A NALYSIS E SSAY C OMMUNITY I SSUE : T ITAN C EMENT P LANT By: Ashleigh Thomas

The Cape Fear River is home to many wonderful animals and benefits our community in numerous ways. It is vital that we protect the river and the inhabitants of it. The Cape Fear River is the longest river in North Carolina. In its entirety it is about 202 miles long. It reaches it’s end at the Intracoastal waterway creating thousands of acres of vital Wetlands. These Wetlands help aid our community in ways such as water purification, protection from storm damage, and erosion protection. They are a truly beautiful sight.

Meet Titan Cement Company. This is one of their limestone quarries in Florida. Since the project started it has increased the benzene levels in Miami-Dade County's drinking water. The surrounding Wetlands are being destroyed and polluted. In Spring 2008 Titan revealed that it would be building plant on the banks of the Cape Fear River. Nearly 1000 acres of Wetlands are going to be destroyed not to mention the pollution that will take place.

This is a picture of the Bronx River Wetlands after a Cement Plant wiped the land dry of valuable nutrients. Citizens banned together to restore the destroyed and polluted lands left behind. It took hundreds of thousands of dollars to restore and the process is ongoing. The land was sucked dry of everything valuable and when there was nothing left to take, the cement plant moved to another location leaving behind destruction. Remnants of Cement Plant After restoration project

E FFECTS OF T ITAN C EMENT P LANT High Mercury Levels High Benzene Levels Carbon Emissions will rise approximately 8,065 tons per year 1,263.7 acres of rock quarry Large amounts of dust in air 1,000 acres of Wetlands proposed to be destroyed 1,868 acres of land along the Cape Fear River will be turned into cement plant Destroying 1,000 acres of Wetlands will effect numerous ecosystems

Why Wilmington? “New Hanover County officials worked quietly for three years to lure Titan America LLC to Castle Hayne. When the news finally broke in April, county officials said the new cement plant would create jobs and send a positive ripple through the regional economy. But a growing number of concerned residents say the environmental price is too high. And they are preparing for a fight”  New Hanover county officials offered the company nearly 4.2 million dollars in tax credits  Titan officials say the area is “ideal”  Titan says that it will be boosting the Wilmington economy by 40 million dollars

Titan America Cement Plant will cause more damage than good for the lower Cape Fear region. Although money sounds compelling, the environmental effects will be disastrous. Ecosystems will be damaged, wetlands destroyed, and waters polluted. Citizens of New Hanover County have been protesting since the day the announcement was made. Stop Titan Cement. More Links About Titan Cement: comments-regarding-incentive-package-to-titan- cement/