By Marina Giovannelli
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/whqr/local-whqr-816500.mp3
Wilmington, NC –
The Northeast Cape Fear River streams through a swath of lush, green wetlands. The area is home to fish, flowers and more. And it may eventually become home to a cement plant and limestone quarry operated by Titan America. Producing cement in the heart of a wetland ecosystem may significantly impact the environment.
Riverkeeper Doug Springer navigates a small boat along the Northeast Cape Fear River a few hundred feet away from the proposed site for the Titan America cement plant in Castle Hayne.
"See the island in front of us? That is the island at the base of island creek. And we're gonna sneak up behind it. You'll see beaver on here, otter, fox, dear, black bear are a real treat to see," says Springer.
Springer speaks with concerned about how a cement plant could impact the region's land, wildlife and residents.
"This is probably the worst location you could think to put something like this. Someone asked me one time, is there an optimum place to put it? Well I don't know that, but I can tell you this is the worst place to put it, at least from an environmental perspective," says Springer.
Concerns with mercury emissions
Springer is concerned with the cement plant's emissions, namely mercury. If Titan gets the gets the go-ahead from permitting agencies, it will be the fifth largest source of mercury in the state.
The EPA says mercury can cause brain damage in young children and the unborn, potentially impairing a child's ability to use language, process information and control their movements.
Jeff DeBerardinis researches mercury in fish for the division of water quality.
"I'm a fisherman myself, and I don't eat large mouth bass," says DeBerardinis.
Titan's mercury emissions would be added on to an existing problem.
"We've been monitoring the NE Cape Fear since about 1980, and we found high levels of mercury among the top level predatory species such as large mouth bass and predatory species," says DeBerardinis.
Mercury moves up the food chain as big fish eat smaller fish, with human fish-eaters coming in at the top of that food chain. Mercury builds up in the body and can be passed from mother to child. Deberardinis says Mercury is persistent.
"Once an organism incorporates it into its muscle tissue, it's really not going to go away. And that's why it continues to add up in those larger species," says DeBerardinis.
Titan says its Mercury emmissions will be within permitted levels. Most of the mercury would come from coal. That coal would be burned to create the tremendous heat needed to convert limestone into cement.
Mining may not change groundwater
Scientists worry about Titan's mercury emissions, but they're also concerned about the company's plan to mine limestone in Castle Hayne, and how that mining could affect the region's aquifer and drinking water.
David Downs, an engineer with Titan America, stands on the edge of a gaping hole that could become Titan's limestone mine.
"The quarry here has been excavated in the past, so you see a very natural setting with a lot of gradual slopes, the depth in front of us I would estimate is about 60 to 75 feet," says Downs.
Some of the land Titan wants to mine is already being mined by the Martin Marietta company. The mine area is an expanse of lumpy, treeless land with huge mounds of debris pushed in one direction and piled in another.
Titan plans to move roughly 6,000 tones per day. That's about two to five times more material than what is currently being excavated. This mining causes water to seep in from underground lakes, possibly disturbing the source of the county's well supply.
But Titan engineer David Downs says the company plans to move about the same amount of water as current mining operations, and the impacts on the aquifer and river will stay pretty much the same.
"It tends to pool, in the area, we manage that water into a series of settling ponds that flows to an area of the quarry that is not active, that is used as settling ponds, after it's flowed through a series of these ponds, then it's pumped into river," says Downs.
In addition to Titan's mining operations, the cement plant's impacts will be seen and head. It will operate continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with breaks only for maintenance. The mine will be continuously flooded with light, and the sounds of cement production will ring through the day and night.
All sides agree residents should be informed
In spite of these impacts, Titan engineer David Downs says a cement plant can coexist with the environment.
"I which people that talked about project, I wish they were able to see, take a meaningful glance at what's here today, and how we will impact it in a similar way," says Downs.
Titan's engineer and Riverkeeper Doug Springer agree that people could come and this area for themselves.
"In the spring, you have beautiful flowers, spider lilies, in the orchid families, have you seen those, its gorgeous, confederate roses, wild azaleas, very unique," says Springer.
In order to produce cement, emit the mercury and mine limestone, Titan will need several permits. State and federal agencies say they sometimes deny permits, but by the end of the permitting processes, projects usually get modified.
And with the interest and scrutiny of Titan's Cement plant, the modifications may be huge.
Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you. news@whqr.org.