Experts in environmental justice explained to members of the Lincoln Heights community how to organize and educate themselves on the proposed solid waste transfer station Roanoke Rapids is considering building.
“I was really impressed with tonight’s turnout and the invaluable information received concerning the negative environmental and social impact that the proposed waste transfer plant will have on both city and county residents who live within miles of the proposed facility,” said Florine Bell of the Lincoln Heights Community Development Coalition.
Gary Grant of Concerned Citizens of Tillery and the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network discussed the history of environmental racism in the state, the perceived practice of locating landfills, hog farms and transfer stations in or near minority communities. “Government and industry go to bed every night,” he said. “They work on things to improve the quality of life for somebody, just not for us.”
David Caldwell talked about his Orange County community’s fight against landfill while Steve Wing of the UNC Department of Epidemiology urged the residents to ask questions
Naeema Muhammad, an organizer for the network, said, “Economic development is one of my pet peeves. What a local government sees as economic development is not economic development to the ones who have to bear the burden.”
Roanoke Rapids Mayor Emery Doughtie told the audience there would be public hearings on the matter and that the city has looked at other areas besides the Hinson Street location where it is considering building the transfer station on public works property.
City Manager Paul Sabiston commended the panelists and the residents who asked questions. He also said there were differences between landfills and transfer stations. “We’re still in the early stages,” he said.
The latest revenue projections for the approximately $695,000 project show with a transfer station the city could see operating revenues over expenses of $282,814. Without a station that figure would be $180,742.
The projections are based on 28,000 tons per year with 7,200 coming from the city’s own solid waste and debris.
Financing options have also changed since the matter was first discussed with debt service being calculated on financing $700,000 over 20 years at an estimated percentage rate of 3.05 percent.
Financing for 20 years instead of 10 years contained in earlier documents would mean an annual debt service of $47,268.66.
The transfer station concept is to build a facility at the city’s maintenance yard where residential and commercial solid waste may be delivered and then transferred by independent haulers to a landfill.
The city’s own collection trucks and third party commercial haulers which pick up solid waste or choose to bring it from other areas will be the primary users, an earlier memo says.
Preliminary studies by the state Department of Transportation show Hinson Street, where the proposed station would be located, would not have to be improved if 100,000 tons a year were transported on it.
