HARRISBURG, N.C. — A public hearing was supposed to be held over the controversial proposal of a chemical waste landfill in Harrisburg on Wednesday evening.
However, the attorney for the company said they needed more time after the town slow-walked getting them the data.
Venator Chemicals on Pharr Mill Road manufactures titanium dioxide pigments.
It has requested a special use permit so it can develop an onsite industrial landfill at its existing facility, upgrading an outdated settling lagoon by removing solids and placing them in a new nonhazardous industrial solid waste landfill.
If approved, it would be Harrisburg’s second landfall.
The hearing was going to happen in front of the town’s five-member Board of Adjustment, which is judge and jury over issues like special use permits. However, the attorney representing the Venator didn’t agree with proceeding.
“The town hired a consultant to look at this issue but did not share the report with Venator,” said Venator’s attorney Tom Terrell. “It takes time for technical teams to review that.”
The Harrisburg Town Council has come out vehemently against Venator’s application.
Town manager Rob Donham said there are health, safety, and environmental concerns. The proposed landfill would be adjacent to a major water source, the Rocky River.
“We think there are better ways to treat the byproduct that they are producing out at this business,” said Donham. “There have been notices of violations in the past; we don’t have a lot of confidence that anything new out there would be treated any differently.”
Residents also attended the public hearing in hopes of fighting back against the proposed chemical waste landfill, but they said they were cut off from having their voices heard.
“This feels like a deliberate attempt to evade the process by which the hundreds of people here tonight can speak their opinion,” said resident Casey Burke. “We got a babysitter to be here.”
However, not everyone living near the plant is opposed to Venator’s request.
Mark Evans told Channel 9 that he has lived in the Pharr Mill and Shamrock Road area for 30 years.
“We went to the preliminary meeting about it, and it looks like what they’re doing is actually better than what is currently there,” said Evans.
The public hearing was continued to March 4 at 5:30 p.m.
Residents said they also felt like that was deliberate because it ensured they would not be able to attend in person. And you have to be in person for your comments to be considered by the Board of Judgement.
VIDEO: Residents concerned after judge overrules decision blocking landfill in northwest Mecklenburg Co.
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