In its petition to the Village of Cary, Meyer makes many claims about the safety of its gravel pit operation. This can be seen as very suspect, considering the company that owns Meyer---Holcim, Ltd.--- has had many violations over last several years:
- In 2006, Holcim was cited by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for Clean Air Act violations. According to the EPA, "Holcim exceeded limits on opacity, or the amount of light obscured by particulates (smoke, dust, ash), in its state operating permit" at a site it owns in Michigan. Holcim was operating 7.5 times beyond the limit.
- Holcim owns a cement plant in Montana and now wants to burn some 1.3 million tires at the facility, which would spew all sorts of dioxins into the air.
- A Holcim-owned facility in Oklahoma has been declared a "high priority violator" of the Clean Air Act several times by the EPA and has been fined $321,000.
- At a "wet-process kiln" facility in Michigan, Holcim has been charged as a "high priority violator" as well for its repeated violations of the Clean Air Act
- At a plant in Midlothian, Texas, Holcim had a permit that allowed it to put into the environment 1,540 tons of Nitrogen Oxide(NOx) a year. NOx can produce "serious" respiratory problems. However, the plant was not operating within its limits and its NOx emissions topped 3, 700 tons a year instead. Apparently, Holcim was charged with 15 violations of state and federal pollution laws at this one plant alone.
- In 1999, the state of Iowa discovered that Holcim failed to report excess emissions at a plant.
- A Holcim plant in Florence, Colorado, failed air pollution tests three times in 1996.
- In 2005, 9 plants in Massachusetts were fined $188,000 for air and water quality violations . These plants are operated by Aggregate Industries, which is owned by Holcim.
And, as the old cliche goes.....actions speak louder than words.
Is this the type of company we want operating in Cary?
Is it worth the risk?
1 comment:
Check your facts and realize that your bullet points are about cement plants,not ready mixed concrete or aggregate mining.If you want to create more pollution than block the pit.If a cement plant (cement is the powder or glue that makes concrete)I would agree and help your cause,but you are twisting the facts to further your cause. You really need to do more work on proper reporting and report the facts as it applies to this case. No I do not work for or have a connection to Meyer.
Post a Comment