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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Judge dismisses portions of suit appealing Titan's air quality permit

www.titanamerica.com

Titan Cement achieved a small victory earlier this week in its quest to construct and operate a cement plant in Castle Hayne.

As WHQR’s Rachel Lewis Hilburn reports, an administrative law judge tossed out four of 18 objections to Titan’s air quality permit.

The permit – granted earlier this year – is still facing a legal challenge – albeit a smaller one.  A lawsuit filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of four environmental advocacy groups objects to the issuance of Titan’s permit on 18 separate grounds.   Although the court threw out four of those claims, the lawsuit still cites substantial issues that will come before a judge, says Mike Giles of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. 

“There’s going to be ups and downs in this fight on both sides – some wins and some losses... We’re still going to be involved in this – looking at Titan on the long term.  We’re here to stay.  We oppose the project and we’ll be dogging this permit and review process as long as it takes.” 

Representatives for Titan Cement didn’t return calls by deadline, but an earlier press release says the plant’s annual fiscal impact on New Hanover County will exceed $120 million.  Company officials estimate the project will create more than 160 full-time jobs. 

Rachel hosts and produces CoastLine, an award-winning hourlong conversation featuring artists, humanitarians, scholars, and innovators in North Carolina. The show airs Wednesdays at noon and Sundays at 4 pm on 91.3 FM WHQR Public Media. It's also available as a podcast; just search CoastLine WHQR. You can reach her at rachellh@whqr.org.