Titan economic impact uncertain

I would suggest that complete trust in government at all levels including the EPA at both the federal and state levels and the Army Corps of Engineers is something that should not happen. Having been responsible for the countless reports,forms,petitions and interactions between my employer and government agencies for over 20 years I can assure you that there are countless loopholes and plenty of corruption involved in these processes....... just look around NHC and see what the development community has gotten away with so far.........Titan already knows this , the sooner the general public does the better off we will all be!

If you people dismiss the EPA, the various state environmental agencies, and the Armcy Corps of Engineers, then who sets the standards that a company must meet? You? How does ANY corporation know what standards it has to meet ANYWHERE in the nation to be allowed to build, if the standards are made up by whoever is the self-appointed expert this week? Four thousand different standards? Five? You people are advocating mob rule, plain and simple. Your little group of Chicken Littles doesn't like Titan, so you now want to conveniently ignore the government agencies that are tasked with deciding what poses a health risk and what doesn't. Good luck with your letter writing campaign - just remember that you're not the only ones who will be writing. Some of us won't tolerate a lynching, even if it's a multi-billion dollar corporation being lynched. You people won't even give them a chance to meet the legal requirements, because you reject the legal requirements. What a sad commentary on the future of this nation....

The next big push against the Titan Cement Pollution Project is a writing campaign aimed at Titan, the Governor, NC State Legislature, Senate members, NHC Commissioners, the UNCW Board and the New Hanover Regional Hospital Board. All students and alumni are asked to write in opposition to the Titan Cement Project that will bring pollution to the Cape Fear River region, adversely affecting the people of the area that are dependent on both the health care resources and tourism industry. When a hospital (New Hanover Regional) that is a private enterprise acts participates in bringing a company to the region that will only contribute to the cases of lung disease and mercury poisoning (but not limited too these), we wonder about the motive. Do they intend to 'do no harm' or seek to capitalize on the degradation of the public health due to pollution of another dirty industry? They are a member of the Committee of 100 who as business leaders have talked under the table to Titan and sought to bring them here. UNCW that promotes a learning atmosphere is a member and they are at least complacent in the bringing of Titan Cement to this area. This goes against the whole idea of a learning environment that prides itself in the Science Departments that are all about the environment and ecology programs. The Star News (also a member of the Committee of 100) are a news source that we the community have to be concerned about, for they themselves cannot honestly and objectively report on a dirty industry that they sought to bring here. I for one will not be buying that paper expecting a fair representation of the issues surrounding the Titan controversy. I for one will probably not by the paper again. Come to Katy's (5-9pm)at 1054 S. College Road in Wilmington, Jun 8, 2008. Food, drink, live music (Sai Collins, Organix) and general good times. Your $10 cover charge will help support an outreach campaign to keep Titan's hands off Island Creek. Remember, if you cannot make it to Katy's, please continue with the writing campaign!

Folks, you can scream and rant all you like about voting them out but bottom line, your new round of candidates will also be selected by the Realtors and builders associations. It will be more of the same. Those groups want this thing to come because it equates to building contracts and more home buyers. Check out who the largest campaign contributors are. Your new mayor was put into office by the builders/Realtors and he's one of them. Jason Thompson talks all this smack about shacking up and straightening out the county government but he's one more person financed by the builders/Realtors. Pat Delair and Nancy Pritchett were the only two who didn't accept their money and you see what happened to them. Talk all you want, you'll only vote for more of the same and the new round of candidates will vote for Titan, things like Titan and every single rezoning that comes across their desk. Money controls this and every other county in the US and all you can do is accept it. Titan is coming and you need to accept that. The only thing you can do is watchdog them as best you can and report them to every state and federal agency you can think of if you see reason. If you really want to put up or shut up, get a job their and make sure that they're doing best practices in order to make their money but protect the environment. Short of that, quit wasting your energy and accept this because it's coming.

Hmm.. Lets see.. Mercury compounds being released by the beautiful Cape Fear.. Let us see.. Desrtroying wetlands, permanently harming the area ecosystem, loss of fishing and recreational habitat, polutants into the water from which you purchase fish that were caught from, endangered species without habitat, without food, the river changed negativly forever thus taking away natural resources for our children and grandchildren, and no positive economic impact except tax dollars that our schools and maintenance of the river for future generations to enjoy being stolen out of our pockets (Or to repay their tax screw-up without penalizing me and forcing citizens into a class action suit against the county for negligence......) Uhm.... No Spanky... It soes not sound like a good idea. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TITAN! THE CITIZENS DOO NOT WANT YOUR COST AND DESTRUCTION! WE NEED A NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT NOW BEFORE THE CURRENT ONE DESTROYS US!!

Maybe they can save the $4.2 million and apply to their budget miscalculation and avoid trying to imposed a new perpetual tax on the citizens.

Let us not forget the $4.2 million in tax incentive most of us did not we were paying. Heck, most us did not even know the cement plant was coming. It's all about representation, folks.