20150041 Ver 1_Mary Perkins - FW Comments on 404 401 Permits_20150331

Burdette, Jennifer a
From: Mary Ann Perkins <mapnbrickhaven @windstream.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2015 11:55 AM
To: Craig.J.Brown @usace.army.mil
Cc: Higgins, Karen; Burdette, Jennifer a; Devane, Boyd; james.crawford @chathamnc.org;
mike.cross @chathamnc.org; diana.hales @chathamnc.org;
karen.howard @chathamnc.org; walter.petty @chathamnc.org
Subject: FW: Comments on US Army Corps 404 Permit & NC DENR 401 Permit to Green
Meadows, LLC
Importance: High
Dear All
Thank you for the opportunity for citizens to comment on the 401 & 404 permit applications of Green Meadows, LLC
(affiliated with Charah), for the proposed storage of coal ash in Southeast Chatham County, generated from several
plants owned by Duke Progress Energy.
My family and descendants have resided in the Brickhaven /Corinth Community for almost 100 years so you would say
that we have a "vested" interest and ownership. We have witnessed the operations of the local power plant, as we live
less than 2 miles from it. When it was built, we were thankful that such a large company (Cape Fear Steam Plant owned
by Carolina Power & Light) provided jobs to many families in the area. In those early years, we had no idea of the
upcoming air & water pollution that this plant was generating. We were shocked and dismayed to learn that the trusted
company that fed and clothed many families would purposely pump tons of coal ash into streams and rivers, hence
contaminating water used by thousands of people and destroying our fish & wildlife.
As a result of the power plant, other heavy industry eventually came to our area, even a nuclear plant. The residents
refer to our community as the "dumping" ground for Chatham. Even the local television station (WRAL -TV) refers to our
area as "Boot Heel" because of its shape. Our community has united in several other environmental issues that would
have adversely affected our area, and the proposals were defeated. We were given an opportunity to speak at public
hearings and request that one be scheduled for the 404 permit. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak on the
State's water quality, structural fill & mining permits, at public hearings on April 13 & 161H
Safety & Economics: In a given day within the Brickhaven Community, we have tons of vehicles on Corinth Road. We
presently have the power plant owned by Duke Progress Energy currently being "dismantled ", 2 wood product plants, 1
glue /formaldehyde plant, 1 brick manufacture plant, a new Solar Farm with thousands of panels, a RV Park, the Dickens
Farm, and a community store. Residents' homes, approximately 60, are interspersed among all this and most own their
home, except for the RV Park! And, Corinth Road is only 3.5 miles long! Employees of these industries work shifts, 24
hours a day, 7 days a week. We, therefore, have commuters traveling on Corinth Road at all times, day and night, along
with the speeding & noisy log trucks, tanker trucks, dump trucks, brick trucks, sawdust trucks, UPS /Fed Ex trucks, all
going more than 55 mph. The Moncure and Corinth Communities are also impacted by this traffic. Hauling coal ash
would increase unsafe conditions to this already congested traffic situation.
Approval of the permits could also affect the economics of the area by decreasing the value of property. Also, storing
this toxic waste may change the insurance coverage ratings which may result in higher insurance premiums for
homeowners. Plans for the Moncure Megasite could adversely be affected as companies may not want to locate near a
coal ash dump.
1

Another major safety issue is the railroad lines. On Corinth Road, there are 3 railroad crossings. We understand that the
coal ash will be transported by rail and truck. Just think of the number of people who will be exposed to fly ash, even
school buses filled with children. Accidents happen and when they do, people and our environment will pay the
costs. The spills would be absorbed in our streams and water supplies. Already Goff Creek on Corinth Road has been
destroyed by the clay pit "mining" from the brick plant. On some days the creek runs red and other times it is
mud. Trees are destroyed and landowners have flooding, and this has been the norm for several years. Please come see
for yourself! This water runs into the canal and onto the Cape Fear River. Please consider the many towns that use the
Cape Fear for drinking water. Most homeowners in the Brickhaven Community use private wells for drinking water and
are VERY concerned about groundwater contamination from leaking liners of coal ash pits.
Charah /Green Meadows LLC recently met with the Chatham County Board of Commissioners (BOC). When the BOC
questioned how they were going to handle the leachate, they stated that a waste water treatment plant had NOT been
identified to take the leachate. As you well now, such treatment plants are set to remove organic matter, not inorganic
chemicals which are in coal ash. Imagine what would happen should one of these trucks or tankers spill the leachate
while transporting it.
Wildlife: The Division of Wildlife Resources brought up many concerns in their Dec. 16, 2014 letter to Brenda Harris, NC
Land Quality Section, concerning the Charah Permit application. They noted many protected plant and animal species in
the streams and tributaries on these sites. What would happen to the deer, ducks, bobcats, beavers, wild pigs,
raccoons, fish and others that use these wetlands and streams for food and water?
Recreation: Many boaters & fishermen use the Avents Ferry Site and the Buckhorn Dam site of the Cape Fear, and
Harris Lake which are all within a 3 mile radius of the proposed coal ash dump. These are very busy recreation sites
where people come to fish, swim, and camp. The streams and wetlands near the coal ash dump run into the Cape Fear.
In summary, the Brickhaven Community requests that DENR and the Army Corps of Engineers reject the 401 & 404
permits of Charah /Green Meadows LLC because of the above issues. We firmly recommend that Duke Progress Energy
store the coal ash in concrete bunkers on their sites and not transport, or store the coal ash in pits with unreliable liners
due to public health, safety, and economic reasons.
Sincerely,
Larry & Mary Ann Perkins
3045 Corinth Road
Moncure, NC 27559