Stanly County wants jobs, but water quality is the issue
Everyone wants jobs, no one more than Stanly County, which has an 11.5 percent unemployment rate, due in part to Alcoa shutting down its aluminum plant and shipping jobs overseas. Unfortunately, the 2007 relicensing agreement does not mention one word about job creation. Alcoa certainly had no intention of providing jobs as a condition of the 50 year license, but now Alcoa wants Stanly County and the state to drop their water quality certification lawsuit in exchange for jobs.
If it was not for Stanly County insisting Alcoa had a duty to provide jobs and additional public benefits as part of the Relicensing Agreement, the 200 jobs now being created in Badin by Electronic Recyclers International would never have happened. Stanly County can not legally discuss why settlement discussions with Alcoa broke down, but there is not an elected official in the state who would willingly turn down legitimate offers to create jobs.
A quick google search reveals Clean Tech Silicon and Bar LLC does not really exist. How can we trust Alcoaís promise of new jobs when Alcoa initially tried to conceal it was a potential investor in Clean Tech? Alcoa promised 900 jobs in the 1957 agreement but failed to deliver.
Alcoa has repeatedly denied it contaminated Badin Lake fish with cancer-causing PCBs. Last December, state officials revoked Alcoaís water quality certification when internal Alcoa emails revealed the company had intentionally misled state officials about its pollution and water quality improvements. Why should Alcoa be rewarded with a new water quality certification?
Alcoa cannot be trusted. Alcoa must be required to clean up its mess and protect the health of the Yadkin River. The issue of jobs should never be tied to the water quality certification; it should be tied to the 50-year relicensing agreement.
ó Dean Naujoks
Winston-Salem
Naujoks is the Yadkin Riverkeeper.
A great day in Cleveland
Anyone who missed the Shaver Wood Products outing in Cleveland really missed a wonderful time.
It featured great entertainment, plus Elvis was in the house, along with fried chicken, barbecue and all the fixinís and homemade ice cream.
There was a playground for the kids and parachutists jumping out of airplanes.
The community enjoyed a wonderful day, with no stress or worries, and an opportunity to make new friends.
Thanks for putting this outing together each year. There are angels after all, and they live in Cleveland!
ó Shirley Corriher
Salisbury
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