Public speaks out again regarding Titan

CASTLE HAYNE, NC (WWAY) — It’s an issue that has stirred up strong opinions in the Cape Fear, bringing Titan Cement to the area. The state issued a draft air permit for the proposed Titan Cement plant last month. Now they are looking to the public to help them decide whether to alter it, or deny Titan the permit all together.

Multiple public hearings were held by the N.C. Division of Air Quality at the Cape Fear Community College north campus Tuesday. The anti-Titan message was as loud as ever.

“Titan wants to claim that it’s going to be a good corporate neighbor,” said Kayne Darrell, who was at the hearings in protest of Titan.”We have been asking them, we have thousands and thousands of citizens that live here and are raising their families here that are asking them to please undergo a full environmental review and please undergo a health impact study. Let us feel secure that our children are safe, that our air is clean, and our water is safe to drink.”

The hearings are meant for people to voice any concerns about an air quality permit. Developers of the plant say that even if or when the permit is secured the plant is still years from a construction phase.

Pro-Titan leaders say you cannot deny what the plant would do in terms of jobs.

“160 well paying jobs, 350 supporting the plant and for two years, 1,000 people helping to build it and that gets a lot of people back to work,” said Bob Odom, Castle Hayne’s GM Developer. “It gets residuals out there, people going out to eat, people buying houses, cars, helping the economy get going again.”

“I just want to see the plant open and see some people get some good jobs and be able to move this area forward,” said C.H. Harts. “Once it ever gets opened up people will see a lot of good things happening.”

Many of the anti-Titan protesters are upset about the affects a plant could have on the environment and future generations.

“We do not need to add to the mercury that is already in this area,” said Marvin Woll. “There is 8,500 students attending school within the area where this plant will be.”

Others believe that the plant is unnecessary because of economic reasons saying that the cement company would add to a glut of cement makers in the United States already.

“They’ve represented the opposition to them as a small minority of extremists, in fact the opposition to them is the vast majority,” said Tom Looney. “It may be a silent majority in terms of the business people but it’s a growing vocal majority of the people here who are opposed.”

Residents hope to make enough of an impact at these hearings that a decision will be made on the plant one way or the other.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality will hold another public hearing Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Kenan Auditorium at UNCW.