To live in an industrial wasteland
Submitted by persondem on Tue, 08/14/2007 - 9:21pm
or not. That is the question facing Person County. We already have two large coal fired power plants in place in the northern part of the county; the Hyco lake plant is one of the most polluting power generating facilities in the country. We have a midsized commercial landfill in the southeast corner of the county that handles our trash and some trash from adjacent counties. We also have a Georgia-Pacific paper operation and a few lesser industries already in place.
But changes are coming and the future doesn't look good. Two new asphalt plants will be setting up shop in the county, possibly a quarry (explosions and big trucks on our roads) and the company that runs the landfill wants to triple the daily tonnage going into the landfill. Trucks already run every couple of minutes into the landfill, carrying the 650 tons that get dumped everyday. Recently our county commissioners voted to procede with the landfill expansion process (it's not a done deal ... yet) in spite of long and loud public opposition. The quality of life for those people living in that corner of the county has already diminished greatly due to odors, trash along the roads, noise from the trucks and worry over contaminated water sources. I cannot imagine what their lives will be like if the expansion becomes a reality.
Person County is on the verge of becoming an industrial wasteland, with polluted air and water poisoning our citizens. Children will be especially susceptible to the toxins these corporate operations will pump into our environment; toxins that will persist for decades. According to the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Person County is already one of the most polluted counties in the nation. We have a higher than normal cancer rate. Could the two facts be related? Probably.
What sensible company (i.e. non-polluting) would want to bring their employees and their families to Person County with our stinking air, questionable water quality and the constant cacaphony of explosions and heavy trucks assaulting the ear?
This madness must end if Person County is to have any kind of positive future. We cannot continue down this road any further, else the coming generations will flee as fast as they can, for the grass will be greener just about anywhere else.
PC Pride, a local pro-environment, anti-landfill group is having a rally this Sat., Aug. 18, at 5:00 in downtown Roxboro - just on the off chance that any BlueNC readers happen to live in the area.
Thanks for reading.
Put up a map, where is it in relationship
to the rest of NC? What about rivers, streams and so on? Is there any group opposing this?
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
Person Co. is just north of Durham and Orange Co.
If you head north out of Durham on 501 you'll go right through Roxboro.
A local group, PC Pride formed about 2 years ago in response to the initial landfill expansion proposal. After a loud public outcry led by PC Pride the idea seemed dead until recently when a county commissioner changed his mind on the issue.
I am pretty sure we affect the Tar and Neuse water systems and possibly the Dan.
Yepper, looks like we will not only have the pleasure of proving power to the big cities, but we will also get to store their trash for the next 100 years.
Environmental Defense Fund
Cell phones will be to the 21st century what tobacco was to the 20th.
Zate who writes here sometimes sent me this information
She is active in a 'No Mega-Dump" movement in Laurinburg.
Don't Dump on Us - Keep North Carolina Healthy!
Show Your Support for a Just & Sound Solid Waste Policy & Oppose Mega-Dumps
Press Conference and Rally - Monday, August 20, 2007
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM - Old Capitol, Raleigh
Hear speakers Lois Gibbs, CHEJ Executive Director, Gary Grant, NC Environmental Justice Network*, Charles Utley & David Mickey, BREDL, Jim Warren, NC WARN
For more information, contact:
David Mickey, BREDL, 336-769-0955, davidmickey@bellsouth.net
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
Actually some folks from the Don't Dump on Us
group are supposed to attend the rally in Roxboro this weekend.
Unfortunately we go back to school Aug. 20; it's our first work day.
(i hate the phrase "Back to School".)
Thanks for the contact info. I will pass it on to our PC Pride leaders.
Environmental Defense Fund
Cell phones will be to the 21st century what tobacco was to the 20th.
Don't Dump on Us Tour - Roxboro, Person County
Hello Persondem, I have been hearing about the recent landfill expansion attempts in Person County. Interestingly, it was almost two years ago that landfill siting issues surfaced in Scotland and Richmond Counties. At that time, you were an inspiration to us because of your recent success in stopping a landfill expansion. We also think that PC Pride is a cool name, and like your good website: http://www.pcpride.org .
Like PC Pride, our groups, Scotland County Of Tomorrow (SCOT) and Save Our Abundant Resources (SOAR), are members of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL). Along with Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ), we sponsored events on the Don't Dump on Us: Keep NC Healthy Tour on Tuesday. I will post additional information on the tour in another post later today, but wanted to give you the specifics for the Saturday event in Roxboro.
The principal speaker on the tour is Lois Gibbs ... of Love Canal and Superfund fame, and Director of CHEJ. I can assure you that you and your county will be encouraged, energized and motivated by Lois' presentations and presence! PC Pride has arranged a fine schedule of events. I encourage all of you in Person to spend as much time as you can at these events, and get as many people and as much media as you can to attend. Lois and the tour are powerful tools - and powerful timing - for you ... make powerful use of them!
I so understand your phrase, "industrial wasteland". Lois not only understands, but she is able to convey that message to others because of her history and her credibility, and to offer solutions, strategy and support.
Now that the Solid Waste Management Act of 2007 passed in the General Assembly, the local designated landfill site on the Richmond/Scotland line can not be permitted because it adjoins game lands, and buffers are now required. Waste Management still has it's downtown Laurinburg office, however. But the pressures have shifted to the expansions. Know that all of us fighting any mega-landfill are in this with you:
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Person County
Roxboro
Press Conference & Keep Person County Healthy Public Forum.
A 2:00 PM press conference and 6:00 PM public forum will be held featuring Lois Gibbs, Executive Director of the national Center for Health, Environment & Justice and David Mickey of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League. A giant, 25-foot inflatable "ducky" will welcome participants holding a sign stating "Don't be a Sitting Duck for Mega-Dumps." A nationally-acclaimed environmental leader, Gibbs is known as the "mother of Superfund" for her groundbreaking victory relocating 900 families away from the Love Canal toxic waste dump in 1980. The speakers will discuss the impact mega-landfills will have on the air, water, land and people, and the need for a fair and protective state policy on waste.
Where: Merritt Commons, Main Street, Roxboro.
When: 2:00 PM Press conference with Lois Gibbs and Senator Ellie Kinnaird
3:00 Lois Gibbs speaks on "Lesson Learned from Love Canal."
4:00 Nature Poems and Kids Hour featuring Earth Stage Performances by Lou Zeller, including "Big Throw-away Clown" juggling act, "Talking Trash Blues," plus "Name the Styrofoam Monster," Toy Swap and Recycle Art activities.
5:00 Music and Youth Speaks Forum with teenagers talk about their concerns.
6:00 Waste Reduction Advocates Public forum featuring local speakers on the Person County waste issue.
Contact: Frances Blalock, Person County People Rising in Defense of Ecology (PCPRIDE), fpblalock@aol.com, 336-364-2717and Pat Hill, PCPRIDE, oaklor@msn.com , 336-364-4452.
Sponsoring Organizations: PCPRIDE, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, and CHEJ.
Thank you, thank you, thank you
I did not have details of the day's agenda (I am not a member of PC Pride, but have attended meetings). I will pass this on to my email contacts in the county.
Thanks also for your workin Scotland Co.; I have family that live there, and my first teaching job in the US was an interim job at Scotland High for a a semester.
Environmental Defense Fund
Cell phones will be to the 21st century what tobacco was to the 20th.