EDC reserves judgment on asphalt plant following tour

By Virginia Culp - WCU Intern

"They were very kind to give us a complete tour," commission member Herb Nolan said of the visit. "The purpose was to gain some understanding of asphalt plants."

The tour was one part of a fact-finding initiative by the EDC, intended to aid them in making an informed recommendation to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners about the economic impact of asphalt plants.

EDC Chairman Tom McClure said Monday that extensive research would be necessary before the commission could make a decision, although he stressed that the EDC will not have the final say in the matter of construction.

"I think we need to get more information," said Mark Leonard, another EDC member who took the Tuesday tour.

The tour of the Dillsboro plant included explanations of environmental standards the industry must meet in order to remain in compliance with state standards, as well as the actual asphalt-making process itself.

Led by Harrison Construction Vice President Mike Davis, EDC members Jay Coward, Frank Wilkie, Herb Nolan, Gene Couch and Leonard, the county's director of planning and economic development Tamera Crisp and Eric Brinke of the N.C. Department of Commerce toured the facility, asking questions and learning about the inner workings of the asphalt industry.

"The construction folks were very candid," Crisp said. "We decided we would pursue the review (of asphalt plants) more in depth."

Proposed construction of an asphalt plant on the old Worley farm in Qualla caused a storm of criticism around the neighborhood, as residents expressed fear that emissions from the plant would create health problems and harm the environment. At present, a countywide moratorium prevents Mark Fortner, owner of HMC Paving in Bryson City, from beginning work at the Qualla site.

While Fortner has stated that the new plant, which is proposed to be smaller and more efficient than Jackson County's existing asphalt plant, will not pose hazards for the community, residents cite noise, air and water pollution among their concerns. They also fear that the proximity of the plant to their homes and to Smokey Mountain Elementary School would cause property values to decrease and diminish the quality of life in the area.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians joined the fight to keep the paving industry out of Qualla, calling the development "a serious health risk to our children" and calling for a moratorium on construction.

During the year the moratorium is proposed to remain in effect, the EDC will conduct its own research to find out whether another asphalt plant in Jackson County would, as Fortner claims, create jobs and reduce the presence of trucks on the roads, or, as his opponents say, destroy the quality of life in the area.

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