20140957 Ver 2_Letter of Concern_Gwendolyn Wilkins_20170727

July 24, 2017
Michael S. Regan, Secretary
NC Division of Water Resources
217 W. Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
Dear Secretary Regan:
RECEIVED
Office of the Secretary
JUL 2 7 2017
Department of Environmental ouaNty,
I am certain you and/or your Department has received many letters voicing concern about the Atlantic
Coast Pipeline coming through the 8 counties Down East. My letter is one you can add to the stack.
My concern is this: Why would they choose to come thru the counties with the highest population of
African American, Native American and just plain ole "people of color"? Why would they choose
counties with populations where the education level of those who live in these counties is majority
high school dip!ema with few advanced degrees) Why would thsy choose the poorest counties that
have a lower average income than other counties in our state? I will tell you why, "they believe our
voices do not matter". Prove them wrong.
This is not right. The residents in these eight counties, i.e., Northampton, Halifax, Nash, Wilson,
Johnston, Sampson, Cumberland and Robeson Counties do not want the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
Those that do want it (mostly the business community) only see dollar signs and what the pipeline
can do for them.
I have enclosed a copy of an article from today's Rocky Mount Telegram where residents attended a
public hearing in Nash County. Mind you, many of the residents were also from neighboring counties.
Please, do the right thing. If this pipeline were applying to go thru Wake or Mecklenburg Counties,
feel they (the Atlantic Coast Pipeline people) would see a different outcome.
The only way we can fight back is to voice our deepest concerns. We worry about the safety of the
pipeline, as they are susceptible to leaks. Then there is the biggest threat—that of groundwater
contamination. Yes, we worry about the health of our communities, and our children... Remember the
Sioux Tribe? Why is it that the communities that are poor in education, salaries, etc., are the ones
selected for ;pipeline to run through?
respectfully ask your Division to please deny the 401 Water Quality Certification and Buffer
Authorization for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
Respectfully submitted,
`GwenIdl ynWilk' srh
632 Amos Street
Rocky Mount, NC 27803
252-883-4184

Upponents pan impacts of proposed gas pipeline - Rocky Mount Telegram
Opponents pan impacts of proposed gas pipeline
By COREY DAVIS
Staff Writer
Friday, July 21, 2017
A thong of people mostly opposed to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline
packed the Brown Auditorium on Thursday at Nash Community
College.
Several people wore clothing and held up signs that showed their
strong opposition to the 42 -inch gas pipeline, which will run about
600 miles starting in Harrison County, W.Va., and running through
Eastern North Carolina, including Nash County. The public
hearing at NCC was dealing with the Atlantic Coast Pipeline's
looking to receive assurance of a "401 Water Quality Certificate."
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline has applied to the N.C. Division of
Water Resources for a 401 Water Quality Certification and Buffer
Authorization for its plan to construct one compressor station and
install 186 miles of transmission pipeline and accessories in
Northhampton, Halifax, Nash, Wilson, Johnston, Sampson,
Cumberland and Robeson counties. The Division of Water
Resources must take final action on the application before Sept.
18.
22
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Comment
The state certificate is a requirement for the proposed . F illinn. re Stories
project to get approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory 2 dead, 500 hurt as deadly quake rattles...
Commission. More than 60 people signed up to give their opinion Nigeria. Bombed refugee center wasn't,..
on the pipeline. Wilson resident Barbara Exum, who was among a Winning numbers drawn in 'Pick 4 flay'...
small group who held a press conference earlier in the day, was Winning numbers drawn in Pick 3 Day'—
the first speaker to talk against the pipeline and requested that the NC Lottery
Division of Water Resources deny the permit.
Exum said her family farm is in the direct path of the proposed pipeline and expressed how the pipeline will impact the
black and brown communities. Reports from the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League said one of the counties
impacted by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline would be Northampton County, with a population that is E2Ment African-
American and has a much lower average income thant the state as a whole.
Northampton resident Belinda Joyner said her county is being used as asacrificial area for ind "��. She added it's no
accident that the huge compressor station to push the natural gas for another 180 -plus miles through North Carolina
would be built in Nortampton County and could cause future health problems for citizens.
"Independent studies show that the Atlantic Coast Pipeline sees us as poor, uneducated and not able to fight back,"
Exum said. "They see our lives as low risks to their business ices."
Tom Betts, a former chairman of the Carolinas Gateway Partnership, was one of the few people in the audience who
stood up and supported the pipeline. Betts was received with a mixture of cheers and boos from the people in
attendance.
Page 2 of 3
"We do have poor and undeserved communities in our areas, but what we need more than anything is jobs," Betts
said. "The Twin Counties is an area that is quite fortunate because we have many tools for economic develoement.
But the one thing we're missing is the Atlantic Coast Pipisline, which will provide the natural gas supply that will
encourage every user of this clean and efficient fuel to locate in our area Also, it will provide a substantial source of
revenue, which will form taxes that will assist funding like education and public sa e r-"�
From Today
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Bowman to replace Videos to promote Opponents pan Greeks connect to
Earnhardt Jr. p lineman program impacts of proposed spiritual roots at
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/News/2017/07/21/Gas-pipeline-oppo nen s -pan -impacts. It 7/21/2017