McCrory Opposed the Law That Stopped Mega-Landfills
Maybe you’ve seen our campaign’s ad about McCrory wanting to turn North Carolina into the garbage capital of the East Coast. Pat’s already trying to spin his way out of the issue, so I wanted to make sure you all were reminded about the background behind this important issue.
The Issue:
Pat McCrory was asked what bills he would have vetoed. He said he would have opposed the Solid Waste Management Act of 2007:
“House Bill 1492, Solid Waste Management Act of 2007: I would have vetoed this bill for several reasons including the fact that it cost North Carolinians jobs, hurt our economy and raised taxes.” [News and Observer, 8/31/08]
The Background:
The Solid Waste Management Act of 2007 was an important piece of legislation that protected North Carolina’s economy and environment by keeping out mega landfills that would approach 300 ft. high – taller than the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
N&O: “The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Charles Albertson, D-Duplin, and Dan Clodfelter, D-Mecklenburg. It was spurred by concerns that large regional landfills proposed by private companies in Eastern North Carolina could turn the state into one of the nation's top five importers of garbage. The landfill operators proposed to haul in trash by truck, rail and barge from sites up and down the East Coast.”
The bill also used revenue to help clean up 669 older landfills that were built without “liners” that help prevent toxins from seeping into the ground and water.
The Landfill Owner:
Lonnie Poole, a maxed-out donor to Pat McCrory, is the chairman and founder of Waste Industries which owns the Black Bear landfill.
“The Black Bear landfill in Camden County in far northeastern North Carolina would become home to three million tons of trash a year, most of it from out of state, piled into a mini-mountain 270 feet high. The landfill surely would be visible from afar in the table-flat Camden landscape. What a scenic lure for travelers coming down from Virginia on busy U.S. 17.” [News & Observer, editorial, 8/1/07]
Waste Industries lobbied heavily against the new landfill laws.
“Facing the specter of a tougher law on landfills, Waste Industries brought out the heavy weaponry for a last-minute PR blitz -- plastic bottles. On them were printed the invitations to a tour Wednesday of the Raleigh-based company's landfill in Sampson County, meant to show that landfills are cleaner than many people think. Waste Industries wants to build North Carolina's largest landfill in Camden County to import waste from eastern states.” [News and Observer, 8/2/07]
The Truth:
Turning North Carolina into the garbage capital of the East Coast is not the way to bring jobs to our state. Huge landfills won’t attract new businesses and they certainly aren’t tourist friendly.
Many supported this legislation, including a majority of the state legislature, the Sierra Club and newspapers across the state – including McCrory’s hometown Charlotte Observer:
“Before leaving Raleigh this month, state legislators enacted a highly controversial landfill regulation bill that wisely sets up a disposal fee to finance the cleanup of aging landfills and hazardous waste sites that threaten groundwater and surface water.” [Charlotte Observer, editorial, “Landmark Landfill Bill; Tougher Restrictions On Regional Landfills Are Welcome,” 8/22/07]
Don’t let McCrory talk his way out of this. He opposed a bill that stopped Mount Trashmore from being dumped on our state. The bill did a lot of good for North Carolina, but McCrory says he opposed it because of jobs and the economy. But I guess it’s not surprising McCrory did this with the landfill special interests on his side.
I did not know this, Justin!
So, Pat McCrory wanted North Carolina turned into one giant trash pile. Nice, very nice.
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Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.
In Moore County we learned that this would mean
an extra 350 big waste trucks on our roads PER DAY! Our roads wouldn't benefit from all this waste being trucked in because the DOT won't be sharing the profits.
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
Progressive Discussions
Calling the truth squad
McCrory was in Charlotte speaking at a the N.C. League of Municipalities conference this afternoon, claiming that he is being "smeared" by an ad on this topic. He appeared to claim that he opposed this bill because it raised tipping fees on landfills. If anyone recalls details of McCrory's actual public comments/advocacy (if any) on this bill, now would be the time to bring them out. (Note, I will be out of access to the net this evening. But if anyone has relevant, useful info, please post and spread it around.)
Dan Besse
Dan Besse
The ad is somewhat misleading
The law doesn't actually stop importation of out of state waste, but it does contain provisions that reduce the profits to those who want to bring it in. Thus it has the effect of discouraging importation of waste. There's already a lawsuit that alleges, among other things, that the law violates the commerce clause. Ironically, given Perdue's ad, the state has to defend against that allegation by showing that prevention of out of state waste is NOT the purpose of the bill. One of the state's arguments is that the provisions apply to all landfills whether or not they take in out-of-state waste.
It is true that at the time McCrory was expressing his opposition, it raised the tipping fees on landfills (regardless of where the waste comes from), so the League of Municipalities (and perhaps the Association of County Commissioners) is understandably opposed to it. I'm not sure but I think that subsequent amendments addressed some of the opposition -- not sure to what extent.
The Act's buffer requirements mean that three specific landfills that are under construction and seeking permits to operate are not going to be able to get those permits if the law stands. That's probably what McCrory's talking about when he talks about jobs -- and there probably would be some significant ripple effects from failure of these landfills to open -- but I don't know fer shur if that's what he's referring to.
The bottom line is that the Act and the issues pertaining to it are a little more complex than the ad suggests, and that it's somewhat of a twist on the Act's purposes and effects to claim that McCrory's earlier opposition meant he favored importation.
But it's a smart ad.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
-Edmund Burke
This fact would play extremely well for Perdue in Person Co.
For about $200.00 you could run 12-15 radio spots and put a decent sized ad in the local paper.
I am talking 100's if not 1000's of votes could switch to Perdue IF this is known.
One of our hottest political topics for the last couple of years has been a possible landfill expansion which is hugely unpopular.
Person County Democrats
Environmental Defense Fund
Cell phones will be to the 21st century what tobacco was to the 20th.
'zactly, Persondem
That's what makes it a smart ad.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
-Edmund Burke