NRG Statement in Support of Rogers Road Neighborhood

Neighborhoods for Responsible Growth                                                     April 15, 2008

Statement to Board of County Commissioners, Orange County, NC

Re: Transfer Station Siting Process

Dear Commissioners:

            I’m speaking tonight on behalf of Neighborhoods for Responsible Growth, a grass-roots citizens group based in Orange County.

            Last Thursday’s public information meeting provided a wealth of general information on the proposed siting process. The consultants took pains to make clear that the siting criteria were not set in stone, and that they were actively soliciting constructive suggestions from citizens about how the process might be tailored to reflect the will of the public.

            The attendees were virtually unanimous in their agreement that some site other than the Eubanks Road site be found for the transfer station, and made several worthy suggestions.

1.      That the environmental justice component of the community-specific criteria be more heavily weighted and moved to a position where it will be considered earlier in the process.

2.      That a criterion be included that weights past history of association with the landfill as a factor that lowers the ranking of any potential site.

3.      That heavier consideration be given to the fact that continued heavy truck traffic along Eubanks Road, in light of the new schools being sited in the area, is undesirable.

4.      That, among the exclusionary criteria, the potential site location distances be increased to within 5 miles from the major highways, and within 15 miles of the projected waste generation centroid.

            We wish to be clear: The goal of these suggestions is to eliminate the Eubanks Road site from consideration and increase the chance that an alternative site can be chosen for the transfer station. In that spirit we support these proposed modifications.

            NRG stands in support of the Rogers-Eubanks Coalition to End Environmental Racism (CEER) and the Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA), and many, many Orange County citizens in calling for the BOCC to site the transfer station elsewhere than the Eubanks Road landfill. The Rogers Road residents have lived with the landfill for 35 years. During that time, they have dealt with the odors, traffic, and all the other issues associated with it so that others would not have to. It is time to return to them the full and proper enjoyment of their property.

            Thank you for your consideration.

Fred Stang, co-chair

Neighborhoods for Responsible Growth