What are Hazardous Carbon Nanotubes, and Graphene Nanomaterials?
From there a deep dive into learning more about Carbon Nanotubes, and Graphene Nanomaterials was taken. Instantly public and environmental safety concerns surfaced. Carbon Nanotubes (referred to as CNTs, single wall and multi-wall) and Graphene Nanomaterials (referred to as GFNs) are toxic, hazardous materials. Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene Nanomaterials are a rapidly emerging field, and there are studies and concerns that the unique properties associated with these engineered nanomaterials pose unique health risks to humans. See the resource links below, and you can search on for example “what happens when carbon nanotubes are inhaled”.
Why was the Public Kept in the Dark Until AFTER the Resolution was Passed?
Why didn’t the Executive Director for the Johnson County Airport Commission, who is also the Assistant County Manager Mr. Aaron Otto not include any detailed information about who CNANO was? Or that their purchase of Building A at the New Century Air/Commerce Center would introduce toxic, hazardous materials manufacturing in extremely close proximity to Gardner and Olathe residents, schools, businesses, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Army Reserve’s Bravo Company, 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment whose military training operations are stationed out of the New Century Air Center.
Resources that Help Explain Carbon Nanotube & Graphene Material Manufacturing Public and Environmental Health Hazards
- EPA Control of Nanoscale Materials under the Toxic Substances Control Act
- ACS: Understanding the Toxicity of Carbon Nanotubes
- University of Edinburgh: Carbon Nanotubes May Pose Asbestos-style Cancer Risk
- Taylor & Francis: A Review of Carbon Nanotube Toxicity and Assessment of Potential Occupational and Environmental Health Risks
- NIH: Exposure to Carbon Nanotubes and Carbon Nanofibres – More Than a Cobweb
- Royal Society: Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies – Opportunities and Uncertainties
- PNAS: Graphene Microsheets Enter Cells Through Spontaneous Membrane Penetration at Edge Asperities and Corner Sites
- CDC: Occupational Exposure to Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofiber, Managing the Health and Safety Concerns Associated with Engineered Nanomaterials
- Bio Med Central: Toxicity of Graphene- Family Nonparticles
- InterNano Resources for Nano Manufacturing: Environmental Health & Safety
Concerned Citizen Submits a KORA Request to the Johnson County Commission to Get More Information
Johnson County/City of Gardner Citizen Carrie Brandon emailed the entire Johnson County Commission on the morning of June 1st asking for them to table the vote to authorize IRBs for CNANO, until more information could be provided to the public about who the company was and the full details about the hazardous Carbon Nanotube materials that would be used in their manufacturing processes. The Resolution was not tabled, Commission Chairman Mike Kelly urged the Commissioners to vote yes on the Resolution, it passed 5-1 with Commissioner Charlotte O’Hara being the only Commissioner to vote NO.
It is also noteworthy that Mr. Otto and Commissioner’s Allenbrand, Hanzlick, Meyers and Chairman Kelly never named or explained who “the company” was during the discussion of the Resolution during the June 1st Commission meeting (view meeting here, scrub to 38:30). This left citizens with the perception that our elected officials were thwarting transparency, they didn’t want to advertise the fact that they were approving IRBs to finance a China owned (?) company’s construction of a hazard materials manufacturing facility for fear of public opposition.
Disappointed by the lack of transparency Mrs. Brandon followed up with an email to Commission Chair Mike Kelly with several questions on June 8th and again on June 22nd. Mrs. Brandon did not receive a reply from Chairman Kelly, instead she received a response from Johnson County Senior Management Analyst Susan Maier. The response was not overly helpful and did not answer the majority of the questions asked. Ms. Maier instructed Mrs. Brandon to contact CNANO Technology USA, Inc., however Ms. Maier was unable to provide CNANO Technology USA, Inc.’s company contact information…just like citizens, the County also had no information on this Foreign Covered Entity! Kansas State Senator Mike Thompson, also concerned about a China owned hazardous materials manufacturing company purchasing real estate in the Gardner/Olathe New Century Air Center area, took questions to researchers at the statehouse to find out more about “who” CNANO Technology, Inc. USA was. He also requested research into finding out whether or not the identity of the actual company ownership could be uncovered, and if there were any verifiable connections to China…direct or indirect. They spent a lot of time digging and also could not get past the Delaware registration and the foreign covered entity registration in Kansas.
This lack of transparency was completely unacceptable to Mrs. Brandon so the next step she took was to submit an official KORA Request on June 29th, 2023. As part of the KORA Request she asked for the County to provide ALL communications, from 2018 to current, with regards to New Century Air Center Building A. Mrs. Brandon paid, with the help of other concerned citizens, $525 in cash to the County for the KORA Request.
As of September 5th, it had been over 10 weeks and Mrs. Brandon still had not received the completed KORA Request documents from the County. She had only received multiple emails from Johnson County’s Deputy Director of Legal, Cynthia Dunham, notifying her that the County needed more time. Granted the KORA Request was large, citizens struggle to understand why:
- a) with all of the year after year taxpayer dollar funding increases for Johnson County’s “Personnel” budgets, and
- b) the additional funds collected by the County for processing KORA Requests (in the case of this request $525) it takes over 10 weeks and counting to deliver the documents.
This goes against Kansas Open Records Act K.S.A. 45-215.
This is NOT about prejudices against Chinese Americans or Chinese Nationals, it IS however, about vetting foreign covered entities to protect citizens, Kansas and our national security. Citizen opposition is due to the utter lack of transparency and public knowledge around the fact that the county is inviting what we can only assume is a Multi-International China Company to purchase real estate at New Century Air Center with the intent of manufacturing battery additives that involve toxic nanomaterials.
After Citizen Outrage, Johnson County Gov & Private Partners KC Area Development Council/SmartPort Publish a “Damage Control” Press Release
After Citizens expressed their concerns over lack of transparency involving a China owned company (CNANO) purchasing Building A Real Estate at the New Century Air Center, with the issuance of Taxable Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) in the principal amount of $34,150,000 for the purpose of financing the construction of a 333,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility that will produce hazardous materials 1 mile from unsuspecting home owners and less than 1 mile from unsuspecting business owners…Johnson County Government and KC Area Development Council/SmartPort went on the defensive with a Damage Control PR Press Release.
Censorship of General Public Comments Destroys Transparency and Trust
It is also important to point out that Johnson County Commission Chairman Mike Kelly is another example of lack of transparency. Since he took office as Chairman of the Johnson County Commission, he has censored General Public Comment at the beginning of every Thursday morning Commission meeting. This means that citizens of Johnson County have no opportunity to see and hear, via the County’s live YouTube stream, the General Public Comments of fellow citizens on issues, like this, that are important to all. Chairman Mike Kelly also removes General Public Comment from being archived to the County’s YouTube Channel (subscribe to stay on top of the Commissions agendas).
Shared below is one Johnson County Chinese American Citizen’s response to Commissioner Chairman Mike Kelly’s insinuation that those who made public comment in opposition to CNANO at the New Century Air/Commerce Center were “…invoking dangerous and unscrupulous stereotypes of Asian Americans”:
Chairman Mike Kelly: View Meeting by playing the video on the left below, scrub to 48:10 to hear Chairman Kelly’s remark
“I want to make sure that we don’t delve into murky waters, there’s examples from the past and present that invoking China as a threat has dangerous consequences for Americans of Asian descent and perpetuating long standing stereotypes of Chinese and other Asian communities as foreign or dangerous or unscrupulous. I want us to be very wary of that and realize that we are a welcoming community, and we want to encourage the economic opportunities…”
Johnson County Chinese American Citizen’s CENSORED General Public Comment response to Commissioner Chairman Mike Kelly’s remark: View Response by playing the video on the right below, this vidoe was captured by a private citizen since Chairman Mike Kelly censors General Public Comments from being broadcast live and from beign archived on the county’s YouTube Channel.
“As a Chinese American and US Citizen my concern is for the welfare and security of our nation. Knowing CCP techniques of Chinese business operating in a foreign country it is often directed by the communist party with the ultimate aim of benefiting the CCP. The (inaudible) of infiltration is often modus operandi. Why are they buying up so much land near military bases (inaudible)? If we are only concerned about economic gains, then we will fall into their trap. To say that being opposed to this Chinese company, for buying this strategic property, will marginalize the Asian Americans is untrue.
I escaped China 6 months before the communists took over in 1949, sailing in the belly of a fishing boat with my parents and 8 children to escape the CCP persecution. If we would have stayed, we would have been sent to a concentration camp with my father and my mother too. But by God’s faith America granted us immigration status. We came to America supported by hundreds of American Christians, through university students that my Dad met in China.
Today I am 80 years old, I’ve been in this country 67 years. We have 4 generations in America as Asian Americans. There are more than over 100 of us, many are first generation of lawyers, dentists, engineers, businessmen and women, teachers and ministers. They are successful professionals that have raised to the top of their professions, and some of them are very wealthy…we have NOT been marginalized.
This is not an issue of Chinese Americans being marginalized. It is an issue of those, the people and the citizens being safeguarded from the danger and harm and not exposing our military and civilians to spying by another country. As a citizen I must caution this decision made by this (inaudible) authority it will bring harm to citizens of Kansas and should stay on your conscience.”
“Is it not reasonable for Citizens to wonder and question whether anonymous CNANO Technology USA, Inc. is a well vetted and legitimate company, that will not cause harm to the health and safety of citizens and our national security? “