I recently interviewed representatives from the Sierra Club regarding my environmental records. Here are my notes for that meeting, I think you can see that I have an excellent record of protecting our environment and natural resources. This is listed in reverse chronological order.
2008
Human Sewage Sludge / Poultry Waste Application – Our BOC is currently looking at farm land application of these waste products and their possible harmful effects on humans and live stock grazing.
Drought Definitions and Criteria – As Second Vice Chair of Triangle J - Council of Governments, I want you to know that we voted 2/27/08 to set up a forum and initiate criteria that would bring Triangle area governing bodies to the same page. Currently we have quite different criteria which makes it very difficult for citizens to understand when two areas are in the same stage and one can water lawns and wash cars while the other can’t.
Regional Water Plant and Water Intake – George Lucier as BOC Chair and I as BOC Vice, have had two meetings and correspondence with Orange County, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, UNC, OWASA, Durham City, Durham County and DENER in an effort to form a partnership to bring this to a reality. These facilities would be located on the West side of Jordan Lake and would serve the area for years to come and facilitate sharing when one area is experiencing water shortages while others may not be.
Regional Treated Waste Water Discharge Allocation – Lucier, Barnes and I have been working to gain a discharge allocation for Chatham County. With no additional allocations available in the Haw River, Jordan Lake or Robison Creek, we have been looking at the upper Cape Fear River below the Buckhorn Dam for our discharge location. Chatham has received a letter from DWQ stating that we can apply for a 19 million gallons per day Discharge Permit when we have our plan in place. This can evolve into a partnership with Pittsboro, 7,500 acres of Goodnight (Preston Development) property south of Pittsboro and Chatham County.
Energy Efficiency – Voted for and contracted with an engineering firm to perform an Energy Efficiency test of all Chatham government building, including schools. Ongoing.
Green Building – Voted for and approved Green Building Standards in all future Chatham County tax payer funded building construction.
Watershed Protection Ordinance – Voted for and expanded buffer setbacks for Seeps and Springs, Wet Lands, Ephemeral, Perennial and Intermediate Streams Reservoirs and Rivers.
Land Conservancy – Continuing to work with Triangle Land Conservancy to help create wildlife corridors while including parcels for future schools and parks.
Jordan Lake Nutrient Levels – Voted with resolution asking NC to enact the new lower nutrient level criteria for any and all discharge that will end up in Jordan Lake.
NE Park – Voted and approved expenditures of recreation fees to build the NE Park which will be located on 400 acres, south of 64 East at Bells Landing.
Staff Engineer – Voted to fund and hired staff engineer to monitor/direct county construction.
Staff Environmental Resources Director – Voted to fund and hired an ERD to oversee/ensure appropriate environmental measures are included in all applications for developments and to ensure environmental concerns are met.
Staff Erosion Control Enforcement Officer – Voted to fund and hired ECEO to visit construction sites to ensure proper erosion control measures are adequately implemented and to impose fines where appropriate. We previously relied on overloaded state inspectors.
Staff Land Use Ordinance Enforcement Officer – Voted to fund and hired OEO to ensure land uses are consistent with applications and zoning.
2007
Green Building Taskforce – Voted to establish GBT to research green building criteria and make recommendations to the BOC as to how we could include these energy efficient methods in our future construction.
Commercial Corridors Taskforce – Voted to establish CCT to research and advise the BOC as to how best to protect our major corridors and to establish commercial nodes for future commercial construction. This process will ensure we maintain some rural aspects/open space/scenic views along our major corridors.
Agricultural Districts – Voted to establish ADs to promote/support our farmers while ensuring we maintain our rural heritage/open space for all to enjoy.
2006
Fly Ash – Successful in deterring a proposal for a golf course and park in the Moncure area using the Fly Ash from the coal fired Cape Fear power plant. My research revealed the fact that Fly Ash (by-product of burning coal) contains 13 pollutants/hazardous components which exceed all standards for human drinking water, taste and odor, acute standards for Aquatic life and chronic standards for Aquatic life. This could have been very problematic for a community where soils don’t perk well and the Haw River and Deep River converge to form the Cape Fear River.
2005
McGills Mulch Facility – This plant, located in the Moncure Industrial Area, makes Garden Mulch using saw dust, partially treated human waste water and the flushing water from cleaning the butchering rooms of poultry plants. The odors were unbearable to the community and where there’s odor, there is likely harmful bacteria in the air. I was successful in getting DENR Air Quality, Chatham Land Use Enforcement involved. The building was enclosed as it was supposed to be when it opened. The heat treatment equipment to kill the bacteria is now operable and inspected by DENR and the community has a much better neighbor.
Prior to being elected to the BOC
Woodall Family Farm – This “Farm” injects and plows partially treated human waste water into the ground from area Waste Water Treatment Facilities. Again with the odors, bacteria and possible ground water contamination. I was successful in getting DENR and Chatham Land Use involved. Proper chemical application (primarily Lime) is now being enforced and monitoring wells are installed.
Moncure Air Quality Summit – As president of Southeast Chatham Citizens Advisory Council, I arranged a summit with representatives from all 9 Moncure Industries, local Ministers (12 Churches within 5 miles) and interested citizens. We had become aware of the many toxic chemicals being released into the air and made our case for moving forward with DENR’s Maximum Attainable Air Quality rules requiring new equipment. The Industries in the Moncure Area now meet these standards.
Multi-State Solid Waste Dump – Waste Industries had a proposal on the table to make Chatham County, specifically the Moncure Industrial Area, home to a multi-state solid waste dump. I founded the Southeast Chatham Citizens Advisory Council. With research and public involvement, we managed to get the applicants to withdraw their proposal.
Newland Communities has just launched its new website for Briar Chapel, which ties very nicely into the “Path to Nature” advertising campaign they launched a few months ago. Along with the utility and landscaping work along 15-501, this is yet another sign that things are progressing towards the opening of their information center during the Green Home Tour in May. Stay tuned to this blog for more details.
