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Joel Bourne: stoptitan.org
Submitted by WWAY on 16 June 2008 - 11:15am.
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goes on everywhere
City and county representatives throughout the country are well known for exercising expansive control over matters of growth and development. You see these heated responses by outraged citizens played out many times over. It is important who is voted into these councils and commissions, as these offices are more important to your life as a resident than you well know. These positions are not window dressing.
I agree such elected officals should be responsive to the residents, and fairly represent those who entrust them. So vote carefully, and understand the importance of these representives.
I work for this company
I work for this company Titan America, for three years and all they did to me was LIE, LIE, LIE, The Tampa plant always lose flyash and cement products wich blow all over the place. They only want to take your money. As far as getting hired by this company, make sure you record every conversation or they will burn you. They are very write up happy so drivers are always on edge. as far as west coast of Florida, we have horrible leaders.
were the toast
Let's not toast this town! We're all toast if titan comes to town. Why don't we just dump all our waste directly in the river? We could save millions but give ourselves all cancer!
Again about Representation
Like many of your last shows, it's about fair representation. You cannot make everyone happy, but fair representation is the key. Were the residents fairly represented in the approval of Titan to the area? And were the taxpayers fairly represented in the approval of the money incentives to Titan?
I see room for debate here.
Will Titan be given fair representation in the state and federal regulatory process?
I say yes.
It seems to me...
One thing I haven't heard anyone mention is the fact that Martin Marietta (another aggregate co.) is already, and has been mining the quarry that Titan is purchasing since the 1980's. Perhaps someone should have done some research on that company along with the many other industrial areas that you see while driving along Holly Shelter Rd.
Getting Involved
It's good to see people getting involved in issues like this one. This website and the stoptitan.org website give information on a industry that will effect our lives in more ways than we know, even those that do not live adjacent to the site. It's good to know the facts before hand.
Titan Ain't Country
Like I said in another comment section on your website, Titan ain't my idea of country. I live in the country, and drive into work every morning listening to the Big Talker radio, that would be Curtis Wright, shaking up bad government.
But back to the matter at hand, we need to safeguard our countryside--it's beautiful and peaceful and green out there.
And the Cape Fear river has just about all it can handle, wait, I would say it has more than it can handle right now. So let's keep that river in mind too. In your film the river looks so clean and fine rolling next to the abandoned old site, it's green and peaceful again. Let's not forget the road busting cement trucks, and the smokestacks throwing out who know what. Wait I guess that's what the regulating and environmental experts will tell us.
Like I said Titan Ain't Country.
Titan's Coming?
Well, I saw in the news that the regulatory process for Titan is right on schedule, not missing a beat. The local citizens had nothing to say about the deal. I would think the locals would have been allowed to take some part in the inviting and approving of an industry that will so change our local environment.
But then again, no real surprises here.
Titan
So what is the deal. Some say yes, some say no. Well, we all got our own opinions. I say that they don't need to bring it in cuz it will kill the river and everything in it and around it. Not to mention the air pollution. C'mon get real. Yes, we need a boost in the economy but is it worth what we will lose in the long run?????????????????????????
Titan Comes to Town
I caught this program on Sunday, and I hope those that missed it will view it online. This industry will change our area, more than the smaller factories on rt. 421, GE, or Corning, and it could have a negative side bigger than we know. The dangers may harm those that live here, and discourage better businesses from locating here. Now this is beautiful place that we should protect.
The poor representation we received was also uncovered. I'm not saying anyone did anything wrong, or will do anything wrong, I'm just saying that the general residents and the voters should have been a part of the process. The community at large did not know what was happening until it was approved. I hope our representaives will step forward and explain the path that was taken.
We should all keep up with this possible new comer, and try to become a part of the decision as much as we can at this point.
Is Titan just about building concrete casing 4 new GE nuke fuel?
I HOPE some Pender County Hunters come out to the meeting tonight at UNCW Burney bldg. after reading this article about wildlife contamination at the Savannah River Site
http://www.uga.edu/srel/Snapshots/white_tailed_deer.htm
Once this is all here, it's here forever
Absolutely nothing new
Curtis made his mind up that he was going to go against Titan from day one, and no argument for fairness and logic will dissuade him from this crusade. His view is that since the permitting system may allow Titan to build because it has satisfied all environmental concerns, they should not be allowed to go through the permitting process.
Interestingly, one of his new sponsors is a land development that came in and clear-cut a few hundred acres of pine forest, then had the nerve to call the development a "forest." (You could go blind looking for a tree, let alone a forest.)
So obviously his environmental concerns don't run TOO deep, and certainly don't extend to his sponsors. Perhaps Titan needs to buy some advertising on the Big Talker FM? Would Curtis change his view then?
The state and federal organizations that will decide Titan's fate are legally sanctioned to do just that. THEY establish the standards, THEY decide what waivers can be obtained and the requirements to obtain them, and THEY are the ultimate referees.
If you don't like the laws as they exist, you change the laws - you don't resort to anarchy. Mob rule is no competent mechanism to decide our future.
An Issue of Local Approval
Everyone understands that the state and federal
governments have environmental standards that must be met, and permits that must be acquired before an indusrty like Titan can operate. We are all thankful for that, including this host, I would guess. Everyone realizes the permitting process is a safeguard for those residents, and the physical area, impacted by the industry. This part is a good thing.
What many residents did not accept was the other, local part of the process, the part where local officals invite and approve the industry to the community. Many feel this was done without the general approval, or in some cases the simple knowledge, of the represented voters. That's the rub, not what you're talking.
These negotiations between our representatives and Titan did not seem to involve the public at anytime, and we're talking three years, until the deal was already in place.
That's the issue.
On top of that grievance, was the little regard shown for the large environmental harm this type of industry can produce, from air pollution, water pollution, airborn dust particles, noise, mining, and heavy roadway use. That's alot to NOT consider, and leave the final decision to someone, not living here, to approve.
That's the other issue.
Finally, do you really equate cutting down spindly paper mill pines on the side of Highway 17, to a cement kiln? If The Big Talker Radio was that environmentally sensitive, no one would qualify to advertise.
So which is it?
In your first paragraph you talk positively about the permitting process and the fact that federal and state agencies will insure that Titan can operate safely, but by your closing paragraph you're talk about people being unwilling to accept all the POSSIBLE dangers those agencies will be exploring.
Now, you may not LIKE the fact that the people who will make these decisions don't live here, but welcome to the real, grown-up world! MANY of the decisions that affect us are made in Washington and Raleigh. And once again, that brings us back to the rule of law....
Both Curtis and the Cape Fear River Keeper have expressed outrage that wetlands taken for this project can be compensated for by creating wetlands elsewhere. Too bad, so sad, that's what the law allows. Don't like it? Get the law changed! Meanwhile, don't expect Titan or any other company to abide by your WHIMS.
The very name, "stoptitan.org" reveals the group's expressed goal. It's not to insure Titan gets a fair vetting, is required to adhere to all the rules, and operate safely. It's to STOP TITAN.
You folks have your minds made up and don't want to be confused by any facts that conflict with your conjecture.