State and Federal Agencies Oppose Titan!

We’re not feeling so alone anymore. In this morning’s Star-News, Chris Mazzolini’s front-page story reports that not one, not two, but FOUR state environmental agencies and one federal agency have expressed major concerns in official comments to the Army Corps of Engineers about Titan’s massive cement plant and mine proposed for Castle Hayne along the Northeast Cape Fear River. They include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, North Carolina Division of Water Quality, the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Here are a few choice quotes from Mazzolini’s story:

“We believe the forested wetland that would be impacted…may represent an aquatic resource of national importance.” “Adverse impacts to these resources may be unmitigable. As such, we request that the planning process develop alternatives with less environmental impact.”–Pete Benjamin, field supervisor, USFWS.

“..there is no mitigation that could adequately address the proposed loss of these valuable wetlands.”–Molly Ellwood, permit coordinator, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

“The Division of Coastal Management is ‘extremely concerned’ that a significant amount of public trust waters could be lost.”–from comments by the NC Division of Coastal Management.

“Everything we’ve heard so far has really reinforced every concern that we had.”–Doug Springer, Cape Fear RiverKeeper.

“If a site is considered to be unmitigable for whatever reason, we’ll respect that and consider other properties.” Kate McClain, Titan America.

Earlier this year Titan’s project manager, Marino Papazaglou, told the New Hanover County Commissioners and more than 300 concerned citizens gathered at a County Commission meeting that if it was determined that this project would harm the environment in “any way, shape or form,” Titan would not build the plant.

Well Marino?