Cape Fear River Watch, Inc.

We have attended the meetings held by the Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) which served to review the numerous issues surrounding solid waste handling and management in NHC. At that time, CFRW offered its opinions on the management of Solid Waste in the county with specific recommendations, some of which were those researched by SWAB. Recommendations formulated by the SWAB were presented to the NHC County Commissioners on January 20, 2009. Following this presentation, the NHC County Commissioners elected to develop a request for proposals (RFP) and solicit bids from private contractors to manage the County's solid waste needs. This recently released RFP does not provide incentives or reward the bidder's efforts to reduce loadings to the landfill, reduce emissions from the incinerator, or provide a plan to move New Hanover County towards an encompassing system that will serve us in the future. It is structured instead to favor a low cost bidder without any incentives to increase recycling or to upgrade WASTEC. The RFP should be structured to reward the investment of the bidders in a system that is designed to serve the public good rather than just reducing the short-term cost. It would have also been beneficial to allow public and scientific input into this plan. We hope, in this regard, that you will consider our input when you are reviewing the RFPs.

CFRW believes that the County should leave the important job of managing our solid waste in the hands of the county employees currently managing our waste or award the contract to a company who will put forth an aggressive set of goals to reduce our solid waste by a total county-wide recycling program. We should focus on the reduction of county demands for additional landfill space and waste incineration but without "just transporting" our waste problem to another site. In order to accomplish these goals, the County and/or the contractor should develop and implement county-wide plans for increased re-use and recycling of both household and construction and demolition materials. These materials should be viewed as resources and not waste. Our goal should be a more sustainable solid waste management plan that is both economically and environmentally attractive to businesses, tourism, and to our residents. It should be one that minimizes harm to our natural areas and reduces the use of natural resources.

In order to accomplish the above, a comprehensive strategy must be developed that incorporates a transition strategy to cope with current demands and realities while setting the stage for an environmentally friendly solid waste management plan. We list several of our recommendations below that should be considered in this comprehensive plan.

Cape Fear River Watch (CFRW)supports the environmentally safe and efficient handling of solid waste in New Hanover County (NHC) to maximize re-use and recycling and minimize the need to landfill and incinerate. We of course realize that the large amount of waste generated by the county requires the operation of a "state of the art landfill", which NHC currently has, and an upgraded incinerator that will meet or exceed both the current and the forthcoming EPA guidelines for emissions and fly ash.

These e-mail updates alert members to pertinent issues and inform readers of upcoming actions, activities, and volunteer opportunities. By registering as a volunteer, you will automatically receive these alerts, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Cape Fear River Watch has committed itself to the long term task of preserving and restoring fish populations to the entire Cape Fear River. A major component of this mission will be the establishment of large scale rock weirs at the three lock and dam combinations along the river. CFRW is reaching out to work with the Army Corps or Engineers, NC Wildlife Resource Commission, NC DENR, and US FWS on this mission. See the full position of the Advocacy Committee and Board of Directors here or more information about this initiative here.

Cape Fear River Watch has joined with the the Catawba, Neuse, New, Tar-Pamlico, Waccamaw and Yadkin RIVERKEEPER® organizations to strenuously oppose Duke Energy's proposed new Coal-Fired Power Plant near Shelby, NC. This is a large project and the fight against it will not be short or simple. Check for updates regularly.

In December our former RIVERKEEPER®, Doug Springer, addressed the New Hanover County Board of Commisioners, urging them to protect endangered marshland at the confluence of the Cape Fear River and the Northeast Cape Fear River. Read the full text of his statement

The health of the Cape Fear River and most other rivers in Eastern North Carolina continues to be endangered by runoff from the many industrial hog operations in the watershed. Elimination of " Hog Lagoons " from the Cape Fear River watershed remains one of Cape Fear River Watch &lsquos priorites and we hope it’s one of yours as well. Read the open letter sent last February by a consortium of likeminded organizations to the General Assembly. Feel free to use it as a model for your own calls and letters.

For more information on the ongoing fight against swine feces in the river, browse Rick Dove’s excellent website on the matter on behalf of the Waterkeeper Alliance.

The Advocacy Committee works actively on water quality-related issues such as environmentally sustainable development, hog lagoon regulations, wetland preservation and restoration, vegetative wetland retention, oyster reseeding, and recycling.

We support this coalition of North Carolina local governments and organizations advocating setting aside $200 million a year for five years to protect our state's unique natural habitats. Conserving this land will help improve air and water quality and guarantee the safety of areas of historical and ecological significance.

	Cape Fear River Watch, Inc.
	Environmental Education, Advocacy and Action for the Lower Cape Fear River Basin