To: William H. (Bill) Knight, Mayor of Greensboro and Governor Roy Cooper
STOP WHITE STREET LANDFILL FROM RE-OPENING
On Thursday, June 16, 2011 Guilford County Superior Court Judge Richard W. Stone granted a preliminary injunction which prevents the City of Greensboro from entering into a contract with a private company for the operation of White Street Landfill until the case is heard in court.
On Tuesday, July 19, 2011, on the basis of a technicality (that the injunction applied only to the opening of NEW projected sections - Phases IV and V - of the landfill), the Greensboro City Council voted on a narrow 4-3 margin to authorize re-opening of an existing phase (III) with an estimated remaining capacity of 3-5 years tops, which has been closed to household trash since 2006/7.
We view this City Council decision as a violation of THE SPIRIT of the Injunction which (based upon NC General Statute 160A-325) required the necessary health, environmental, socioeconomic, financial and civil rights impact assessments to be completed to see if re-opening the landfill was justified, especially in light of recent residents who moved there with the tacit understanding and assurance that that landfill was closed for good to foul-smelling household trash.
On Tuesday, July 19, 2011, on the basis of a technicality (that the injunction applied only to the opening of NEW projected sections - Phases IV and V - of the landfill), the Greensboro City Council voted on a narrow 4-3 margin to authorize re-opening of an existing phase (III) with an estimated remaining capacity of 3-5 years tops, which has been closed to household trash since 2006/7.
We view this City Council decision as a violation of THE SPIRIT of the Injunction which (based upon NC General Statute 160A-325) required the necessary health, environmental, socioeconomic, financial and civil rights impact assessments to be completed to see if re-opening the landfill was justified, especially in light of recent residents who moved there with the tacit understanding and assurance that that landfill was closed for good to foul-smelling household trash.
Why is this important?
Northeast Greensboro, NC residents face the imminent re-opening of a nearby landfill that is within a one-mile radius of almost 8,000 residents. Despite the persistent pleas of residents, and despite not having done the due diligence of the health, environmental and long-term economic impact assessments, the City Council by a narrow 4-3 vote on Tuesday, July 19, 2011, set in motion the process to re-open the landfill (closed since 2006/7) to stinky municipal solid waste (household trash). See www.theceej.org under "Legal Action" --> "Letter to City Manager" for more details.